Azerbaijan ‘vandalised’ sacred Armenian sites
The Independent – United Kingdom; May 30, 2006
Stephen Castle in Brussels
Fears that Azerbaijan has systematically destroyed hundreds of
500-year-old Christian artefacts have exploded into a diplomatic row,
after Euro MPs were barred from inspecting an ancient Armenian burial
site.
The predominantly Muslim country’s government has been accused of
“flagrant vandalism” similar to the Taliban’s demolition of the
Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan.
The claims centre on the fate of rare khachkars, stone crosses carved
with intricate floral designs, at the burial ground of Djulfa in the
Nakhichevan region of Azerbaijan, an enclave separated from the rest
of the country by Armenia.
The works – some of the most important examples of Armenian heritage –
are said to have been smashed with sledgehammers last December as the
site was concreted over.
The Azerbaijan government, which denies the claims, is now at the
centre of a row with MEPs, some of whom it accused of a “biased and
hysterical approach”. Its ambassador to the EU also says the European
Parliament has ignored damage to Muslim sites in Armenia. Azerbaijan
refused to allow a delegation of Euro MPs permission to visit the
1,500-year-old Djulfa cemetery during their trip to the region last
month.
Most of the original 10,000 khachkars, most of which date from the
15th and 16th centuries, were destroyed by the early 20th century,
leaving probably fewer than 3,000 by the late 1970s. According to the
International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos), the Azerbaijan
government removed 800 khachkars in 1998. Though the destruction was
halted following protests from Unesco, it resumed four years later. By
January 2003 “the 1,500-year-old cemetery had completely been
flattened,” Icomos says.
Witnesses, quoted in the Armenian press, say the final round of
vandalism was unleashed in December last year by Azerbaijani soldiers
wielding sledgehammers.
The president of Icomos, Michael Petzet, said: “Now that all traces of
this highly important historic site seem to have been extinguished all
we can do is mourn the loss and protest against this totally senseless
destruction.” Some MEPs believe that, boosted by its oil revenues,
Azerbaijan is adopting an increasingly assertive stance in the region.
Charles Tannock, Conservative foreign affairs
spokesman in the European parliament, said: “This is very similar to
the Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban. They have concreted the
area over and turned it into a military camp. If they have nothing to
hide then we should be allowed to inspect the terrain. It was a major
cultural and heritage site which was revered by the Armenian Christian
community.”
When MEPs passed a critical resolution in February, Azerbaijan’s
Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammad-yarov, made a formal protest. Then,
when the parliament’s delegation for relations with Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia asked to combine a mission to Armenia with a
visit to the Djulfa archaeological site, their request was refused.
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly hopes to visit the site
and its secretary general has offered to set up an expert group to
examine cultural sites in Azerbaijan and Armenia. MEPs insist that the
authorities in Azerbaijan should open their doors if they have nothing
to hide.
Hannes Swoboda, an Austrian socialist MEP and member of the committee
barred from examining the site, said he hoped a visit could be
arranged in the autumn. He added: “If they do not allow us to go, we
have a clear hint that some- thing bad has happened. If something is
hidden we want to ask why. It can only be because some of the
allegations are true.”
And he warned: “One of the major elements of any country that wants to
come close to Europe is that the cultural heritage of neighbours is
respected.”