The OZA issued a statement in connection with the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis

The Community of Western Azerbaijan (CWA) issued a statement regarding the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis.

As reported by BAKU.WS, the statement says that Western Azerbaijanis, who suffered from total ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity committed by Armenia, commemorate this day with deep sorrow.

"The mass massacre of Azerbaijanis committed on March 31, 1918, is a horrific event that embodies the genocide of our people on historical Azerbaijani lands in the preceding and subsequent periods," the statement says.

The statement notes that Armenian political associations, armed groups, and later the state bodies of Armenia systematically implemented a policy of genocide against Azerbaijanis based on ethnic hatred and racist ideology.

"Acts of genocide against the Azerbaijani people were committed in virtually all parts of historical Azerbaijani lands. In 1918-1920, mass killings of the Muslim population and ethnic cleansing were carried out in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba, Karabakh, Nakhchivan, Lankaran, Irevan, Zangezur, Goyche, Derelayaz, Surmeli and other regions.

As a result of the acts of genocide, Azerbaijanis, who previously made up more than 80% of the population in the territory of Armenia, became an ethnic minority by 1921. As a result of ethnic cleansing carried out in 1948-53, 1987-91, Azerbaijanis were completely expelled from their native lands," the statement says.