BIG urges int'l community to provide objective assessment of Armenia's policy of intolerance

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has called on the international community to provide an objective assessment of the Armenian authorities' policies of ethnic discrimination and intolerance toward Azerbaijanis, Report informs.

The statement issued by the BIG notes that the policy pursued against Azerbaijanis was systemic and part of ethnic hatred aimed at creating a mono-ethnic state.

"The only 'guilt' of the Azerbaijanis was their nationality. In 1905-1906, in 1918, and throughout the subsequent stages of the 20th century, they were subjected to mass murder, ethnic cleansing, and gross violations of their political, economic, social, and cultural rights.

The gross violations of the law committed against the Azerbaijanis were a repetition of the atrocities that colonial powers historically committed against the peoples under their rule," the statement emphasized.

The BIG also noted that the deliberate colonial policy pursued by the Armenian SSR served to gradually displace Azerbaijanis from their historical places of residence, erase their cultural and religious heritage, and, as a result, transform Armenia into a mono-ethnic republic.

"In this regard, mass deportation operations against Azerbaijanis spanned the years 1948-1953, when more than 150,000 Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homelands. These acts resulted in profound tragedies for the lives of these people, separating thousands of families from their native lands, and the harsh conditions of displacement dealt a serious blow to the lives, health, and social status of these people.

At the same time, the historical and cultural heritage of Azerbaijanis was deliberately erased, toponyms of Azerbaijani origin were massively changed, and settlements, cemeteries, and religious and cultural monuments were destroyed or appropriated. This policy was not limited to the physical expulsion of people from their lands but also aimed to erase their historical memory and cultural traces," the document notes.

It is emphasized that, starting in late 1987, Armenian authorities revived territorial claims against Azerbaijan, after which over 250,000 Azerbaijanis still living in Armenia were forcibly expelled from their homes. Armed attacks were organized on Azerbaijani villages, and people were forced to leave their homes. Thus, the policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in Armenia was completed.

"This process was not directed only against Azerbaijanis. As a result of Armenia's policy of transforming it into a mono-ethnic state, other ethnic and religious minorities were also oppressed, and their numbers sharply declined. This fact demonstrates that Armenia has been pursuing this policy deliberately for many years. Armenia did not stop there and occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's sovereign territories.

Today, as the peace agenda between Armenia and Azerbaijan advances, it is gravely concerning that hate speech against Azerbaijanis and Turks, revanchist calls, and racist attitudes persist in Armenian society. Sustainable peace is only possible through the recognition of historical injustice, respect for human rights, the rejection of discrimination, and the restoration of the rights of those forcibly expelled.

The Baku Initiative Group calls on the international community, human rights institutions, relevant UN mechanisms, and other international organizations to provide an objective assessment of the policy of colonial thinking, as well as the ethnic discrimination and intolerance pursued by the Armenian state against Azerbaijanis," reads the statement.