Karabakh’s Azerbaijani community: Armenia changing demographics in occupied Lachyn

By Akbar Mammadov

The Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh has said that Armenia is changing the demographics of the occupied Lachyn, thereby violating basic rights of over 77,000 Azerbaijanis expelled from the district.

The community made the remarks on the 28th anniversary of the occupation of Lachyn, in a statement published in its official Facebook page.

“Following the occupation of Lachyn, natural resources were plundered in the district. As in other occupied territories, refugees of Armenian origin, especially from Syria, were illegally resettled in the Lachyn district. The steps taken by Armenia to change the demographic composition of the region, violating the most basic human rights of more than 77,000 Azerbaijanis who were subjected to ethnic cleansing as a result of the occupation of Lachyn, are a gross violation of international law", the statement reads.

“On behalf of more than the Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, numbering more than 80,000 people, including on behalf of more than 1 million Azerbaijanis subjected to ethnic cleansing in all occupied Azerbaijani territories, The Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan called on the world community to put an end to the aggression by Armenia against the Azerbaijani people,” the community said.

The community reminded that after Lachyn, the occupation of Kalbajar, Aghdam, Gubadli, Zangilan, Jabrayil and Fuzuli districts of Azerbaijan, which are not included in the administrative borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, proved once again that the real aim of Armenia is to seize new territories by force and expand.

The Azerbaijani community further said that "statements by the Armenian side aimed at aggravating the situation and calls for the annexation of Azerbaijani territories continue to deal a serious blow to the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.”

"We, the Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, once again invite the Armenian community of the region to dialogue", the community said, adding that they are ready to peacefully coexist with the Armenian community of the region within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan. “Only in this case, sustainable and fair peace can be ensured in the region", the statement reads.

It should be noted that as a result of the occupation, the population of Lachyn district was subjected to ethnic cleansing. Thus, more than 300 military and civilian people were killed and went missing. Currently, 77.700 Lachyn residents live as internally displaced persons (IDP) across different regions of Azerbaijan

Armenia seriously damaged public and private property in the region. Thus, 217 cultural, 101 educational, 142 healthcare, 462 trade, 30 communications, 2 motor vehicles enterprises and various production facilities were looted and destroyed.