(MENAFN- AzerNews) By Mazahir Afandiyev
Following the Second Garabagh-Patriotic War in 2020, the
complete restoration of territorial integrity and Sovereignty in
2023 marked the pinnacle of our 30-year effort to free our
territories from occupation. The blood of our victims was not shed
in vain, as all the crimes and genocides against the Azerbaijani
people have been avenged.
Nevertheless, we must never lose sight of the genocide against
the Azerbaijani people that occurred in the past. We must work
tirelessly to impart these tragedies to a fresh, youthful,
patriotic generation while also incorporating them into our
literature, folklore, and culture as a whole. Only then will we be
able to pass on this history from one generation to the next and
prevent such tragedies from happening to our people.
Regretfully, near the close of the 20th century, crimes against
humanity, peace, and Azerbaijan persisted, leaving a horrific scar
on the country's past. The genocide at Khojaly is one of the crimes
against the people of Azerbaijan. 32 years ago, in February 1992, a
genocide was carried out that resulted in the deaths of 613
people-106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly people-1275 citizens
were taken prisoner, and 150 people's whereabouts are still
unknown. The entire city was destroyed. That terrible night left
487 Khojaly residents-76 of them children-seriously crippled, 8
households utterly decimated, 25 children without a parent, and 130
children with one parent.
In addition to social amenities, private residences, 14 schools,
21 clubs, 29 libraries, three houses of culture, and one local
history museum were destroyed as a result of the occupation of the
city. The city's tombs and domes from the XIV–XV centuries were
completely demolished, and the cemetery was barbarically
destroyed.
As a result, our people suffered from torture that was immoral
and flagrantly violated the standards and precepts of international
law. The National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, has declared over and over
again that the Khojaly tragedy is the "blood memory" of the
Azerbaijani people. He has also made actual political assessments
of the events in the international arena and has taken concrete
steps to bring this matter to the attention of the international
community.
"With its unimaginable cruelty and inhumane methods of
punishment, the Khojaly genocide directed against the Azerbaijani
people as a whole is an act of atrocity in the history of
mankind," declared national leader Haydar Aliyev. The
Milli Majlis passed a resolution "On the Day of the Khojaly
Genocide" on February 24, 1994, at his suggestion.
These days, efforts are continuously made to present the world
with the facts about Khojaly and to provide an unbiased evaluation
of this genocide. Leyla Aliyeva, vice-president of the Heydar
Aliyev Foundation, has been advocating for this work within the
framework of the international campaign "Justice for Khojaly" since
2008. Her persistent efforts have inspired our younger generation
to raise awareness of this tragedy on a global scale.
The Khojaly massacre and the remembrance of our dead people are
being honored by the Azerbaijani people in a new era this year.
While we carry out the continuation of their names and pray for the
souls of our martyred sons by discussing their valor, we also
establish a new course of action that will contribute to the
overall growth of our nation.
Our new generation has inherited the protection of modern
Azerbaijan established by the Great Leader, and each and every
Azerbaijani citizen should keep up their efforts to uphold their
country's independence and the core values of its rich historical
legacy.
It's an honour that the Khojaly people are returning home after
being driven from their ancestral territories and their original
land thirty-two years earlier. We will all pay tribute to the
people who lost their lives in Khojaly through the construction of
new monuments, parks, and infrastructure that is essential to
life.
Today, the only goals of the triumphant people are the
international recognition of the Khojaly massacre and the
punishment of those responsible for the crime. We also hope that
the rights of those who perished that horrific night will be
fulfilled and that future genocides and massacres against humanity
will be prevented.
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