DISPUTES HELD IN BAKU ON BUILDING HIGHWAY IN PLACE OF CHRISTIAN GRAVES

PanARMENIAN.Net - The plans to build a highway across a segment of a Baku cemetery, where Armenians and Russians are buried, have caused heated arguments in Azerbaijan. As stated by Baku authorities, special measures are being taken to rebury the remains and notify the relatives of the deceased abroad. In the opinion of human rights organizations of Azerbaijan, as reported by Press-Center.ru, Baku authorities operate too fast and run the risks of further aggravation of relations with Armenia. Thus, in the opinion of head of the Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan Eldar Zeynalov, "it would have been ideal to postpone the issue until the Karabakh problem is solved." If the need is urgent, he considers, the reburying of Armenians mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross should be practiced. "What will happen if tomorrow Shushi mayor decides to build a stadium in the place of the Azeri cemetery grounding it that the graves are not being visited for a long period of time and the relatives did not come to rebury them?" - Zeynalov asks. In response to the statement made by Zeynalov, Baku mayor accused the human rights advocate in "anti-Azeri" stand. Let us note that yesterday "Soldier Mothers" Armenian organization addressed a letter to the Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan expressing concern over the Baku leadership's decision and its possible consequences. "All the other nationalities except for the Armenians will be able to be present at the reburial in some way or other," - the letter says. The Armenian party has suggested forming a commission of Azeri and Armenian functionaries, which will be able to participate in the reburial ceremony at the scene - together with "Soldier Mothers" organization members.