Unexpected Changes

 The Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The first Nagorno-Karabakh War happened in 1994 and lasted two years. However, The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has a long history, even before the first war. During the Soviet period, Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh were discriminated against Armenians remained the majority population. In 1988 Nagorno Karabakh referendum was held to transfer the region to Armenia. This decision led to pogroms against Armenians across Azerbaijan. Moreover, Nagorno-Karabakh was claimed and controlled by the Republic of Artsakh but was recognizable internationally as a part of Azerbaijan. Between 1988 and 1994 the estimated number of people that were killed was 40,000. Therefore, The Nagorno-Karabakh War was the beginning of changes in the history of Azerbaijan, and my father’s family experienced changes in their life as well.

My father and his family started to experience changes in 1990 during The Nagorno-Karabakh War. Azerbaijan faced a crisis in 1990 during the “Black January” which was one of the massacres in The Nagorno-Karabakh War history. The Black January crisis led to mass protests against the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, internal politics, and criticism toward Ayaz Mutallibov’s political point of view. Ayaz Mutallibov was the first president of Azerbaijan after its separation from the Soviet Union in 1991. My grandfather was onKhojalytallibov’s supporters. It is the main reason why The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict unexpectedly affected and changed my grandfather’s life.

In 1992 my grandfather escaped Azerbaijan. The reason for my grandfather to escape was that Mutallibov faced accusations that led to not being safe in Azerbaijan due to protests, murders, and attacks from Armenia. Consequently, he decided to leave Azerbaijan as soon as possible, and my grandfather left Azerbaijan too. My grandfather left his family back in Azerbaijan. No one knew where he could be, how to reach him, or if he was even alive.  It was not safe for his family to be with him, but they also were not safe in Azerbaijan. People could break into their house to find my father or his siblings, so they could tell where my grandfather went. My father used to hide in the basement of their house for days, so no one could find or hurt him. Later my father, his two siblings, and my grandmother left Azerbaijan. My father experienced those changes for years. Even though it lasted for years, it had its end. A few years later, when the president was replaced, the first Nagorno-Karabakh war and the post-crisis period were over my grandfather and his family came back to Azerbaijan. However, their life was not the same. 

Another significant change that was part of The Nagorno-Karabakh War was the Khojaly massacre that happened in 1992. The Khojaly massacre became the largest massacre in Nagorno-Karabakh’s history. During the night of February 25 to 26, Armenian forces went to the Khojaly district and attacked at least a thousand Azerbaijanis, not including approximately a thousand people who could run away and died of cold or got missed. Khojaly massacre also was one of the changes in the history of Nagorno-Karabakh. In addition, now, Azerbaijan has The Alley of Martyrs, a cemetery, and a memorial that is in the capital of Azerbaijan- Baku. It is a memorial for all innocent civilians and soldiers who gave their lives to protect their homeland. 

In conclusion, The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict changed everyone’s life in Azerbaijan and Armenia. Nowadays, it still does unexpectedly change many people’s lives. Millions of innocent people were murdered because of this conflict. In my opinion, war is not an option to solve any kind of conflict. However, I hope that someday The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be over, and people will live in peace.