Azerbaijan's policy toward Armenian monuments is a cultural genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - "The more improbable is the lie the greater is the possibility that people will believe it. This sad maxim occurs while reading a recurrent opus invented by the Azeri agitation industry as regards historical monuments in Nakhijevan. This style might be comprehended and explained if the authors did not go beyond the Azeri information field, where the propaganda machine can brainwash the citizens filling them with absurd ideas and 'facts'," ARARAT Center for Strategic Research experts told PanARMENIAN.Net when commenting on Azeri historians' statement that "there are no Armenian historical monuments in Nakhijevan".



"Mr Safarli, pretending to rank of a scientist, tries to impose his vision of History not only to the whole world but also to the historical community. This aspiration is ridiculous, miserable and outraging at the same time. History is a science with its own methodology and scientific devices. Attempts to 'scientifically prove' belonging of Nakhijevan to Azerbaijan are insulting not only Armenians but the History itself. The circumstances that led to annexation of Nakhijevan to Azerbaijan in the 20th century are obvious and well-studied.



Cases of the kind are very frequent in the world history. However, no single civilized country ever attempted to misappropriate another nation's history and historical heritage or, moreover, deny their existence. Is it possible to fancy the population of present-day Egypt, the embodiment of Arab culture, denying the existence of Egyptian pyramids?



It is true that given some events in the 20th century and weakness of the Armenian state system, we failed to prevent destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage in Western Armenia. However, we do say that Azerbaijan's policy is tantamount to cultural genocide.



Some 27 thousand Armenian historical monuments (churches, fortresses, bridges, khachkars, etc) are internationally documented to be found in Nakhijevan. It's absurd to deny their existence.



If the Azerbaijani government and the entire Azeri nation led by their historical community are incapable to find Armenian historical monuments on the territory of Armenian province of Nakhijevan, we can certify the fact of historical genocide, a fragrant crime that constituted demolition of thousand of khachkars in the medieval cemetery of Djugha. We do assure that we come across a state policy. Hence, Armenia and Diaspora should bring this crying fact to the notion of international institutions.



If it doesn't happen, it's our fault and our weakness. However, sooner or later Azerbaijan will be called to account. The history of the 20th century proves that a policy of the kind can't go unpunished. But justice and retribution will not overtake the criminals without endeavors of the entire Armenianhood," reads the statement issued by ARARAT.