Western Azerbaijan Community

APPEAL

by the Western Azerbaijan Community and

other civil society organizations operating in the Republic of Azerbaijan

28 July 2023

Throughout the tumultuous 20th century, Armenia mercilessly subjected ethnic Azerbaijanis to unspeakable horrors, unleashing displacement and various forms of persecution that inflicted profound suffering and indelible scars on their memories.

The brutal expulsion of Azerbaijanis from Armenia between 1987 and 1991 marked the appalling conclusion of a century- long campaign to eradicate them from their ancestral homeland. The Azerbaijani settlements in Armenia, which were once flourishing cradles of Azerbaijani culture, lay abandoned yearning for their rightful owners.

As if this malevolence were not enough, the 1991-1994 occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia brought an even darker chapter of suffering. Approximately 800,000 Azerbaijanis were savagely uprooted from their homes, forced into a cruel fate of displacement. Cemeteries and sacred places of Azerbaijanis were demonstratively destroyed, desecrating their cultural legacy and inflicting irreparable wounds.

The brutality of Armenia knew no boundaries. It carried out numerous massacres against innocent Azerbaijani civilians, claiming the lives of over 20,000 souls. To this day, the fate of 4,000 missing individuals remains a haunting agony, a painful reminder of the unresolved grief and suffering endured by the Azerbaijani people.

In tent camps, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs endured unimaginable living conditions, devoid of basic services. This prolonged displacement, tore families apart, wrought havoc upon their social fabric, leaving them grappling with despair and uncertainty.

For years, Armenia brazenly defied international law, clinging to its occupation and preventing the safe return of Azerbaijani IDPs. Only in the Autumn of 2020, when Azerbaijan liberated its occupied territories while countering yet another vicious attack by Armenia, did the IDPs finally glimpse a glimmer of hope to return home.

Yet, the road to rehabilitation and reintegration has been paved with unprecedented challenges and hardships. With cruel intent, Armenia left the once-occupied territories heavily contaminated with landmines, rendering vast swaths of land uninhabitable deathtraps. With blatant disregard for human life, Armenia refuses to reveal the location of these hidden seeds of death, attacking the very essence of the international humanitarian law.

The world's response to the unprecedent injustice inflicted upon ethnic Azerbaijanis has been nothing short of disheartening, exposing glaring double standards in addressing human rights issues. Despite the gravity of Armenia's heinous actions, the global community has turned a blind eye, failing to afford the Azerbaijani plight the empathy and support it so desperately deserves.

The selective approach of the so-called "international community" is a disheartening display of bias and indifference, evident in their disregard for the immense suffering endured by the Azerbaijani people. They seem to prefer to conveniently forget the plight of ethnic Azerbaijanis, who have faced displacement, persecution, and massacres. Instead, attempts are made to shift focus towards non-existent and fabricated "potential" problems of Armenians residing in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

One of the disconcerting hoaxes perpetuated is the portrayal of the area of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed, as something exclusively related to ethnic Armenians, deliberately obscuring the painful truth of the past. The fact is that Azerbaijanis were brutally expelled from multiple settlements in that very area, including from Khankendi, Karkijahan, Malibayli, Garadaghly, and Khojaly. The haunting memories of the 1992 massacre in Khojaly, where Armenian forces orchestrated a mass killing of Azerbaijani civilians, still reverberate, leaving scars difficult to heal. The displaced Azerbaijanis are still unable to return to those settlements. Such a misleading narrative, painting a picture of exclusivity for the Armenian population, only serves to perpetuate an unjust and divisive approach.

This lopsided view exposes the true colors of those who claim to uphold justice and human rights, as they blatantly ignore the rights and hardships of Azerbaijanis, fueled by ethnic and religious considerations.

Such a stance endorses Armenia's war crimes, crimes against humanity, and racial discrimination, allowing injustice to prevail and perpetuating the cycle of suffering for the Azerbaijani people.

Buoyed by this preferential treatment, Armenia persists in its arrogance, denying the right of expelled Azerbaijanis to return to their rightful homes. They shamelessly label the forced expulsion as "voluntary," a perverse attempt to strip Azerbaijani refugees of their fundamental right to return. Armenia's persistent refusal to engage in dialogue with the Western Azerbaijan Community regarding the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia, while labeling their legitimate cause as a mere "territorial claim," serves as yet another troubling testament to this state's adherence to a mono-ethnic policy and its deep-rooted Azerbaijanophobia.

Furthermore, Armenia's assertion of the "exclusivity of Karabakh Armenians" echoes a deeply problematic and unsettling ideology, evoking historical parallels that should serve as a stark warning. Such a notion displays a dangerous belief in racial superiority and the exclusion of others based on ethnicity.

The international community's failure to condemn Armenia’s misdeeds only reinforces the perception of pro-Armenia bias, leaving Azerbaijanis to bear the burden of injustice without the support they deserve.

The displacement plight of ethnic Azerbaijanis stands as a haunting testament to humanity's capacity for cruelty and indifference. The scars inflicted upon the Azerbaijani people cry out for attention and action, demanding that the world unmask its double standards and confront these grave injustices head-on.

It is high time for the international community to reflect on its actions, rectify its selective approach, and truly stand up for justice and human rights, regardless of ethnic origin or religion. Only then can we hope for a more equitable and inclusive world that rejects discrimination and embraces genuine peace and reconciliation.”

The appeal was signed by:

1. Aziz Alakbarov - Chairman of the Western Azerbaijan Community

2. Fatma Sattarova - Chairperson of Organization of War, Labor, and Armed Forces Veterans

3. Tural Ganjaliyev - Head of the “Return to Karabakh" Public Union

4. Khatira Valiyeva - Chairperson of the “Khankandi” Support to IDP’s Public Union

5. Konul Behbudova - Head of the Families of Missing Persons in Karabakh Public Union

6. Vugar Gadirov - Head of the “For Return and Revival Youth Organization” Public Union

7. Shamil Alakbarli - Head of Khojaly Genocide Awareness Public Union

8. Novella Jafarova - Head of the Association for the Protection of Women's Rights named after Dilara Aliyeva

9. Saida Gojamanli - Human Rights and Rule of Law Public Union

10. Saadat Bananyarli - Head of the Azerbaijan National Section of International Society for Human Rights Public Union

11. Mehriban Mammadova - Chairman of the Humanitarian Studies Public Union

12. Rauf Zeyni - Head of the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan

13. Ramil Iskandarli - Head of the Legal Analysis and Research Public Union

14. Hafiz Safikhanov - Head of the “Azerbaijani Company against Mines” Public Union

15. Ogtay Sadigov - Head of the Refugee and Deported Support Public Union

16. Rey Karimoglu - Chairman of the Association of Mine Victims in Azerbaijan

17. Sevinj Alizade - Chairman of "Zafar" Support for Martyrs' Families Public Union

18. Shamistan Alizamanli - Head of the “Support for the Promotion of Patriotism” Public Union

19. Bahruz Mammadzade - Chairman of Veterans, Families of Martyrs and Veterans of Special Forces Public Union

20. Sariya Jafarova - Head of the Public Union for the Awareness-raising on Armenian Aggression

21. Faig Ismayilov – Head of the Public Union for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan

22. Telman Dadashov - Head of the “Tereqqi” Social Development Public Union

23. Mushfig Alasgarli - Head of the Support for Innovative Initiatives in the Media Public Union

24. Umud Mirzayev - Head of the International Eurasia Press Fund

25. Nasiman Yagublu - Head of the Support for History and Press Studies Public Union

26. Khalid Khalilov – Chairman of "Vatan" Public Union of Ahiska Turks living in Azerbaijan

27. Maria Huseynova - Head of the Azerbaijan Public Unity Help to Development of the Azerbaijan-Bulgarian friendship

28. Elman Ahmadov - Chairman of “Azeri Tat Cultural Center” Public Union