First groups of residents are coming back to Khojaly

The first groups of residents are returning to the city of Khojaly in Karabakh economic district of Azerbaijan within The Big Return program.

This come-back started the day before, in the Independence Day of Azerbaijan. The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and their daughter Arzu Aliyeva visited Khojaly on May 28 and inspected the conditions created for the returning citizens in the city, which is currently under restoration.

Justice for Khojaly

Igor Korotchenko, the General Director of the Caspian Institute for Strategic Studies (Russia) and political analyst talked to the Vestnik Kavkaza correspondent about the historical significance of the population returning to Khojaly.

«This event is of tremendous political and symbolic significance. We all remember the tragic events of Khojaly Massacre – practically instantaneous elimination of a great number of civilian population including the elderly, women and children, who attempted to use the corridor in order to leave the city being in a siege by Armenian militant groups, but were brutally murdered. This unprecedented horrible crime committed by Armenian paramilitary groups on command of Armenian political leaders remains in the memory of the Azeri people and in the history of modern military conflicts. The return of the exiled Khojaly residents to their homes is an evidence of full victory of Azerbaijan over the inhuman nationalistic policy of Armenia», he said in the first place.

«Today, when all the territories of Azerbaijan, which used to be occupied by Armenian troops, are back under Baku’s control having reinstated the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the restoration of the liberated cities and villages is actively going on (and many of them were practically razed to the ground during the years of occupation). Today the «Great Return» Program is being implemented implying that all the Azerbaijanian residents who were forced to leave Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur three decades ago will come back to their homes. This Program stipulates for building absolutely new smart cities and villages according to the modern urban planning standards, people are returning not just to their Homeland, but into the comfortable living and working conditions», Igor Korotchenko emphasized.

«Karabakh’s potential is huge in agriculture, industry, tourism and energy spheres. The region features a unique combination of nature, landscape and ambient air. Of course, the fact of life returning to Khojaly is the victory of justice, the triumph of good over evil and the symbol of Azerbaijan striving to the future – the nation that will cure the wounds of war and make Karabakh a blooming and blessed region», the analyst added.

«Here we need to emphasize that besides the population coming back for Khojaly it is extremely important to preserve the memory of the Khojaly Massacre, to build a memorial right in the center of the city, so that the memory about the victims does not disappear and is passed from generation to generation. Armenian criminals of war must be punished, because their crimes against humanity do not have period of limitations. If these criminals are alive, they must be put to trial, no matter in what age. First of all, all the names of everyone who is guilty need to be identified, and a legal action, the proceedings need to be organized in order for Justice to fully triumph for Khojaly», Igor Korotchenko concluded.