Armenian bandits committed their very first massacre in Vartanli village of the Gugark district in November 1988. Firstly, they entered the administrative division of Boyuk Garakilse (Vanadzor) where Azerbaijanis lived. The name of the village was changed to Shaumyan in 1955. The Gugark district was established in 1964. At that time, the Vartanli village was added to the administrative division of it.
Nazim Mustafa, historian-scientist`s great-grandfather`s grave is in the Vartanli village. He touched on the Gugark massacre and the Vartanli tragedy in his interview to AzVision.az:
“Although only Azerbaijanis lived in Vartanli village in the beginning of the 20th century, Armenians predominated at the end of 1988. Kirovakan Armenians made an armed attack to the village under the guidance of Edik Martirosyan on the night of 26-27 November. It was snowing heavily at that day. Most of Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homes fleeing to the nearest forests when they saw a group of armed Armenians entering the village.
At first, Armenian bandits tied Mehrali Isgandarov up the tree. Then they roped his neck and made him walk in the village.
When their teenaged son, Alim heard about it, he took the rifle and shot at Armenians. Armenians showered him with bullets. Although he was wounded, Armenians threw him into the fire in front of his parents. Her mother, Khanum threw herself into Pambak river in order not to see her son`s death. However, Armenians drew her out from the river and killed with torture”.
Nazim Mustafa says, Mehrali Isgandarov died:
-500 people from Kirovakan who was higly-strung from` Karabakh` demonstrators` incendiary speeches went towards Shaumyan (Vartanli) village. The fight continued up to two days with gun attacks. There were casualities as a result of those clashes. Besides, massacres took place in Kuybishev village, some died. Self-defense groups formed by activists of the movement committed violence on road posts. Armenians who tried to make Azerbaijani villages food aid were beaten.
In 1918-1920 Armenians attacked the villages of Gyumri-Garakilse region which were populated by civil Azerbaijanis and committed atrocities. According to its scenario Shaumyan (Vartanli) tragedy was the same with that. Unfortunately, the world community is still not aware of the mass killings perpetrated in Armenia in 1918-1920 and 1988-1989.
Vartanli Armenians were deprived of humane sentiments. They targeted at Azerbaijani houses. C.Arakelyan, the Chair of Shaumyan village Soviet guided the savage groups. Suleyman Mammadov hid at his neighbor Mekhags`. However, Mekhag remanded him to the Armenian bandits. Armenians threw him into the fire. Despicable neighbor watched that awful scene with great pleasure.
On November 26-27, 14 Azerbaijanis were brutally killed and burned in Vartanli village. The rest of the residents managed to reach Azerbaijan only after 13-14 days passing through difficulties. Tens of people went missing or died.
Totally, more than 30 Azerbaijanis were murdered in Gugark.
The Armenian authorities hid the truth about the Gugark tragedy. Later, in 1989 the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia fired L.Baghdasaryan, the first Secretary of the Party Committee of Gugark and the head of the District Executive Committee S.Kazaryan.
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