Azerbaijani FM honors March 31 genocide victims
By Vafa Ismayilova
Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov paid tribute to Azerbaijanis who were massacred by Armenian nationalists on March 31, 1918.
He made the remarks on his Twitter page on March 31, which marks the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis.
"On the day of the March 31 'Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis' we remember victims of the march massacre and reiterate the importance of ceasing impunity of Armenia to prevent reoccurrence of such inhumane crimes," Bayramov tweeted.
On March 31, Azerbaijan commemorates the 104th anniversary of the genocide committed by Armenians against Azerbaijani civilians in the early 20th century.
In 1918, the Armenian nationalists committed acts of genocide against the civilian population almost on the entire territory of Azerbaijan. More than 50,000 Azerbaijani citizens became victims of Armenian fascism over five months.
Azerbaijanis were exposed to a genocide in Baku, Guba province, Shamakhi, Gusar, Erivan, Nakhchivan, Zangazur, Karabakh, Lankaran and practically all Azerbaijani lands.
Throughout history, Armenian nationalists with the dream of establishing a "Greater Armenia' state purposefully pursued a policy of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and deportation of the Azerbaijani people.
Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva earlier urged the international community and international organizations to conduct the necessary fair and transparent political and legal assessments of the genocide against Azerbaijanis in order to protect human rights and prevent future occurrences.
The Guba genocide cemetery was discovered on April 1, 2007, during excavations in the area. After that, the staff of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences conducted extensive research on the mass grave. As a result of the research, it was determined that the cemetery was connected with the genocide committed by Armenians against the local civilian population in 1918.
The Guba Genocide Memorial Complex, established with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, opened on September 18, 2013.
--