Freedom of speech and press in Azerbaijan

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Azerbaijani make up Khojalu myth to conceal own offenses

Exclusive interview by Ara Saghatelyan, Director of the Centre of Information and Public Relations of the staff of the President of Armenia, to Novosti-Armenia agency.

Novosti-Armenia – Mr. Saghatelyan, each year days of memory of victims of Armenian pogroms in Sumgait are marked in Armenia and worldwide. Along this, the Azerbaijani propaganda is attempting to promote anti-Armenian xenophobic campaign branded “Justice to Khojaly”. What is your position on this?

Saghatelyan – In a vain attempt to distract the attention of the international community from large-scale genocidal activities against Armenian populations of Sumgait, Baku, Maraga, planned and mercilessly implemented under the auspices of authorities of Azerbaijan, from blockade and total bombardment of Stepanakert from Shushi, Khojalu, Maylibeyli and other firing points, which resulted in a few hundred of elderly, women and children killed, the authorities of Azerbaijan chose the way of complete falsification. Hiding behind freedom of expression, Azerbaijani propaganda has traditionally been violating one of fundamental derivatives of freedom of information – the right for truth. With that, the process of falsifying the truth is patronized by the higher authorities of Azerbaijan, aided by resources of diplomatic staff and special services. However, in reality, the expert society fully realizes that military operation to break Stepanakert’s blockade in the direction of Khojalu and death of people under Azeri-controlled Aghdam are two different stories.

As to the tragedy, which occurred in February, 1992 near Aghdam, controlled at that time, according to a number of foreign sources, by People’s Front of Azerbaijan by means of several militarized criminal groups, then the international community has a clear picture of what really happened.

Novosti-Armenia – We now observe the development of situation around the issue of Khojalu. Is that really the case?

Saghatelyan – It is true that contrary to the attempts of Azerbaijani propaganda, the quantity and quality of facts, supporting falsifications by Azeri side, are going up day by day, reaching today a critical level.

The recent interview by Ramiz Fataliev, who headed the Parliamentary committee to investigate the so-called Khojalu events in 1992, made the situation even clearer. In September of 2009 in an interview to Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty Fataliev confessed, that 4 days before the breakthrough by Armenian military forces of Stepanakert’s blockade in Khojalu direction, namely – on February 22, 1992, a session of National Security Council of Azerbaijan took place, which passed a decision “not to move the people from Khojalu”.

In fact, hindering evacuation of civil population of Khojalu was a consequence of political decision of Azerbaijani authorities: these actions, similarly to further activities by People’s Front, had been planned in advance. Comments here are not necessary.

Novosti-Armenia – What can you say regarding the level of case-based reasoning of Azerbaijani side over this issue?

Saghatelyan – On the whole, over 90% of the so-called case-based reasoning in case of Khojalu has been falsified either completely, or partially by Azerbaijani propagandists. The facts that this or that extent relate to reality are, in essence, a direct consequence of objective processes, or regretful outcome of intrigues by political elites of Azerbaijan of the time. Then, those who died near Aghdam, were used in Azerbaijan itself by the People’s Front for settling internal scores, which was also stated by president Mutalibov himself. And today, the memory of those killed is being used with the same purpose – satisfaction of political ambitions.

And the propaganda machine of Azerbaijan is functioning in such a disorganized manner, that it continues to cynically spread not merely false, but very often – contradictory information. The video recordings, spread by Azerbaijan and attributed to cameraman Chingiz Mustafaev, who died in the summer of 1992 with “unidentified circumstances” in the same Azeri-controlled Aghdam, are, to put it very mildly, not void of stage effects.

Who and how organized the massacre near Aghdam, shooting to death people who were leaving Khojalu? In addition to the statement by then President of Azerbaijan Mutalibov, which was aired many times, I can quote reports by the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan related to the situation of February 6, 1992. “27 local military groups are active in Aghdam. Mostly, after seizure of the populated areas, they are involved in looting, capture of domestic animals and personal belongings”.

Novosti-Armenia – Could you bring specific examples?

Saghatelyan – Has anybody compared photo and video materials of the so-called Khojalu chronicles, promoted by Azerbaijan on the highest level? Just take them and compare. Anyone who takes a close look at this footage will definitely observe a number of contradictions, inconsistencies, stage effects and forgeries. You have to be really “smart” to use the world-known footage of tragic events in Kosovo and sell them for Khojalu.

Just to mention Azerbaijani video chronicles of February 28 and March 2, 1992. Re-edited and post-recorded, against any common sense, they vividly show how at least a couple of victims out of those, whose bodies were boarded on a helicopter and “taken away” during the shootings of February 28, were still there on the ground on March 2, during the additional recordings, due to some strange reason.

The same is happening to other victims - they keep disappearing and appearing in various recordings, in different positions, dress or undresses, mutilated. And all this is going on the territory undoubtedly controlled by Azeris.

The Khojalu case is a myth, promoted with the objective to keep own crimes in shadow. And the frequently initiated hysteria, coupled with forgery of materials and attempts of fooling the international community, serve as factual proof that political elite of Azerbaijan has simply converted the tragedy of the people (their own elderly, women and children) into a propaganda tool on the highest level. This is an irrefutable fact, of which the international community is well aware of.

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