Embassy of Azerbaijan in Kuwait organized an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Mourning and Heroism of Azerbaijan’s martyrs on 20 January.
The memory of the 20th January martyrs was observed with a minute of silence from the large gathering of members of the diplomatic corps, Kuwaiti officials, and special invitees gathered at Marina Hotel for the event.
In his address to the gathering, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Kuwait H.E. Elkhan Kahraman touched on the history of Azerbaijan and the significance of ‘The Black January’, and praised the martyrs.
Explaining the events that led to the tragic event, the ambassador stated: “During the fall of the USSR, at the end of the last century, the Armenian nationalists raised territorial claims against Azerbaijan, demanding the annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh, an autonomous region within the Republic of Azerbaijan.
“In the late evening of 19 January, 1990, Soviet troops entered Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, from different directions and stormed demonstrators firing into the crowds. As a result of this unprecedented illegal action, 131 people were killed, with hundreds of others wounded or arrested.”
Highlighting the courage of his people, Ambassador Kahraman explained, “On 22 January, despite the warnings of the military rulers of Baku, more than one million people turned out to bury the victims of that bloody night. He added that 20 January called ‘The Black January’ is part of heroic history of the Azerbaijan people, and a turning point in the history of Azerbaijan’s independence.
“Azerbaijan declared its independence on 18 October, 1991 and in accordance with a decree by the President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in 1999, all victims of the massacre were awarded the title of ‘Martyrs of January 20’. “
Ambassador Kahraman revealed that each year, the people of Azerbaijan commemorate the Black January and pay tribute to the memory of the victims of this tragedy. On that day, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis visit the Alley of Martyrs to pay homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the freedom that Azerbaijan enjoys today.
Concluding his speech, the ambassador expressed his deep gratitude to all who joined the event and shared the grief of the Azerbaijani people, expressing his condolences to the soul of martyrs of the 20th January. “I bow my head in honor of the 20 January martyrs,” he stated.
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