[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 34 (Friday, February 27, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E263]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IN REMEMBRANCE OF SUMGAIT, KIROVABAD AND BAKU MASSACRES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 27, 2015

  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month I met with a 
constituent, Marat Khoudabakhshiev, whose family barely survived 
pogroms perpetrated 27 years ago today against the Armenian residents 
of then-Soviet Azerbaijan. He recounted how Azerbaijanis who had lived 
alongside Armenians for generations suddenly turned violent against 
them, causing Armenian families like his to flee their homes for 
safety.
  Over three days, February 26th to 28th, 1988, a pogrom was 
perpetrated against the Armenian residents of Sumgait in then-Soviet 
Azerbaijan. Armenians were attacked and killed in their apartments and 
on the streets. Although official figures reported 30 deaths, it is 
believed that hundreds were murdered and injured as a result of the 
pogrom.
  The violence against the Armenians in Sumgait was prompted by a vote, 
which took place one week prior by the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, 
to unify the region with Armenia--the beginning of the Karabakh 
movement. In the days immediately after this vote Azeri civilians and 
local officials in the city of Sumgait held rallies calling for ``death 
to Armenians''.
  On the night of February 27, 1988, Armenian residents in Sumgait were 
targeted and indiscriminately raped, mutilated and murdered. Calls for 
help from Armenians were ignored by local police and city officials. 
Journalists were shut out from the area. The violence raged on for 
three days before Soviet troops were able to put an end to the pogrom.
  Witnesses of the horrific massacres later testified that the attacks 
were planned, as civilians had gathered weapons and the exits of the 
cities were blocked in advance to prevent Armenians from escaping. The 
homes of Armenians were marked so that the Azeri mobs could easily 
target them.
  Unfortunately, the perpetrators of the pogrom succeeded in their 
ultimate goal--driving out Armenians. Fearing more violence, Armenian 
families fled Sumgait. Later that year, another anti-Armenian pogrom 
occurred in Kirovabad, Azerbaijan from November 21st to 27th, which 
also forced hundreds of Armenians to flee the region. In January of 
1990 violent mobs targeted the Armenian community of Azerbaijan's 
capital, Baku.
  This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the commemoration of 
the first genocide of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide. It is 
imperative that we honor the memory of Armenians killed in the pogroms 
of Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku, as well as the Armenian Genocide. If 
we hope to stop future massacres, we must acknowledge these horrific 
events and ensure they do not happen again.
  Recognizing the ethnic-cleansing of the Armenians from Azerbaijan is 
an important step. However, we need to do more--we need to demonstrate 
to Azerbaijan that the United States is committed to peace and to the 
protection of Artsakh from coercion.
  As the current government of Azerbaijan grows even more hostile 
towards Armenians, we must call for an end to all threats and acts of 
violence by Azerbaijan's government against the Republic of Nagorno 
Karabakh.
  Congress should strengthen Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act by 
removing the President's ability to waive U.S. law prohibiting aid to 
Azerbaijan because of its continuing blockade against Armenia and 
Nagorno Karabakh. In 1992, Congress prohibited aid to Azerbaijan 
because of its continuing blockade against Armenia and Nagorno 
Karabakh. However, in 2001, Congress approved a waiver to this 
provision, and administrations have used the waiver since then to 
provide aid to Baku. Azerbaijan should not be provided aid from the 
United States as long as they continue a policy of threats and 
blockades against Artsakh.
  I urge the Administration to remove all barriers to broad-based U.S.-
Nagorno Karabakh governmental and civil society communication, travel 
and cooperation.

                          ____________________