APPEAL of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation to international organizations
12 Oct 2020
A statement by the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia was adopted as a result of a meeting held in Moscow on October 9-10 at the initiative of the Russian side.
The statement was prepared in response to the appeal of
the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the agreement
reached between President Vladimir Putin, President of the Republic of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol
Panshinyan.
The first paragraph of the statement envisages a
ceasefire from October 10, 2020, at 12.00, for humanitarian purposes, mediated
by the International Committee of the Red Cross and in accordance with its
criteria, to replace military corpses and other detainees and corpses.
Unfortunately, despite the declaration of a humanitarian
ceasefire, the Armenian side violated the ceasefire in accordance with their
abominable nature, firing on all settlements along the frontline - in the
direction of the settlement of Hadrut, Fizuli and Jabrayil. Even in Sugovushan,
which was liberated by the Azerbaijani army, while collecting the bodies of
dead Armenian soldiers, the Armenian armed forces opened fire on a ambulance
with a white flag pierced, seriously injuring a medical worker. Since the
ceasefire came into force, Armenians have fired 548 shells at a number of
regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Unable to come to terms with its defeat
on the battlefield, the Armenian side is purposefully attacking the civilian
population.
On October 11, at around 4 pm, Ganja, the second largest
city in Azerbaijan, located 80 kilometers from the front line, came under
rocket fire on the orders of the political and military leadership of Armenia.
As a result of the attack, 9 civilians (including 4 women) were killed and more
than 34 civilians were injured. This atrocity committed against the civilian
population in gross violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions is evidence of the
continuation of the genocidal policy pursued by Armenia against the Azerbaijani
people since the early twentieth century. Targeting civilians in the city of
Ganja means that Armenia, as before, still ignores the resolutions and
conventions adopted by international organizations.
The European Union, the OSCE member states and other
international organizations, including the United Nations, a number of
countries, including the United States, Russia, Germany, France (it should be
noted that President Macron is particularly zealous) they repeatedly appealed
to the head. Now, when a ceasefire is reached, it is unfortunate and surprising
that these institutions and states remain indifferent to the atrocities committed
by Armenia against the civilian population of Azerbaijan, including civilians
living in the city of Ganja. This one-sided and pro-Armenian position, based on
double standards, is also incomprehensible to us.
While Armenia fires on settlements far from Azerbaijan's
war zones from its territory, the Russian side says that the Collective
Security Treaty Organization will intervene in the event of an attack on
Armenian territory ... This is a new manifestation of democracy. The gross
violation of the humanitarian ceasefire by the Armenian authorities should be
understood as disrespect to the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, which called
for the ceasefire, first of all, to Russia, which plays a mediating role. If
these bodies have no influence on Armenia, then it does not matter.
However, international organizations, as well as the OSCE
member states and major powers, had to react immediately to these inhumane
actions and show Armenia its place.
Armenia, on the other hand, is taking advantage of this
to openly disrespect the agreement reached in Moscow, inciting the South
Caucasus to a new phase of war, the consequences of which could be
catastrophic.
We, the trade unions in Azerbaijan, call on you to use
our authority to take appropriate steps to stop these anti-human, anti-human
actions of Armenia - the atrocities committed against civilians, including
women, children, the disabled and the elderly.
The fact that Armenia has committed so many war crimes in
the eyes of the whole world stems from the atmosphere of impunity created for
them. There should be only one standard - the standard of justice - in the
fight against non-compliance with international law and international
humanitarian law, conventions based on human values. Armenia's step-by-step
indifference to the violation of these principles undermines the foundations of
human values.
We believe that by hearing our true voice, you can take
action against the civilians of Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the civilian
population living in the city of Ganja.
