NKR NA Factions and Deputy Groups’ Statement on the 95th Anniversary
of the Pogroms in the City of Shoushi

95 years ago regular troops of the Ottoman Turkey expedition corps having intervened into Trans Caucasus attacked the Armenian quarters of Shoushi, violating the temporary agreement achieved in the Elizavetpol and Baku provinces of the former Russian Empire between the Musavat government of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan and the National council of the self-determined Artsakh and provoking fanatic hatred among local elite Muslims against the Armenian population of Shoushi.

About 30 thousand were killed or went missing and those escaped scattered around the world. All the belongings of Armenians – property, administrative buildings, educational, cultural, spiritual centers were destroyed and looted.

This terrible crime was planned and carried out with the aim to destroy the administrative, economic, political and cultural center of Artsakh, to change the ethnic image of the old Armenian city, deprive the Armenians of Artsakh the right for self-determination.

It’s noticeable that the real destruction of Shoushi took place only five years prior to these events with the background of the other villainous crime started in the Western Armenia and still ongoing   Armenian genocide.  Indifference of the international community caused new crimes.

Reiterating determination of the people of Artsakh to further development of its state for the benefit of generations and ethnic solidarity we:

• condemn Armenian pogroms in Shoushi on March 22-26 1920 and qualify them as continuation of the Ottoman empire policy of Armenian genocide and depriving the people of their motherland;
• attract attention of the international community towards the fact that during 70 years of the Soviet Azerbaijan existence Shoushi was consequentially changing into а center of Azeri intolerance and hatred towards Armenians;
• affirm inevitability of the May 1992 military operation carried out to liberate  Shoushi and its purely humanitarian character.  Thanks to it the 50 thousand Stepanakert population was saved from the threat of a real blockade, epidemic and constant rocket and artillery shelling was stopped;
• urge Azeri society to face its past, overcome the hatred towards the Armenians grown by the authorities and make efforts to establish equal relations with Artsakh for the benefit of peace and stability in the region.

 NKR National Assembly Factions
“Dashnaktsutsyun”
“Democracy”
“Motherland”
Parliamentary Group
“Artsakhatun”

The NA parliamentarian Vitaly Balasanyan joins the Statement.

Stepanakert, 20 January  2015