The conflict between the Armenian desire for self-determination for the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan’s insistence on its territorial integrity was violent between 1988 and 1994. Thousands of deaths and approximately 350,000 Armenian and 800.000 Azeri refugees resulted.
What is propaganda? The nature of propaganda introduced by Gart Joette from Houston University and Victoria O’Donnel from North Texas university in the article “Propaganda and Infusion” says that: “Propaganda is form of communication, which differs from infusion by that it strives to achieve reactions, which contribute to implementation of aims by a propagandist itself.. Propaganda is purposeful and systematic striving to shape perceptions, manipulate knowledge and guide behavior for achieving reaction, which contributes to implementation of a goal by a propagandist”. The sides of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict were guided by these definitions, and as the conflict is still far from being settled, propaganda remains to be one of the major priorities for all participants of the Karabakh conflict.
The necessity of shaping public opinion via mass media – in a way that any hostilities enjoy support among Azeri people and cause likings of majority of foreign countries – became a priority for Azerbaijan propaganda machine .It does not preserve any efforts to use every available opportunity to spread its falsified interpretation of history and facts for achieving its initiatives.
One of the good examples how Azerbaijan propaganda machine is working ,events happened in Khojaly in winter 1992 . If you will try to search information about Khojaly using Google search engine you will find that almost all sites describing the events of Khojaly have Azerbaijan origin.
Official Azerbaijani propaganda does not disdain to use any methods and means to display the Armenian side as a party responsible for the tragedy and to inject another portion of poison of Armenian phobia into the world public consciousness and the consciousness of its own people. Moreover, Baku goes on circulating the already unmasked frauds.
Thus, last year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic drew the public’s attention to a forged photograph exposed in a number of Azerbaijani websites, including the website of “Heydar Aliyev Foundation”, which is very respectable in Azerbaijan (www.azerbaijan.az). It has been mentioned, that the propaganda machine of the neighboring republic tries to use the fact that besides a great number of corpses of civilians in the foreground of the photograph, outskirts of a settlement are seen in the background, which, in principle, should add verisimilitude to Baku’s version on mass killings of Azerbaijanis in Khodjalu. Meanwhile, color version of the above-mentioned photograph absolutely refutes it, namely the faces of the deceased, their garments, etc. In fact, this photograph is directly connected with the events in Kosovo. Namely as that the photograph along with a great number of the others was exhibited in one Serbian, one Albanian, and in one specialized German forum, in internet-page of reputable edition “New York Times” etc. However, the mentioned undisguised fraud still remains in a number of Azerbaijani sites, thus deluding those uninformed. Booklets with similar fraud are circulating all over the world.
The NKR MFA Information Department reminds that on February 25-26, 1992, the Karabakhi side launched a military operation to release the only airport of the republic, situated near Khodjalu settlement and to neutralize the weapon emplacements of the enemy in Khodjalu, from where since summer of 1991 the populated areas of Nagorno Karabakh have been regularly exposed to attacks of the Azerbaijani special police squads (OMON), artillery bombardments from “Alazan”, “Crystal” and rocket facility of volley fire “Grad”.
The release of the airport and neutralization of weapon emplacements of enemy in Khodjalu was of vital importance for the NKR people. The subunits of the NKR Defense Army granted a corridor to the peaceful population for safe and timely leaving the battle zone and the Azerbaijani side was informed of it beforehand. It is well-known that the NKR authorities informed the Azerbaijani side of preparation for the neutralization of the Khojalu weapon emplacements two months prior to the operation and that was repeatedly confirmed by the officials of Azerbaijan, in particular, by the then president Ayaz Mutalibov. However, the leadership of Azerbaijan did not undertake anything to help the peaceful population to leave the battle zone. Moreover, a column of peaceful population was shot near the border of Aghdam region, which was later on confirmed by Mutalibov, who connected the crime with the opposition’s efforts to remove him from the office by making him responsible for everything:
“As the survived Khojalu dwellers speak, all of that was organized to have a reason for my resignation. I do not think, that the Armenians, who have very precise and professional approach to similar situations, could allow Azerbaijanis to have documents denouncing them in fascist actions. It is possible to assume, that someone was interested in showing these shots later on the session of the Supreme Soviet and to blame me in all those things.” ( Interview of President of Azerbaijan A. Mutalibov about Khojaly events NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA, 02. 04. 2004)
The territory where subsequently many corpses were filmed is 3 km far from Aghdam and 11 km from Khojalu. Up to the fall of Aghdam (summer 1993) this area was under permanent control of the Azerbaijani units, which excluded the access of the Karabakhi self -defense units there.
Some details of this military operation are so far shrouded in mystery and namely using this circumstance official Baku tries to profit from it to gain its political goals.Every February-March special events commemorating those victims are held by Azeri and Turkish communities, different organizations which have one mission to inform as many foreigners as possible about “Armenian fascism and terror”.
Those activities are well planned to veil Armenian campaign of Sumgait genocide and Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan’s murder. During the year Turkey uses Khojaly as a card opposing to Great Armenian Genocide.
Why we must give attention to this ?
The resolution of this conflict depend on people opinion both in conflicting countries and foreign countries.
Fascist ideologists perfectly realized the role of mass media in success of military operations, and at large they ascribed major significance to those. The success of fascism in the beginning of the World War II was at large determined by propaganda system of Wehrmacht. And Mussolini, according to his team-mates, paid greater attention rather to newspaper headlines then to military purposefulness.
Being four time more in military personnel , ten time more in military vehicles and ammunitions and well organized Azeri’s lose the war. The reason is one. Azeri soldier demoralized and lacked a sense of purpose to fighting for this “Black Garden”.
“For Azerbaijan the issue of Karabakh is a matter of ambition, for the Armenians of Karabakh, it is a matter of life or death.”( Andrei Sakharov)
One of main goals of Azeri propaganda to convince its new generation that it is your land there. The land that your grandfathers live from paleonthropic period. That Barbarian Armenians take it from you by force.
Now this sentences sounds silly even for them. But new Azeri generation who drink this poisons with their mother milk , soon will have the answer of question why he must fight and die for that piece of soil.