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In most part of the globe, peoples living in neighborhoods fought each
other for a long time and eventually tremendous amount ; of damages and
disasters broke out. One of the clear examples is the fight between Germany and
France for ages until the Second World War and enormous losses among
civilians. However, Germany and France were able to establish friendly
neighboring relations from 1950 on, having learned much from sad pages of the
history. The prerequisite is the willingness of both parties in eliciting truth and
their persistence of setting up friendly relations.
To set up friendly relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey and establish
peace in the Caucasus, Armenia must withdraw from the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan by abiding by resolutions unconditionally, IDPs must be returned to
their homes, and Armenia have to give a positive feedback on peaceful
resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Maintenance of peace and friendly
relations will be in favor of peoples of these countries. None of the countries
including Armenia has the right to hope that Azerbaijan will accept the
occupation of the one fifth of its territory and displacement of more than a
million civilians.
The Tsarist Russia pursued a policy to create a buffer zone in the
frontal regions, where Christianity was dominant, with the Ottoman empire,
with which it was in the state of war for ages, and moreover it aimed to increase
the number of Armenian population in the Western Caucasus. Thus, Armenians
were moved to these regions and the demographic balance was shifted to their
favor. The current Nagorno-Karabakh problem emerged as the consequence of
this policy.
This publication particularly aims to disclose the massacre committed
by Armenians towards Azerbaijani Turks in March-April of 1918 and eventually
disseminate detailed information on this significant historical event.
Prof. Dr. Hakki Keskin
MP of German Parliament and member of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (2005-2009)
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Introduction
The international community is unaware of settlement of Armenians in
the north of Azerbaijan in accordance with the Tsarist Russia's colonial policy in
the territory of Azerbaijan and of conduct of genocide against the local
populationby their hand in 1905-1906, 1918-1920, 1948-1953, and in 1988-
1994. The research on crimes of Armenian criminals against Azerbaijanis
indicates that one of the most terrible crimes was committed in March-April,
1918 in Baku, Guba, Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Goychay, Hajigabul, Kurdamir,
Salyan, Lankaran, Zangezur, Nakhichevan, Karabakh, Agstafa, and so forth.
These planned crimes were carried out by military forces, which came back
from the Russian-Turkish front in January, 1918 and were composed ofa number
of Armenians. The prime target of this genocide, conducted against the local
Muslims under the leadership of Shaumyan, was to take control over
Azerbaijani oil and natural resources and to annex it to the Soviet Russia by
changing its national and religious composition in Baku and in adjacent regions.
During the crimes committed in 1918, specifically in April 1918, 94.000 ton oil
was carried, while in May it constituted 182.000 ton, in June 466.000, in July
492.000 accordingly. (1)
To investigate the crimes committed towards the Muslim population,
the Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic set up Emergency
Investigation Commission in June 15,1918 with the representation of members
of Gandja District Court Shahmaliyev Ismail bey, Andrei Fomich Novatsky, and
prosecutors Nasraddinbey Safikurdsky, Nikolay Mikhaylovich Mikhaylov, V.
Gudvillo and Mirza Javad Akhundzada under the leadership of Alakbarbey
Khasmammadov.
The assembled documents of the Commission proved that Armenians
carried out planned genocide towards Azerbaijani population.
The II article of the Convention on Prevention of and Punishment for
the Genocide adopted with the resolution 260 (III) dated December 9,1948 of
the U.N. General Assembly states:
“genocide” (massacre-author) is meant where actions are taken towards
partial or entire elimination of national, ethnic, racial or religious group:
a)
Killing of any member of the group
b)
Posing severe damage to health or mental damage to a member of
the group
c)
Intentionally creating a condition for a member of the group whose
physical existence is partially or completely under threat
d)
Taking any measure for the group that intends prevention of birth
e) Handing over a child from one group to another by force Although
the genocide committed towards Azerbaijanis by Armenians in 1918 was
confirmed by the Emergency Investigation Commission, regretfully punishment