BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.3
Trend:
French journalist Sebastien Boussois published an article by entitled ‘Nagorno-Karabakh: Meeting with Refugees Expelled 27 Years ago from Native Lands and Wishing to Return’ in the local news website Atlantico, Trend reports.
“This is about a tragic human story. Almost 800,000 Azerbaijani IDPs, whose lands were occupied by Armenia and who were expelled from their homes during the First Karabakh War almost 30 years ago, have been waiting for their return throughout the entire past period,” Boussois wrote in the article.
“Azerbaijan liberated its territories recognized by international law from Armenian occupation in the 44-day war (from late Sept. through early Nov.2020). Hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis, whose lands have been liberated, live with a desire to return to their homes in Zangilan, Gubadly and other districts in the near future, dreaming to build a new life,” he said.
Speaking about the destruction of cities and villages by Armenians, the journalist noted that the local mosques were converted into animal barns, libraries were looted, and the Azerbaijani government has begun to rebuild the destroyed territories.
Telling about the desire of thousands of IDPs living in Baku to return to their homeland, Boussois highlighted his interviews with some of them. Rasul and Aygun spoke about the hardships of the refugee life, the tragedies experienced by their compatriots who were expelled from their homes as a result of the Armenian occupation. They said that they are living with a dream to return to their villages, houses destroyed during the occupation.
The article also emphasized that for these people, the victory of their country, Azerbaijan, is a victory of President Ilham Aliyev, as well as a victory of all the IDPs.
In their interview Rasul and Aygun also pointed out that not all IDPs throughout history had the opportunity to return to their homeland. Besides, they shared their plans to build a new life after the return.
The French journalist wrote that he didn’t see hatred towards Armenians among the Azerbaijani refugees with whom he spoke. He expressed the hope that the former harmony that dominated in the region before the conflict would eventually be restored.