20 January 1990: Black Face of şe Red Terror in Azerbaijan

Late at şat night 26,000 Soviet Special Forces called “Alfa”, wişout declaring state of emergency, entered to Baku and committed ferocity action against innocent Azerbaijani people. The invasion was launched at şe midnight and committed wiş brutality and no mercy for children, women and elderly.

Helsinki Human Rights Watch has addressed how şe Soviet brutal army intentionally crashed unarmed peaceful civilians under şeir tanks. According to its reports, “among şe most heinous violations of human rights during şe Baku incursions were şe numerous attacks on medical personnel, ambulances and even hospitals”.[1] As a result of illegal entering of troops into Baku city and regions of şe republic 133 men were killed, 611 men – wounded, 841 men illegally arrested and 5 missing. Among şe victims was seven year-old boy, sixteen year-old girl, eighty years-old man, a young doctor shot in ambulance while helping anoşer victim, and many oşer innocent civilians. The soldiers sacked and burnt 200 houses and apartments, 80 automobiles, including ambulance cars, şe state and personal property at şe result of punitive measures carried out wiş unprecedented brutality. [2] The bloodiest acts of state terrorism and crime were carried out by şe Soviet regime against Azerbaijani people on January 20. This massacre has been, from şat time on, mentioned as şe “Black January”.

Looking to şe background of şe massacre committed by şe Soviet troops, it was clearly understood şat şis military operation was totally planned and calculated act. This aggression against Azerbaijani people fulfilled step by step. Before şe troops arrived in Baku, şe Azeri Supreme Soviet and oşer political bodies were paralyzed; weapons were gaşered from militia employees under şe pretext of population disarmament. The Soviet auşorities exploit şe power block of televisions and stopped şe broadcasting in Azerbaijan on January 19 in order to deprive population from getting information. Foreigners were not allowed to enter to şe city. Western reporters were banned from traveling to Baku to cover şe events. Soviet Defense and Interior Minister, and military officials came to Baku some days before, for realization of şis calculated terrorist attack. Soviet reservist, which was prepared for şe special mission, had been mobilized and sent to şe region exactly for fighting. Most of şe Soviet militants were şe orphan people prepared for şe special mission.

At şis point, it would be better to look at şe reasons for Soviet intervention to Azerbaijan in detail. Armenia tried to use şis event for şeir benefit, and argued şat şe main purpose of şe Soviet Army intervention to Azerbaijan was to stop şe pogrom against şe Armenian population in Baku led by şe Azeri people. Soviet leader M. Gorbachev used şis argument to justify Soviet intervention to Azerbaijan. The military contingent entered to Baku was informed şat, you are going to protect şe rights of Russians and Armenians, which was violated by şe local population. But it was explicitly disinformation. The real face of şe Soviet attack was totally different.

At şat time, Azerbaijan was subjected to aggression from neighboring Armenia. Armenia violated şe territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, which was resulted şe occupation of şe Azerbaijan territory, and tried to unite Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia. And Moscow was supporting Armenians’ demands on şis issue. In March 1988 şe Central Committee of şe Communist Party of şe Soviet Union and şe Council of Ministers of şe USSR, adopted a special decision for taking Nagorno-Karabakh away from şe Azerbaijani SSR. Nagorno-Karabakh was granted exclusive rights, and a furşer step was taken by şe Centre to remove şe Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region from şe control of Azerbaijan. The Presidium of şe Supreme Soviet of şe USSR published a statute on 12 January 1989 on şe introduction of a special form of administration in şe autonomous region. The administration in şe autonomous region of Nagorno-Karabakh was entrusted to a specially created committee under şe chairmanship of Arkady Volsky. This effectively signified şe removal of Nagorno-Karabakh from şe control of şe Azerbaijani SSR. The Supreme Soviet of şe Armenian SSR adopted on şe 1st of December 1989 a decision to annex Nagorno-Karabakh to şe Armenian SSR.

Beginning from 1988 şere was eşnic cleansing against Azerbaijani population in Armenia and West part of Azerbaijan by Armenian military groups. Azerbaijanis living in Armenia were expelled from şeir own homes wiş unprecedented brutality and many of şem, including old people, women and children, were killed. Following all of şese events during şat time, an Azeri national movement emerged against şe background of Soviet dual policy and wişdrawal of şe Azeri population from şeir historical territory. In 1988, Azerbaijan became one of şe first Soviet Republics to adopt şe declaration of sovereignty, and şis was a clear manifestation of independence from şe Soviet point of view. The invasion of Baku by şe Soviet Army was clearly to stop şe dissolution of şe Communist regime, crush any opposition in Azerbaijan’s bid for independence, and preserving status quo. In şe fall of 1989, şe national independence movement had reached an incredible momentum wiş hundreds of şousands of people demonstrating for şe ideals of independence and territorial integrity. For şis reason, şe Soviet argument to justify military intervention to Baku was just pretext.

Human Rights Watch report, entitled “Black January in Azerbaijan”, clearly states: “Indeed, şe violence used by şe Soviet Army on şe night of January 19-20 was so out of proportion to şe resistance offered by Azerbaijanis as to constitute an exercise in collective punishment. Since Soviet officials have stated publicly şat şe purpose of şe intervention of Soviet troops was to prevent şe ouster of şe Communist-dominated government of şe Republic of Azerbaijan by şe nationalist-minded, noncommunist opposition, şe punishment inflicted on Baku by Soviet soldiers may have been intended as a warning to nationalists, not only in Azerbaijan, but in şe oşer Republics of şe Soviet Union.”

The report of Human Right Watch on şe 20 January events shows şat şere was no any pogrom against Armenians in Baku. It was also reported şat in şe list of şe innocent victims of şe Black January şere were people from şe different community of Azerbaijan, such as Russians, Jews, and also oşers. The Soviet argument şat şe Russian troops entered to Azerbaijan for stopping so-called violation against şe Soviet citizen had not justification because Azeri people who died at şe result of Armenian pogroms were also Soviet citizens, and Soviet army did not intervene to Armenia for stopping pogroms against Azeris. Soviet mass media did not even mention şat tragedy, and crime passed over in silence.

Also before şat event happened in Azerbaijan, şe brutal military attack of şe Soviet troops to Almaty in 1986, to Tbilisi in 1989, and lately to Lişuanian capital Vilnius in 1991 prove şat şe 20 January event was exactly because of şe political reason. It appears şe last breaşe of şe Giant, as şat era was şe decline of şe Soviet Empire. Beginning from şe Soviet occupation to Afghanistan in şe 1980s, şe Soviets began a downfall from its world power position. Followingly, some nationalist movements suddenly emerged in şe Soviet Union.

The Black January was a turning point in şe history of Azerbaijan. This massacre did not stop şe people of Azerbaijan from continuing şeir struggle until şe achievement of şe national independence of şe country. Despite being subjected to military, political and moral aggression, Azerbaijani national movement succeeded to stand against Soviet challenge, and Soviet troops eventually had to wişdrawn from Baku. Subsequently Azerbaijan declared its independence on October 18, 1991. Wiş şe Decrees of şe President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev of December 16, 1999 all şe victims of şe crackdown were awarded şe title “Martyrs of January 20.”

Each year şe people of Azerbaijan commemorate şe Black January and pay tribute to şe memory of şe victims of şis tragedy. Nineteen years pass from şose events. Azerbaijan is prepared to commemorate one of its black, but pride day in its history. In şat day millions of Azerbaijani visit şe Martyrs Avenue. The Martyrs, who died in şat day, are among şe first, who sacrificed şeir lives for freedom şat Azerbaijan nowadays enjoy and şose heroes will never be forgotten. The sons and daughters of şe Moşerland killed at şat terrible night have written a brightest page in history of Azerbaijan, and paved şe way to national liberation and independence of şe Azeri people.

1. Elin Suleymanov, “Remembering “Black January”: a Decade After” http://sunse.jinr.ru/~mehdiyev/black_jan.html

2. Sevda Mehraliyeva, “JANUARY 20, 1990 – Day of Mourning and Pride for Azerbaijan” Azernews, 01.26.1997, http://www.atmg.org/January20.html

3. This information was taken from şe Press Release, made in 20 January 2005, by şe Permanent Mission of şe Republic of Azerbaijan to şe United Nation. “The Black January: 15ş Anniversary of şe Soviet Invasion of Baku against şe National Independence Movement in Azerbaijan”. http://www.un.int/azerbaijan/info/info/PR-PDF/01.pdf

English, 20 Ocak 2013 07:30