Truth behind 1988 Gandzak tragic events revealed

 November 29, 2011 - 15:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On November 29, Armenia hosted a press conference commemorating the 23th anniversary of Gandzak (Kirovabad) self-defense that left 18 dead and 60 missing within 7 days.

As president of Armenian Refugee Association Ahazang told a press conference, Armenian community of 45.000 resided in Gandzak, whose existence remained unknown for years. The fact urged Grisha Oganezov to write a 100 - page book revealing Gandzak events of 1988.

Oganezov noted that Azerbaijan’s attempts to attack Gandzak on the day of the Sumgait pogrom were doomed to fail due to unification of Armenians.

According to participant of Gandzak self-defense Julietta Yeremyants, local Armenian community found shelter in a church during Gandzak pogroms.

“We were sure that November events were organized by Azerbaijani government as 15.000 young people, all dressed in the same clothes, could not simply be involved in hooliganism, as claimed by Azeris,” she said adding that when Heydar Aliyev came to power local Armenian population gradually started leaving the city.