Tweet
MARAGHA POGROM WAS REAL CALCUTTA - EX-OMBUDSMAN
13:23 ~U 10.04.13
A former Ombudsman of Armenia has compared the 1992 Armenian massacres
of Maragha (Nagorno-Karabakh) with a present-day Calcutta, calling
for efforts to raise international awareness of the tragedy.
Speaking at a news conference devoted to the 21st anniversary of
the tragic events, Larisa Alaverdyan said the pogroms came as a big
surprise to the Armenians as many were hopeful to finally see peace
after the country's joining the United Nations and OSCE (1991).
"But all our expectations simply vanished. When the call from
[Nagorno-Karabakh's capital] Stepanakert came in 1991, we couldn't
believe it. That was an organized slaughter against the civilian
population. The village had a population of 5,000 at the time, and
all were instructed to flee. Those who didn't manage to were helpless
people who hid in shelters," she said, adding that 50 residents of
the village were brutally killed, with another 59 being taken hostage
during the tragedy.
Alaverdyan blamed the Azerbaijani authorities for the massacre which
lasted three month.
"The existing opinion in Armenia is that the country would be
quite all right now had the Karabakh issue been settled. That's a
misunderstanding. They will pursue the same policies, no matter where
you come from," she continued.
The former ombudsman said the authorities must take proper measures to
the have existing documentary evidence (materials, films) disseminated
and translated into different languages, especially Turkish.
"I call upon the authorities to take up real work. Yesterday we had a
meeting with Slovakia's deputy prime minister. I gave him films on the
Sumgait and Maraga [pogroms], but that isn't even a slight piece,"
she said, stressing the importance of continuous efforts towards
raising publicity of the tragic crime.
Armenian News - Tert.am
13:23 ~U 10.04.13
A former Ombudsman of Armenia has compared the 1992 Armenian massacres
of Maragha (Nagorno-Karabakh) with a present-day Calcutta, calling
for efforts to raise international awareness of the tragedy.
Speaking at a news conference devoted to the 21st anniversary of
the tragic events, Larisa Alaverdyan said the pogroms came as a big
surprise to the Armenians as many were hopeful to finally see peace
after the country's joining the United Nations and OSCE (1991).
"But all our expectations simply vanished. When the call from
[Nagorno-Karabakh's capital] Stepanakert came in 1991, we couldn't
believe it. That was an organized slaughter against the civilian
population. The village had a population of 5,000 at the time, and
all were instructed to flee. Those who didn't manage to were helpless
people who hid in shelters," she said, adding that 50 residents of
the village were brutally killed, with another 59 being taken hostage
during the tragedy.
Alaverdyan blamed the Azerbaijani authorities for the massacre which
lasted three month.
"The existing opinion in Armenia is that the country would be
quite all right now had the Karabakh issue been settled. That's a
misunderstanding. They will pursue the same policies, no matter where
you come from," she continued.
The former ombudsman said the authorities must take proper measures to
the have existing documentary evidence (materials, films) disseminated
and translated into different languages, especially Turkish.
"I call upon the authorities to take up real work. Yesterday we had a
meeting with Slovakia's deputy prime minister. I gave him films on the
Sumgait and Maraga [pogroms], but that isn't even a slight piece,"
she said, stressing the importance of continuous efforts towards
raising publicity of the tragic crime.
Armenian News - Tert.am