Today marks the 34th anniversary of the tragic events of January 20, 1990, etched in the history of Azerbaijan as the "Bloody January" tragedy, Ednews reports,
As the nation commemorates this somber occasion, reflections on the past reveal a pivotal moment in Azerbaijan's fight for independence and territorial integrity.
The bloody episode unfolded amid the backdrop of the "Nagorno-Karabakh" problem, reigniting in late 1987. The conflict aimed at violating Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, resulting in the occupation of lands and the forced expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from their homes in Armenia and "Nagorno-Karabakh." Rooted in a historical context of settlement and ethnic cleansing, the conflict escalated into a national liberation movement.
The leadership of the former Soviet Union's indirect support for territorial claims by the Armenian SSR, coupled with separatism fueled by radical Armenian nationalists, intensified the struggle. The people of Azerbaijan, alarmed by the infringement on their national interests, mobilized into a broad social movement that evolved into a national liberation cause.
The turning point came on the night of January 19-20, 1990, when the central government imposed a state of emergency in Baku without informing the population. A military aggression, involving Soviet Army units, special forces, internal troops, and reservists from regions with Armenian populations, resulted in hundreds of casualties and disappearances in the capital.
The aftermath saw strong condemnation from progressive forces worldwide. Heydar Aliyev, the eldest son of Azerbaijan, accused the USSR authorities and the indecisive leadership of Azerbaijan for the mass massacre. The tragedy, initially overlooked, received a political and legal assessment years later at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev.
In a decree dated January 5, 1994, the President of Azerbaijan recommended the Milli Majlis to consider a special session on the Bloody January events. The subsequent resolution, adopted on March 29, 1994, specifically identified the perpetrators and labeled the tragedy as a military aggression and crime committed by the totalitarian communist regime.
Every year, January 20 is observed as the National Day of Mourning in Azerbaijan, honoring the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence. The nation, while remembering the pain of the past, stands resilient, its national spirit unbroken.
