AZERBAIJANI-AMERICANS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ATTEMPTS OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO COVER UP BLOODY CRACKDOWN AGAINST OWN CITIZENS BY ATTACKING AZERBAIJAN
Today
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March 5 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC) expresses its deep concern about
the reports of heavy fighting on the frontline between Armenian
and Azerbaijani forces in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan.
On March 4th, 2008, Armenian forces stationed along the Karabakh
frontline violated an 11-year-old ceasefire and attempted an offensive
against the Azerbaijani military positions in Terter district of
Azerbaijan. The attack of Armenian forces was repulsed, as a result,
three Azerbaijani soldiers were killed and one was wounded,the number
of losses on the Armenian side is still unknown.
Just three days earlier, on March 1st, Armenian police and army
violently dispersed a peaceful anti-government protest in Yerevan, the
capital of Armenia. For 12 days in a row, tens of thousands of Armenian
citizens protested against the results of controversial presidential
elections on February 19th. The claim of the Armenian government that
the candidate from the ruling party, the incumbent prime-minister Serzh
Sarkissian, won the election is widely disputed by the opposition,
which reported widespread cases of voter fraud and intimidation.
As a result of this crackdown by the Armenian government against the
protesters, 7 civilians and a police officer were killed, up to 30
opposition activists, including the main opposition candidate, Levon
Ter-Petrossian, were arrested. On March 2nd, the current president
of Armenia Robert Kocharian, who endorsed the ruling party’s victory
claim, declared a state of emergency and imposed bans on public
gatherings and freemedia for 20 days. The website of oppositions
"Aravot" publication was shut down. For the last two Sundays, up
to 15,000 Armenian-Americans in Los Angeles protested against the
election fraud in Armenia and violent crackdown on civil rights by
its government.
In light of these events, Azerbaijani-Americans view todays military
provocation by the Armenian government against Azerbaijan as an attempt
to divert the attention of Armenian public from internal disorder,
flagrant suppression of civil rights, ban against free speech, arrest
and intimidation of opposition activists, and ongoing international
and economic isolation brought about by the policies of the current
militaristic regime in Armenia.
AAC hopes for a quick resolution of internal crisis, restoration of
stability and peace in neighboring Armenia and reaffirms its support
for a peaceful resolution of Karabakh conflict within the framework
of international mediation efforts. Azerbaijani-Americans invite
all constructive forces in Armenian community not to fall under the
influence of radical extremists in Armenian ruling elite trying to
restart the war for the sake of petty political objectives.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress