Последний Свидетель

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Azerbaijani Soldiers Desecrate Armenian Christian Cemetery

To: National & International Desks

Contact: Jeff King, President, of International Christian Concern, 301-989-1708, [email protected]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 /Christian Wire Service/ -- The Washington, DC-based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) www.persecution.org, has recently been informed that the government of Azerbaijan has destroyed an irreplaceable medieval Armenian Christian cemetery in the Djulfa region of Nakhichevan.

This act of cultural “cleansing" continues the spirit of the Armenian Genocide – an attempt by the Muslim countries in the region to erase all memory of a thriving Christian culture that has existed in the Caucasus area since the fourth century AD. Although this atrocity is on the same level as the Taliban’s destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in 2001 and the desecration of Jewish cemeteries throughout Europe, the US State Department has remained silent.

"We are profoundly troubled by the Azerbaijani government's desecration of the Armenian Christian cemetery in Djulfa - particularly the destruction of irreplaceable carved stone crosses, many over a thousand years old," said ICC president Jeff King. "The shocking videotape of the systematic demolition of this treasure of world Christian heritage documents for all to see a deliberate act of hatred against a long-persecuted Christian nation and - more broadly - an affront to all Christians around the world."

In mid-December of 2005, roughly 200 Azerbaijani soldiers were caught on videotape using sledgehammers to demolish a sacred site of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The cemetery dates back to the 7th Century and was once home to as many as 10,000 khatchkars (intricately carved stone-crosses). Sadly, this attack, which followed previous demolitions in 1998 and 2002, effectively destroyed this site - erasing forever a true treasure of world heritage.

In the years following the 1915 genocide of over 1.5 million Armenian, Hellenic, and Assyrian Christians, Azerbaijan and Turkey have sought to eradicate the historical memory of the thriving Christian presence in the Caucasus and Anatolia. The Christian Armenian legacy in this part of the world dates back to the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew and, later, Armenia's conversion to Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD.

To watch the video of the destruction: http://www.hairenik.com/HairenikTV/

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and the State Department. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

http://www.earnedmedia.org/icc0126.htm

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La Stampa протестует против уничтожения армянских памятников в Нахичеване

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 23 января итальянская газета La Stampa опубликовала статью Флавиа Амабиле под названием «Азербайджанские военнослужащие разрушают надгробия на старинных армянских кладбищах» о варварском уничтожении армянских хачкаров (камень-крест) в Нахичевани. Автор статьи, приводя исторические факты, обращается с протестом к азербайджанским властям, а также к ООН, ЮНЕСКО и другим международным организациям, обвиняя их в равнодушном молчании. Посольство Азербайджана в Италии в той же газете 30 января опровергло «обвинения в адрес свой страны» и обвинило газету в распространении ложной информации.

Как сообщает пресс-служба МИД РА, в том же номере газеты был опубликован также ответ Посла РА в Италии Рубена Шугаряна по поводу статьи. Ссылаясь на письмо, направленное министром иностранных дел Армении Варданом Осканяном на имя генерального секретаря ЮНЕСКО, армянский дипломат, в частности, отметил, что еще в начале 20-го века Азербайджан начал планомерное уничтожение армянских следов на своей территории. С новой силой оно возобновилось в 2002 году. «По поводу этого факта высказались и Еврокомиссия, и Конгресс США, и Палата Лордов Великобритании, которые призвали азербайджанское правительство прекратить варварство», - сказал Шугарян.

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Так началось тотальное уничтожение армянского кладбища в Джуге.

CENTRAL ASIA - CAUCASUS ANALYST Thursday / March 06, 2003

UNESCO ASKED TO INVESTIGATE DESTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN CEMETERY IN AZERBAIJAN

The President of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) Michael Petzet has applied to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) requesting it dispatch a team of experts to evaluate the destruction of the Armenian cemetery in the Jugha region (presently Julfa) in the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhichevan that previously housed around 3000 Khachkars, and is considered to be a historical monument, Armenpress reported. The ICOMOS Armenia office recently notified the press about illegal actions taken by Azerbaijan to destroy the Jugha monuments. More recently, it called on Petzet to take appropriate measures in stopping continuous occurrences of vandalism, and asked that UNESCO mediate by sending experts (to include both Armenian and Azeris) to the area. In making their case, ICOMOS-Armenia compiled documents, including photographs of the destruction taking place. Some of the photographs were taken in November 2002, when a large number of Khachkars (cross-stones) and tombstones had already either been vandalized or simply removed from the site, while the other half was taken much earlier, showing all the monuments intact. The 2002/03 "Endangered Heritage" ICOMOS almanac published to inform the world about historical monuments that have either been destroyed or are on the verge of destruction will provide detailed information and photographs of Old Jugha. (AZG)

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The historic Armenian cemetery in Djulfa spans the 6th through 17th centuries. At its peak, there were some 10,000 intricately carved stone crosses (khatchkars) across three hills, marking the different eras of Armenian history. By 1998, following systemic destruction of thekhatchkarsby Azerbaijani authorities over the decades, only 2,000 remained.

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Khatchkarsare cross-stones about one meter wide and up to 2.50 meters high, richly decorated with Christian symbols, flowers and arabesque climbing plants as well as with subjects from daily life.

Photos: Khatchkarsfrom Armenian Cemetery in Djulfa. Research on Armenian Architecture, 1987

Historical text from http://www.international.icomos.org/risk/2...rbaijan2002.htm

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In 1998, Azerbaijani forces continued the systematic destructionof the remaining 2,000 khatchkarsin the Djulfacemetery. Eyewitnesses on the Iranian border cited the use of bulldozers to demolish the stones, the remnants of which were transported by train (see above.) Following three weeks of attacks, roughly 800 khatchkarswere destroyed. Through the intervention of groups such as UNESCO and ICOMOS, the demolition was halted.

Photo: Research on Armenian Architecture, 1998.

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On November 9, 2002, the demolition of the Djulfa cemetary resumed, with the hundreds of the remaining khatchkarsdestroyed.

Photo:Djulfacemetery hillside withkhatchkarsrazed. Research on ArmenianArchetecture, November 2002

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Armenian cemetery of Djulfa khatchkars in ruins.

Photo: Research on Armenian Architecture, 1998

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Armenian cemetery of Djulfa khatchkars in ruins.

Photo: Research on Armenian Architecture, 1998

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Armenian cemetery of Djulfa khatchkars in ruins.

Photo: Research on Armenian Architecture, 1998

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Beginning December 10, 2005, approximately 200 Azerbaijani soldiers amassed at theNakhichevan-Iran border to demolish the remaining grave markers at the Djulfa Armenian cemetery.

Photo: Armenian Apostolic Church Diocesan Council,Tabriz, Iran –12/2005

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Azerbaijani soldiers broke the remaining cemetery stones (dabanakars) with sledgehammers and axes.

Photo: Armenian Apostolic Church Diocesan Council,Tabriz, Iran –12/2005

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The broken cemetery stones were rolled down into the Arax river.

Photo Credit: Armenian Apostolic Church Diocesan Council,Tabriz, Iran –12/2005

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The broken cemetery stones were rolled down into the Arax river.

Photo Credit: Armenian Apostolic Church Diocesan Council,Tabriz, Iran –12/2005

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The broken cemetery stones were rolled down into the Arax river.

Photo Credit: Armenian Apostolic Church Diocesan Council,Tabriz, Iran –12/2005