Azernews.Az

BAKU – A US congressman has issued a statement commemorating March 31, the anniversary of the massacre perpetrated against Azerbaijanis by Armenian nationalists and Bolsheviks in 1918.

Texas Congressman John Zerwas’ statement refers to Azerbaijani Genocide Day, the 93rd anniversary of the massacre when more than 12,000 Azerbaijanis, Jews, Persians, Kurds, Lezgins and Avars were brutally killed in Baku, Guba, Shamakhi, Shusha, Nakhchivan and Yerevan.

"The developments, which are often referred to as the "March Days," were an outcome of the ethnic, religious, and political tensions that had grown stronger in the Caucasus region of Europe following the Russian revolution of 1917 and the withdrawal of Russian troops from World War I early the following year," says the letter.

The congressman wrote that by March 1918, the possibility of widespread civil conflict increased as Armenian, Azerbaijani and Bolshevik groups were involved in sporadic clashes, then, as the month drew to a close, the region exploded into several days of violence.

"In the city of Baku, the fighting was particularly bloody, and there were also killings in other towns, including Shemakha, Guba and Shusha; in some areas, crowds raged through the streets, burning houses and slaying anyone they perceived as an enemy. Estimates of the number of people killed range from 2,000 to as many as 12,000, including women, children, and other innocent civilians", the statement says.

According to the letter, the passage of this date in 2011 provides an opportunity to reflect on the terrible loss of life that can result from the conflicts that arise between people of different ethnicities, religions, and political viewpoints, and the enduring need to resolve such disputes through dialog and negotiations rather than bloodshed.

"Now, therefore, be it", says the congressman, "that the anniversary of the 1918 killings in Azerbaijan be commemorated in solemn observance of that horrific event."