Manifesto of statehood: President Aliyev's bold call for return to Western Azerbaijan Seeking justice in an unjust world

On September 30, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev inaugurated a monument dedicated to the legendary Azerbaijani ashug artist, Ashig Alasgar, in Baku. In his address, President Aliyev highlighted the significant contributions of this esteemed folk storyteller to Azerbaijani culture while also making several political remarks. The timing of these statements was particularly poignant, as Ashig Alasgar spent his life in the Goycha mahal of Western Azerbaijan, an area that now falls within modern Armenia — territory that the President emphasized as ancient Azerbaijani land from which its people were forcibly removed.

Aliyev reflected on the hardships faced by the ashug in his later years, detailing how he was compelled to leave his homeland at the age of 97 amid the ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis by Armenian aggressors in 1918. This marked the first deportation of Azerbaijanis from their ancestral lands — Western Azerbaijan — in the twentieth century, a painful chapter that was followed by two more deportations.

Despite recounting this tragic history, Aliyev shifted to a more hopeful tone, stating, “But his love of the Motherland and his native land was so strong that despite all the dangers involved, he returned to his native village of Agkilsa in about three years and died there a few years later.” In this way, the theme of return emerged as the central motif of the President's speech.

The head of state recalled that in the 1970s, under the initiative of the national leader, the 150th anniversary of Ashig Alasgar was celebrated across the Soviet Union, culminating in the erection of a monument in his native village of Agkilsa. However, by the late 1980s, Azerbaijan faced a third wave of deportations, leading to the heartbreaking destruction of the monument dedicated to this beloved folk storyteller.

Once again, Aliyev emphasized the theme of return:

"As I mentioned, our nation was subjected to three waves of deportations in the 20th century – first in 1918, second in the 1940-50s and third in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a certain period of time, after the two deportations, the Azerbaijani people returned to their ancestral lands, not all of them but a large part of them did. This makes us legitimately confident that the Western Azerbaijanis who were subjected to the third wave of ethnic cleansing will also return to their ancestral lands."

The President further highlighted the inspiring example of our compatriots who have returned to Karabakh and East Zangezur. “Today, we are seeing the indomitable spirit of the Azerbaijani people in the example of our compatriots returning to Karabakh and East Zangezur. Our compatriots from Karabakh and East Zangezur, who had not seen those lands before, are eagerly and impatiently waiting for the day of their return. They are looking forward to the implementation of the Great Return program. In fact, this program is already underway. The people of Karabakh who had never lived in those lands but lived with the dream of returning to those lands are now returning to Karabakh. I am sure that we will see the same during the period of return to Western Azerbaijan,” Aliyev emphasized, encapsulating the theme of return.

The President also touched upon the international context of Azerbaijan's policy and its course for restoration and strengthening of sovereignty. 

"Today, during the year following the anti-terror operation, we are seeing that. In fact, during the first weeks and months, many baseless accusations were made against us, and sanctions were imposed on us. In order to impose even greater sanctions on us, the superpowers, at least those who consider themselves as such, openly attacked us on various international platforms, and unleashed a cold war on us. This continues to this day. On the eve of the anniversary of the anti-terror operation, we faced such a large-scale smear and slander campaign again. Can it affect our resolve? Never!" he stated.

Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly asserted that Azerbaijan harbours no aggressive intentions toward Armenia; our only goal is to achieve justice through the return of hundreds of thousands of Western Azerbaijanis to their ancestral lands. However, Armenia and its supporters persist in manipulating the narrative surrounding the return of Armenians who voluntarily departed from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. It’s important to note that Armenians left Karabakh of their own accord, taking their belongings and receiving excellent service at the “Lachin” checkpoint. In stark contrast, Azerbaijanis were forcibly expelled from the Armenian SSR, with many fleeing through treacherous snowy passes without adequate footwear. For thirty years, Western politicians and media remained silent on the plight of these individuals, instead choosing to accuse Azerbaijan of “ethnic cleansing” in a brazen display of so-called Christian solidarity.

Amidst this backdrop of rising anti-Azerbaijani sentiment, the resolute speech of Azerbaijan's President, declaring our intention to return to Western Azerbaijan, stands as a powerful manifesto of our statehood and an unwavering commitment to seek justice in an unjust world. It serves as a beacon of hope for other nations striving for their own rights and recognition.