Peter Lyukimson, Israel. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Haifa University of Israel held an event memorizing victims of the tragic events of January 20th, 1990, in Baku, when tens of civil residents were killed by special troops of the Soviet Army, which were deployed to the city.
The evening was organized by the Association of Azerbaijan-Israel (AZIZ), Heydar Aliyev Fund, the Institute of Studying Iran and Countries of the Persian Gulf. Ahead of the evening, an exhibition of unique photos by the former resident of Baku Boris Dobin was presented in a hall of the House of Students in Haifa.
Director of the Institute of Studying Iran and Countries of the Persian Gulf, Professor Sami Shahvar, made a welcoming speech. Emil Abramoff, an employer of the Institute, presented a detailed report on events of January 1990 in Baku. Relatives of three Jews who were killed by soldiers at that night along with other residents of the city – doctor Alexander Markhevka, 17-year old Vera Bessantina, and businessman Yan Meyerovich – were present at the evening. Representatives of the deceased’s families expressed gratitude to AZIZ and leadership of Azerbaijan for remembering their relatives and financial support which is provided by the government of the republic.
Participants of the evening watched episodes of the movie by Andron Konchalosvky, Burden of Power, devoted to the awful events which happened 24 years ago. For native Israelis the movie was revelation, but for former Baku residents the events are a non-healing wound; and many people were glad to share their memories.
Tanks going over dead bodies, streets drenched in blood, armored vehicles shooting at peaceful residents – all these events of the past revived in the memory of those who came to the House of Students on January 20th, 2014. Emotional pressure was so high that the anchor Yegyana Salman couldn’t help but cry. Finally, the photographer gifted the unique photos to Heydar Aliyev Fund for the fund could use it to tell the world truth about the tragic events which led to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
The evening organized by AZIZ, where memory of victims of Black January were honored, was very important in the context of articles which began to appear in Russian-speaking Internet space. The articles lie about the events of January 20th, 1990, in Baku. They say that in late 1989 and early 1990 there were massacres of Russians and Jews by Azerbaijanis. The slanderous articles spread all over Runet and are presented as an opinion of “an independent side.” The evening in Haifa is a serious answer to such publications, I hope it is not the last answer.
