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Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON KIP 5G4
Tel: 613-235-2622
Fax: 613-238-2622
E-mail: [email protected]
December 9, 2014
Azerbaijan Must Be Held Responsible for Destruction of Religious and
Cultural Heritage of Armenians
Ottawa ? The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) is marking
the 8th anniversary of Azerbaijan?s destruction of the historic
Armenian cemetery of Djulfa by calling on the Canadian government to
hold Azerbaijan accountable for the systematic destruction of Armenian
historical, cultural and religious sites and monuments.
On December 10, 2005, the government of Azerbaijan began the final
demolition of the historic Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, an ancient
Armenian city now located in Azerbaijan. This marked the final blow to
the 10,000 intricately hand carved khachkars (stone crosses) which
were erected between the 6th through the 17th centuries. Khackars are
a uniquely Armenian form of stone carving which UNESCO has recognized
as being both culturally and religiously significant to the Armenian
people and constituting part of humanity?s share intangible cultural
heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.
By December 15, 2005, the final destruction was complete.
Approximately 200 Azerbaijani soldiers amassed at the Nakhichevan-Iran
border to desecrate the remaining grave markers at the Djulfa Armenian
cemetery. The cemetery has since been replaced with an Azerbaijani
military training base.
In 2007, at the 16th International Council on Monuments and Sites
(ICOMOS) General Assembly in Quebec City a resolution regretfully
stated with regard to this Azerbaijani vandalism: ?this heritage that
once enjoyed its worthy place among the treasures of the world?s
heritage can no longer be transmitted today to future generations,?
On December 5, 2010, the American Association for the Advancement of
Science published a case study titled "High-Resolution Satellite
Imagery and the Destruction of Cultural Artifacts in Nakhchivan,
Azerbaijan". This report further documents the destruction through
clear satellite imagery.
http://shr.aaas.org/geotech/azerbaijan/Azerbaijan_Report.pdf
Despite clear evidence of this crime against humanity?s shared
heritage, Azerbaijan continues to deny this crime and in fact
continues to destroy Armenian religious and cultural monuments on its
territory.
Dr. Girair Basmajian, President of ANCC stated ?Azerbaijan is engaged
in a systematic effort to erase all traces of Armenian culture and
history from its territories. The destruction of the historic Djulfa
ceremony which took place 8 years ago this week is just one example of
Azerbaijan?s campaign against Armenian religious and cultural sites.?
Dr Basmajian called upon the Canadian government to use all means
available to pressure the Azerbaijani government to end this campaign.
Dr. Basmajian said ?This is an issue that affects all of humanity
because our shared cultural heritage is threatened. Canada must act
to ensure that Azerbaijan does not destroy any more Armenian monuments
and be brought to account for the destruction of the Djulfa cemetery
and countless Armenian churches and historic sites.?
-30-
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian
(514) 265-4602
******
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots human rights organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of
issues and works to eliminate abuses of human rights throughout Canada
and the world.
------
Le CNAC est l'organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus
large et influentielle. Collaborant avec une série de bureaux,
chapitres et souteneurs à travers le Canada et des organisations
affiliées à travers le monde, le CNAC s'occupe activement des
inquiétudes de la communauté canadienne-arménienne.
From: Baghdasarian
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON KIP 5G4
Tel: 613-235-2622
Fax: 613-238-2622
E-mail: [email protected]
December 9, 2014
Azerbaijan Must Be Held Responsible for Destruction of Religious and
Cultural Heritage of Armenians
Ottawa ? The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) is marking
the 8th anniversary of Azerbaijan?s destruction of the historic
Armenian cemetery of Djulfa by calling on the Canadian government to
hold Azerbaijan accountable for the systematic destruction of Armenian
historical, cultural and religious sites and monuments.
On December 10, 2005, the government of Azerbaijan began the final
demolition of the historic Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, an ancient
Armenian city now located in Azerbaijan. This marked the final blow to
the 10,000 intricately hand carved khachkars (stone crosses) which
were erected between the 6th through the 17th centuries. Khackars are
a uniquely Armenian form of stone carving which UNESCO has recognized
as being both culturally and religiously significant to the Armenian
people and constituting part of humanity?s share intangible cultural
heritage in need of urgent safeguarding.
By December 15, 2005, the final destruction was complete.
Approximately 200 Azerbaijani soldiers amassed at the Nakhichevan-Iran
border to desecrate the remaining grave markers at the Djulfa Armenian
cemetery. The cemetery has since been replaced with an Azerbaijani
military training base.
In 2007, at the 16th International Council on Monuments and Sites
(ICOMOS) General Assembly in Quebec City a resolution regretfully
stated with regard to this Azerbaijani vandalism: ?this heritage that
once enjoyed its worthy place among the treasures of the world?s
heritage can no longer be transmitted today to future generations,?
On December 5, 2010, the American Association for the Advancement of
Science published a case study titled "High-Resolution Satellite
Imagery and the Destruction of Cultural Artifacts in Nakhchivan,
Azerbaijan". This report further documents the destruction through
clear satellite imagery.
http://shr.aaas.org/geotech/azerbaijan/Azerbaijan_Report.pdf
Despite clear evidence of this crime against humanity?s shared
heritage, Azerbaijan continues to deny this crime and in fact
continues to destroy Armenian religious and cultural monuments on its
territory.
Dr. Girair Basmajian, President of ANCC stated ?Azerbaijan is engaged
in a systematic effort to erase all traces of Armenian culture and
history from its territories. The destruction of the historic Djulfa
ceremony which took place 8 years ago this week is just one example of
Azerbaijan?s campaign against Armenian religious and cultural sites.?
Dr Basmajian called upon the Canadian government to use all means
available to pressure the Azerbaijani government to end this campaign.
Dr. Basmajian said ?This is an issue that affects all of humanity
because our shared cultural heritage is threatened. Canada must act
to ensure that Azerbaijan does not destroy any more Armenian monuments
and be brought to account for the destruction of the Djulfa cemetery
and countless Armenian churches and historic sites.?
-30-
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian
(514) 265-4602
******
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots human rights organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of
issues and works to eliminate abuses of human rights throughout Canada
and the world.
------
Le CNAC est l'organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus
large et influentielle. Collaborant avec une série de bureaux,
chapitres et souteneurs à travers le Canada et des organisations
affiliées à travers le monde, le CNAC s'occupe activement des
inquiétudes de la communauté canadienne-arménienne.
From: Baghdasarian