Participants of the round table stated with assurance.
One day before the anniversary of the occupation of Agdam region, the round table was held on 22 July, 2008, by Public Association for “Protection of Rights of Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons in Azerbaijan” together with “Hasrat Yolu” Public Association for assistance to captives and hostages on subject “Agdam – 15 years under Armenian bondage”.
Chairman of the PA PRMIDPA, professor Nadir Abdullayev made an opening speech. Editor of the “Voice of Karabakh” (Golos Karabakha) newspaper, Gadir Nasirov reported on the subject “15 years have passed since occupation of Agdam and Agdere” and Chairman of the “Hesret Yolu” Public Association for assistance to captives and hostages, Esmira Orujova spoke on “Our compatriot captives and hostages in Agdam and Agdere region”. Habil Aliyev, chairman of the Yasamal region department of the Great Patriotic War Veterans Association, member of the “Hesret Yolu” Public Association for assistance to captives and hostages, born in Agdam Vahid Agayev, Tahmasib Novruzov, chairman of the Freedom Movement Association, military expert Uzeyir Jafarov, member of Karabakh Freedom Organization, Nizami Hajiyev, chairman of the Public Association “For Social Welfare of Citizens”, Irada Rasizade, chair of women council of the Karabakh Freedom Organization, Farida Mammadova and others reported on the subject.
Speakers emphasized that two regions of Azerbaijan were occupied 15 years ago – Agdere on July 7 and Agdam on July 23. Over 14 thousand people lived in 14 villages of Agdere region (1705 sq/km territory) before the occupation. As a result of the Armenian occupation, tens of the countrymen were slain, 167 people got missing and 39 people were taken captives.
882 sq/km or 76.5% out of 1154 sq/km of the Agdam region territory was occupied by Armenian armed gangs. Only 10 settlements out of 122 are now controlled by Azerbaijan, and the rest is under Armenian’s control. Insidious enemy savagely sacked, destroyed and burnt down everything that was captured, including historical monuments belonging to the XIV-XVIII centuries, 24.500 private houses, about 50 industrial and construction entities, 160 schools, 65 medical establishments, 374 cultural centers, 2 museums, including the Agdam Museum of Bread – one of the two in the world, a lot of mosques and other sacred faith objects, as well as Gutlu Sari Musa oglu Kunbez built in 1314 in Khachinderbend village, tombs and stone monuments in Kangarli village belonging to the XIV century, tomb and mosque belonging to the XVIII century in Papravend village, monuments belonging to the XVIII century in Imarat (mansion) territory, Agdam region, tombs of Khan kizi Khurshudbanu Natavan and her sons, Shahbulag castle in Shahbulag and caravanserai.
Flora and fertile layer of the soil, covering 91,3 ha suitable for agriculture and 1700 ha of wood lands were destroyed and made useless. According to the approximate calculations, as a result of the occupation, AZN 6.5 bln damage was caused to Agdam region.
6 thousand people were killed during military operations in Agdam region, old people, women and children were among them. One of the bitter facts of the war was that 49 people were taken captives by Armenians, 139 people got missing.
128 thousand inhabitants were driven away from native lands and, settling in 59 region of the republic, were obliged to live as IDPs. Armenians, knowing that sooner or later they will have to release the occupied territories, besides the destruction of part of Agdam and Agdere regions being under their control for 15 years, made useless fertile layer of the soil and continue their dirty actions until today. Furthermore, they illegally settle Armenians in those regions, thereby roughly violating the international laws.
Despite all these facts, general resolute thought of the event participants was “we’ll return to our native lands!”.
The participants of the round table on subject “Agdam – 15 years under Armenian bondage” appealed to the UNO, the European Union, the OSCE, heads of the OSCE Minsk Group member-states and the International Red Cross Committee calling them on to take strict measures to ensure territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, to release the occupied territories, including Agdam and Agdere regions, from Armenian armed forces, to free Azerbaijani citizens captured during the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict and clarify the fate of missing people.