“An Ordinary Genocide” Project Manager Presents New Facts on Armenian Massacres in Baku

YEREVAN ( Armenpress) — The public relations and information center of the Armenian President’s staff will hold events in various, as well as international media platforms during 2017 and will release materials in different languages aimed at revealing the lies and falsification of the Azerbaijani propaganda and presenting the reality, “An Ordinary Genocide” project manager Marina Grigoryan told reporters on Friday.

She said they will cooperate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Ministry in order to carry out these works.

“Today is January 20 which the Azerbaijanis usually celebrate as a tragedy day. On that day, the Soviet troops entered Baku, but the turmoil the Azerbaijanis raise during the last 27 years is done in order to silence and to make all forget the events that were taking place in Baku on January 13-19, 1990. That week entered history as a week of pogrom of Armenians in Baku. Azerbaijan tries to make those terrible events forgotten when in a week they killed Armenians, tortured, burned, forcibly deported them”, Marina Grigoryan said, adding that Baku, however, doesn’t consider one thing that the eyewitnesses of such atrocities are still alive.

“Tens of thousands of people, who have passed though this hell, saw it, lost their relatives, lost their entire property, are alive. Taking into account the fact that we have few documents and photos on the Armenian massacres in Baku, we decided to fill that gap by the eyewitness reports within the framework of “An Ordinary Genocide” project. A sub-project was initiated, called “A century-long genocide”, and we decided that it is necessary to listen to many eyewitnesses and record their memories as a vivid evidence of the genocide committed against Armenians in Baku”, she said.

Marina Grigoryan stated that they have departed for the US for that purpose since during the 1990s over 60.000 Armenians moved to there from Baku. “We have visited the US two times in a month and during that period we have videotaped over 150 Armenians. As a result, we already have a movie on three languages which is called “A century-long genocide: Black January of Baku”. It was presented in 2015”, she stated.

Grigoryan also presented the book published on the sidelines of “An Ordinary Genocide” project which is based on the talks with Armenians of Baku in the US.

“The book contains nearly 50 evidence of the Armenians of Baku where they tell about what they have seen. We know relatively little about the Baku massacres since we don’t have many facts on that. Even till now the exact number of Armenians killed in Baku is unknown. Based on our facts and evidences, we suppose that the number was around 500-600. In all meetings with the Armenians of Baku we have gathered new facts and details. Their stories were very unique and they provide the real picture of that terrible crime”, she said, stating that during the talks with the eyewitnesses it was revealed that after January, 1990 the Armenians in Baku were kept hostage.

She also presented a document proving the Armenian massacres in Baku. The document is given to Margarita Gasinskaya whom she met in Boston. “Her mother is Armenian, Anna Niazyan. The document was provided by Baku’s military commandership. The document states that they had to evacuate the family from Baku since their life was in danger in that city. I think this is really exclusive since it shows what there were threats against Armenians”, Marina Grigoryan said.

It was also revealed that criminal cases has been launched based on the applications of Armenians in Baku, however, no criminal case has been completed.

Marina Grigoryan informed that they are trying to collect facts as much as possible. She said the second chapter of the book is being prepared which will include memories of 60 eyewitnesses. The work will be continuous. Another movie will also be presented to the public soon.