January 16, 2006 - 17:30 AMT
ANCA Alerts Leading American Churches to Azerbaijan's Destruction of Armenian Khachkars
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has alerted leading American churches and faith-based organizations to Azerbaijan's recent destruction of the medieval Armenian cemetery in the Djulfa region of Nakhichevan. In letters sent out last week, the ANCA included newly-produced DVDs with actual footage of Azerbaijani troops, in mid-December of 2005, using sledgehammers to demolish this sacred site of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The cemetery dates back to the 7th century and once was home to as many as 10,000 khachkars (stone-crosses). The DVD also includes a PowerPoint presentation documenting the destruction, and features before-and-after photos of the cemetery.