AZERBAIJAN’S POLICY TOWARD ARMENIAN MONUMENTS IS A CULTURAL GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2007 16:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The more improbable is the lie the greater is the
possibility that people will believe it. This sad maxim occurs while
reading a recurrent opus invented by the Azeri agitation industry
as regards historical monuments in Nakhijevan. This style might be
comprehended and explained if the authors did not go beyond the Azeri
information field, where the propaganda machine can brainwash the
citizens filling them with absurd ideas and ‘facts’," ARARAT Center
for Strategic Research experts told PanARMENIAN.Net when commenting
on Azeri historians’ statement that "there are no Armenian historical
monuments in Nakhijevan".

"Mr Safarli, pretending to rank of a scientist, tries to impose
his vision of History not only to the whole world but also to the
historical community. This aspiration is ridiculous, miserable
and outraging at the same time. History is a science with its own
methodology and scientific devices. Attempts to ‘scientifically
prove’ belonging of Nakhijevan to Azerbaijan are insulting not
only Armenians but the History itself. The circumstances that led
to annexation of Nakhijevan to Azerbaijan in the 20th century are
obvious and well-studied.

Cases of the kind are very frequent in the world history. However,
no single civilized country ever attempted to misappropriate another
nation’s history and historical heritage or, moreover, deny their
existence. Is it possible to fancy the population of present-day
Egypt, the embodiment of Arab culture, denying the existence of
Egyptian pyramids?

It is true that given some events in the 20th century and weakness
of the Armenian state system, we failed to prevent destruction of
the Armenian cultural heritage in Western Armenia. However, we do
say that Azerbaijan’s policy is tantamount to cultural genocide.

Some 27 thousand Armenian historical monuments (churches, fortresses,
bridges, khachkars, etc) are internationally documented to be found
in Nakhijevan.

It’s absurd to deny their existence.

If the Azerbaijani government and the entire Azeri nation led by
their historical community are incapable to find Armenian historical
monuments on the territory of Armenian province of Nakhijevan, we
can certify the fact of historical genocide, a fragrant crime that
constituted demolition of thousand of khachkars in the medieval
cemetery of Djugha. We do assure that we come across a state
policy. Hence, Armenia and Diaspora should bring this crying fact to
the notion of international institutions.

If it doesn’t happen, it’s our fault and our weakness.

However, sooner or later Azerbaijan will be called to account. The
history of the 20th century proves that a policy of the kind can’t
go unpunished. But justice and retribution will not overtake the
criminals without endeavors of the entire Armenianhood," reads the
statement issued by ARARAT.