HEARINGS ON THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ETHNIC CLEANSING HELD IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 16:48

Speaker of the NKR National Assembly Ashot Ghulyan declared today that
in April-June 1991 the authorities of Soviet Azerbaijan organized and
carried out ” a cruel policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh
and adjacent territories” on the state level.”

Ashot Ghulyan said this speaking at the parliamentary hearings on
“Oghak operation: The violations of Soviet Azerbaijan and Soviet Union
authorities against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and
adjacent territories.”

Ashot Ghulyan noted that the accomplishment of these programs stalled
the nationwide struggle of the Karabakh people, which ended in the
establishment of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

“Only establishment of statehood could resist this policy, which
resulted in the establishment of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in
1992,” the NA Speaker noted.

Head of the NKR Parliament spoke for the unification of the efforts
of state structures to collect facts of anti-Armenian policy of
Azerbaijan. He informed that an ad hoc committee will be set to
investigate the violations against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh by
authorities of Soviet and independent Azerbaijan.

Participants of the hearings characterized the “Oghak” operation as a
” terrorist act by Azerbaijan.” It was noted during the hearings that
the Azeri authorities did not only refuse to take responsibility for
these actions, but also continue to speak on the language of terrorism
with Nagorno-Karabakh, threatening to resolve the Karabakh conflict
via force.

During the “Ohak” operation 6030 people from 24 villages were
forcefully displaced.