January 20 - A Symbol of Unshakable Will of Azerbaijani People.

Byline: Zubeda Anjum Niazi

The day of January 20, which will live forever in the memory of Azerbaijanis, became not only a tragedy but also a symbol of unshakable will in the name of national independence, freedom of Azerbaijani people. The reasons for the January tragedy go deep into history, beginning from the territorial claims of Armenians against Azerbaijan. Everything began when Baku residents came out to protest against the policy pursued by the then USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev since Armenian nationalists demanded joining the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous region of Azerbaijan to Armenia. Back in 1987 the Armenian academics and official figures claimed to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and conducted propaganda in this direction.

Taking advantage of the Soviet Union's last leader, Mikhail Gorbachev's reconstruction policy, Armenians once again resumed their insidious policy towards Azerbaijan. Then, the Soviet government had an intention to realize the Armenian policy by diplomatic means in 1988 but failed because millions of Azerbaijanis headed to the streets to protest Armenian aggression and separatist forces fueling unrest in the ancient land of Azerbaijan - the mountainous Karabakh region. Azerbaijani people launched the square movement to defend their rights and motherland. Indeed, the Central government sent military forces to suppress the national movement and even crushed the protestors by force. But that was temporary. Azerbaijanis were determined to protect their territorial integrity and did not step back, showing their sacrifice and vigor for national freedom. But the protests received totally inadequate answers - the Soviet troops committed unimaginable atrocities in Baku from the late hours of January 19 into January 20.

In 1990, the night of January 19 to 20, the former Soviet military troops attacked Baku by the land and sea and carried out the punitive measures with unprecedented cruelty. As a result of this accident, 147 innocent civilians including the children, women, and the old were killed, 744 were wounded, and 841 were illegally arrested. The terrorist...