Best Way to Immortalize the Memory of Genocide Victims is Building Independent and Powerful Statehood. Bako Sahakyan

On 24 April President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan delivered an address in relation to the 1915 Genocide of Armenians.

It reads as follows:

“Dear compatriots,

“95 years ago a monstrous and unprecedented crime, the Armenian Genocide, was committed. It was the first genocide of the 20th century; millions of Armenians fall victim to it, thousands of Armenian churches and monasteries, schools and colleges were plundered, a unique civilization was destroyed. The Armenian nation was deprived from the great part of its historical Motherland and spread all over the world.

“For our people these 95 years have been years of struggle and creation, survival and restoration of historical justice. However, we have not been alone in this struggle; the progressive mankind has been standing side by side with us. We are grateful to all those who offered a helping hand and shelter to the Armenian refugees having escaped from slaughter.

“Many countries have recognized and condemned the Genocide. It is important both for us and the whole mankind because in this way future massacres could be prevented and excluded. Impunity is an evil in itself generating new crimes. The Jewish Holocaust organized by the Nazis, Armenian pogroms in Sumgait, Baku and a number of other crimes are just a few testimonies of that.

“Dear friends,

“Today let’s bow before the memory of innocent victims of the Genocide. The best way to immortalize their memory is to build independent and powerful statehood, to further strengthen the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity realizing nationwide programs and goals. Every single Armenian must do everything possible to make our Motherland powerful and invincible, flourishing and prosperous.”