Israel's Akko, where a large Azerbaijani community lives, commemorated victims of the victims of Black January of 1990, shot by the Soviet forces on Baku streets. The International Association "Israel-Azerbaijan" (AzIs) organized a commemoration evening yesterday. The Azerbaijani Cultural Center of "AzIs" presented books and photos of the tragedy.
The ceremony started with a minute of silence. Shirin Mikhaeli, a member of the municipal authorities of Akko and Vice-President of "AzIs", reminded that about 150 people of various nationalities, including Azerbaijanis, Jews, Russians, Lezgins, were shot on the night of January 19-20, 1990. The military even attacked ambulances, killing Jewish doctor Alexander Markhevk. The doctor was burried on the Alley of Sheikhs. A grave of a 15-year old Jewish girl Vera Bessantina is located nearby.
Yegyan Salman, Director of the Azerbaijani Cultural Center, noted that the tragedy of 1990 is part of the old terror of Armenian nationalists and their Russian followers. Intervention of Soviet forces could not stop the fight for democracy and independence of Azerbaijan. The tragedy coincided with the fights in Nagorno-Karabakh, causing chaos. And this is when the mighty, wise and skilled politician Heydar Aliyev had arrived, she reminded.
Heydar Aliyev stopped the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev is making Azerbaijan one of the most active economic and political actors in the region.
Arye Gut, press secretary of "AzIs", Shaul Siman-Tov, Deputy Chairman of the committee for culture, Arkady Pomerants, Deputy Mayor of Maalot, Elkhanan Radzel, Chairman of a public organization, and others made speeches.
The Board of "AzIs", Bela Menashe, a member of the municipal council of Haifa, were at the commemoration. Lev Spivak, Director General of "AzIs" thanked all the guest and Nekhemia Shirin Mikhael personally for organizing the evening.
Lev Spivak told VK that such evenings to commemorate the victims of January 19 are a tradition. It also demonstrates links of the community and Azerbaijan.
