Karabakh war outcomes change Azerbaijanis' attitude towards "Black January" victims

After the last autumn war, as a result of which a part of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions came under Azerbaijan's control, the feeling of grief and despair on the anniversary of the Soviet troops' invasion into Baku is complemented by satisfaction that the victims of the "Black January" were not in vain, the participants in the mourning action told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Since early morning on January 20, thousands of Baku residents headed to the Shaheeds' (Martyrs') Alley to honour the victims of the 1990's "Black January". The action was attended by country's leadership, MPs and government members, as well as ordinary citizens.

Residents of Baku told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that their attitude towards the events of January 1990 changed based on the outcome of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"I come to Shaheeds' Alley every year. Earlier, while being here, I experienced feelings of grief and anger mixed with hopelessness. But after the recent 44-day war in Karabakh and return of our lands, I experience a sort of peace of mind; there's a feeling that the death of our martyrs was not in vain," said Azer Balakishiev, a resident of Baku.

Sevda Alizade, another Baku resident, has noted that January 20 has always been a day of mourning for the dead. "Today it's a day of sadness too. But at the same time, it's a day of pride that our martyrs haven't sacrificed themselves in vain. Their desire to see Azerbaijan independent and integral has become a reality today. We gained independence back in 1991, but returned the lost territories only now," said the woman.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 21, 2021 at 01:25 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.