BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 5. Baku has hosted the second international conference of the Western Azerbaijan Community on "The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia", Trend reports.
A short film about the West Azerbaijan Community was shown at the opening of the conference.
Then, the head of the Department for Relations with Political Parties and Legislative Authority Adalat Valiyev read out the address of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the conference participants.
Over 100 representatives from 51 nations have participated in the conference.
The event addressed the historical context of the coerced displacement of Western Azerbaijanis from Armenia, the foundation of their right to return, the preservation of cultural legacy, and diplomatic initiatives in this domain.
Chairman of the board of the Western Azerbaijan Community, and a member of the Azerbaijani Parliament Aziz Alakbarov said that Armenia does not allow UNESCO to send its mission to study the state of Azerbaijani cultural heritage on its territory.
According to him, Armenia's policy of creating a mono-ethnic society contrasts with the rich traditions and history of ethnic and religious diversity of the region.
He stated that Armenia evicted all Azerbaijanis from its territory and that there are currently no Azerbaijanis there.
“Armenia has dealt a serious blow to our tangible and intangible cultural heritage by purposefully destroying our cemeteries and cultural and religious monuments. Our traditions, social ties, and way of life have suffered greatly.
Our aim in recounting these historical facts is not to continue the strife but to explain the starting point of our struggle for justice, peace, and reconciliation. We are committed to the goal of a peaceful return to our ancestral lands and respect the norms and principles of international law. The Concept of Return adopted by our community last year is an important document calling on the international community to support the right of return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia. We continue to defend these rights in the framework of dialogue with the UN, UNESCO, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other authoritative international organizations,” he said.
Alakbarov emphasized that recognizing and ensuring the right of return for Western Azerbaijanis is the only way to restore justice and establish lasting peace in the region.
“The support of the international community in this process is invaluable. Unfortunately, the Armenian government's lack of readiness for constructive dialog complicates this issue. Nevertheless, we are determined to continue our work based on the principles of peace and dialog.
Despite having one of the highest rates of refugees and IDPs in the world, Azerbaijan has always followed its humanitarian values and helped solve resettlement issues in world migration through humanitarian initiatives.
I would like to note that our community does not stand aside from these processes, and at the beginning of this year we made a financial contribution to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees through donations from our members.
We are confident that ensuring the right to return, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is not only a basic condition for the protection of human rights but also the most effective way to promote coexistence between peoples and a sustainable solution to the problem of resettlement. Therefore, we will continue our efforts in raising awareness, supporting scientific research and policy initiatives, and promoting the right to return by holding such events regularly,” he added.
Türkiye's former Foreign Minister, MP, head of the delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu noted that the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus will pave the path for prosperity, which is particularly necessary for Armenia.
The MP pointed out that the occupation of Azerbaijan's Karabakh by Armenia caused a great deal of suffering.
"People who were displaced from their homeland had their homes taken away, along with their hopes for the future. Unfortunately, the international community remained silent in the face of the injustice suffered by Azerbaijan and supported those who carried out this oppression. However, Azerbaijan liberated its land after 30 years of occupation. The Azerbaijani flag waving over the lands of Karabakh is a source of pride.
We are very pleased with the speed of reconstruction and development work being carried out by Azerbaijan in the liberated territories," he mentioned.
Çavuşoğlu also pointed out that the restoration of Azerbaijan's cultural heritage, destroyed in Armenia, is of great importance.
"It's regrettable that Armenia does not allow a UNESCO mission to carry out work on this issue. Azerbaijan’s patient and peace-loving behavior deserves the highest praise," he added.
Secretary of Pakistan's Law and Justice Commission Riffat Inam Butt stressed that the expulsion of Western Azerbaijanis from their native lands is a violation of human rights.
Inam Butt noted that international law should be the remedy that will bring real change.
“It's not just the land loss. It's about trying to eradicate cultural and ethnic identity. Every person has the right to leave their country and come back.
There must be an international commission on these issues. The establishment of a Truth Commission can play an important role in preserving the collective memory of people. International organizations can organize this process, ensuring objectivity in this matter," Riffat Inam Butt said.
December 5 is designated as the Day of Remembrance for the Deportation of Western Azerbaijanis from 1987 to 1991. An analogous international conference titled "Ensuring the Safe and Dignified Return of Displaced Azerbaijanis from Armenia: Global Context and Just Solution" occurred on this date last year, featuring over 100 participants from 44 nations.
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