06 03 31 - PEOPLE, HISTORY WILL NOT FORGET THE GENOCIDE OF AZERBAIJANIS, ESTEEMED MEMORY OF TRAGEDY VICTIMS WILL LIVE IN HEARTS FOREVER

http://www.azertag.com/Official chronicles 31 03 06
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV VISITED ALLEY OF MARTYRS;
The acts of genocide, which the people of Azerbaijan suffered along more than two hundred years, have turned to bloody and most tragic pages of our history. But this act of genocide has not been given political assessment for many years.

During decades, total ideological aggression and terror against Turkish and Azerbaijani people and their outstanding representatives accompanied the genocide. In conditions of discrimination concerning the Turkic-Muslim people in days of imperial Russia and the USSR, this policy was continued with more skilful and dangerous methods, deportation and genocide of Azerbaijanis have acquired mass character.

The genocide conducted against Azerbaijanis has old history, however, the truth about it has been brought to the public owing to resoluteness of our national leader Heydar Aliyev. Only after his Decree dated March 26, 1998, the genocide was given the political-legal assessment. Since then, March 31 is marked at the state level as the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis, are conducted ceremonies of respect of the memory of victims of genocide, the attention of world public is drawn to the said question.

In the address by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to nation in connection with this mournful event, it is again reminded, that it cannot but cause anger and indignation the scale and methodology of the evil deeds and crimes accomplished concerning our people. Mass moving of the Armenians on Azerbaijan’s historical lands after division of Azerbaijan as a result of war between the former Russian Empire and Iran, the slaughter committed by Armenian dashnaks in 1905 and 1918 with assistance of imperial Russia and Bolsheviks, transfer in parts of our territories to Armenia in 1920s of last century, deportation of our compatriots from Armenia in 1948-1953s according to the decision of the Soviet Government as a component of a common plan, have been carried out under the special script. Provoked by the management of Armenia and the USSR, separatist claims of the nationalists of Nagorno Karabakh in the end of 1980s, which then acquired the present large-scale war, presence about one million Azerbaijan refugees and IDPs, occupation by Armenia of 20 percent of territory of the Azerbaijan Republic is only incomplete list of the wounds, caused to the Azerbaijani people by the militant Armenian chauvinists, obsessed with crazy idea about the “Great Armenia”, and their patrons.

The genocide conducted against Azerbaijanis has old history, however, the truth about it has been brought to the public owing to resoluteness of our national leader Heydar Aliyev. Only after his Decree dated March 26, 1998, the genocide was given the political-legal assessment.

The Decree by the President of the Azerbaijan Republic “On genocide of Azerbaijanis” of 26 March, 1998 reads that “all the tragedies of the Azerbaijanis occurred in 19th - 20th centuries and accompanied by occupation of lands, were different stages of the deliberate policy of genocide regularly pursued by Armenians against Azerbaijanis. Military, ideological and organizational measures have been consecutively taken to realize this insidious idea. Centuries-old history of our nation was roughly distorted, while that of Armenians was artificially exaggerated and presented as “more ancient”. Azerbaijanis were gradually ousted from their homelands, and the Armenians moved here from other countries.

The goal of the policy of genocide, pursued against our people by Armenian nationalists over almost two hundred years, was to oust the Azerbaijanis from their historic lands, and create there - with the help of their foreign patrons - an Armenian state.

On Decree of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev, March 31 is being marked at the state level as the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis, are conducted ceremonies of respect of the memory of victims of genocide, the attention of world public is drawn to the said question.

On March 31, President Ilham Aliyev has visited the Alley of Martyrs to revere memories of the victims of genocide who fell for independence and territorial integrity of country.

President of Azerbaijan laid wreath on the memorial of Eternal Fire, revered their memories with a moment of silence.

The same day, state and governmental officials, Members of Parliament, ambassadors of foreign countries accredited in Azerbaijan, representatives of religious confessions, heads of political parties, public and residents of capital honored the Alley of Martyrs, paid tribute to esteemed memory of victims.

The people of Azerbaijan, history will not forget these tragedies, the nation will remember it forever and give to the coming generations.

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Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Chairman of Milli Majlis Ogtay Asadov, head of the Presidential Office Ramiz Mehdiyev, deputy speakers, deputy premiers and other officials also have visited the Alley of Martyrs.

V.V