Sumgait is not only genocide but also banishment from homeland

Today Azerbaijani-Armenians commemorated the ethnic cleansings and pogroms of Armenians in Sumgait in 1988 at the Tsiternakaberd Memorial Complex. The mourning march was attended by a great number of Azerbaijani-Armenians whose relatives were killed during the bloody February events in Sumgait.

Secretary of the Heritage parliamentary faction Larisa Alaverdyan talking to journalists noted that Azerbaijani-Armenians are not only part of the state of Azerbaijan but they also established this republic.

In parliamentarian’s words, Azerbaijani-Armenians should try to get material, territorial and property compensation, however, this issue hasn’t been brought to the International Criminal Court, European Court of Human Rights, UN Human Rights Council so far.

“These people were deprived of the right to live in their own homeland,” L. Alaverdyan said. The parliamentarian stressed that the bloody events in Sumgait must be recognized not only as genocide but also as banishment of people from their own homeland.

“A political assessment is needed. Armenia must recognize the victims in Azerbaijan as victims of genocide,” L. Alaverdyan said.

“The victims, sufferers and their families must get some status, as victims of genocide committed by Azerbaijan,” L. Alaverdyan stressed.

In her words, Azerbaijani-Armenians need to have a status, a possibility of legal defense. The state should establish a group to help bring the issue of Azerbaijani-Armenians to respective international instances, as well as to support the settlement of the issue.