The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on March 31 - Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis.
"31 March - Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis, is a day of commemoration of our innocent compatriots, who became victims of racial discrimination and intolerance by radical Armenian groups, and were subjected to systematic ethnic cleansing and genocide," the statement reads.
The ministry noted that in March-April 1918, using all available means for ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis from their ancestral territories throughout history, radical Armenians committed savage atrocities against Azerbaijanis.
"Tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis living in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba, Garabagh, Zangazur, Nakhchivan, Lankaran, and other regions were brutally murdered, and numerous settlements, religious and cultural monuments were destroyed. As a result of massacres, more than 16,000 people were brutally killed and 167 villages were razed in Guba alone," the ministry said.
The Azerbaijani diplomats said that massive atrocities committed against civilians, mass graves of the victims of the massacre found in Guba region in 2007, noting that 6,000 armed soldiers of the Baku Soviet and 4,000 armed soldiers of the Dashnaksutyun Party took part in the massacres.
Following the foundation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, only 24 persons were arrested in Baku and about 100 in Shamakhi. However, the collapse of the ADR interrupted the process of conducting an in-depth investigation into the events occurred, as well as the political and legal assessment of the March massacres.
"Only after the restoration of our independence, March events were given an adequate political assessment with the Decree of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev “On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis” dated March 26, 1998, and 31 March was declared “Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis"," the statement reads.
The ministry noted that mass deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia, ethnic cleansing and genocide crimes committed during the military aggression and occupation demonstrated that the policy of systematic ethnic hatred and intolerance towards Azerbaijanis is still in place.
The Azerbaijani diplomat noted that learning from history, preventing the recurrence of such horrible events, and putting an end to impunity of criminals are critical for seizing the opportunities emerged for peace in the region at the current post-conflict period.
"In this sense, preventing the rise of revanchism in Armenia significantly depends on the international community, along with the leadership of this country. On 31 March - Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis, we commemorate with deep grief and respect the memory of innocent Azerbaijanis who were subjected to ethnic hatred and genocide," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
