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3/1/1992 - Karabakh: in the Black Garden by Thomas Goltz

NoT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUTWRITER SCONSENT INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS TCG Peter Bird Martin ICWA Crane Rogers West WheelQck Str Hanover N I 03755 March I0 KARABAKH IN THE BLACK GARDEN Dear Peter It pretty rough around lately Lots blood dying I I think thought I hardy savvy whatever Sufficiently ferocious refere I recall correctly Maybe maybe again But couple I state stunned prescience stunned naivete stunned I never expected stunned before should prepared I massacre Y place It called Hodjal A ative Khodjali Khodhzali sometimes Klodzhaly depending ne_spapers The though lodjali little Azer clave within ArmeniaI enclave Nagorn Karabakh wiped existence night February This docuiented international which descended Azerbaijan plane interview sound count tragedy I exercise necessary fills disgust Beca I foreign persons sited Hodjali still living commun counters counting bodies friends acquaintances They vicariously yours people Hodjali apeared couple ICWA newsletters Hodjali banned going after reading about helicopter Thomas Goltz ICWA fellow researching Turkic nations former Soviet Union emphasis Azerbaijan Since Institu Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States write about international areas issues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations That January I I utsider visit besieged There weren foreign visitors before Beca Hodjali those places norms folks llalf hacks It dumpy little Azeri Nagorno Karabakh Getting there dangerous staying there unpleasant getting dangerous getting Not people Hodjali But I I And fellowship other value I rationally I estern persun visit Hodjali before You might world expert I dubious distinction being first report Norld place destroyed_ opulation slaugtered Armenian militiamen apparently assisted units 366th brigade former Soviet Ministry Interior The whole thing intensely personal My friends acquaintances reportedly slaughtered It meant something Ard personal interest about friends turned baffled would believe dumpy little Hod Nodjali inhabitats Breaking major story never especially roles reversed Armenians slaughtering Turks You wrong Thomas either reacting You xaggerating slanting story because happen Azerbaian speak language susceptible perfidious local influence There local input Acting Popular Front smething happening Hodali I traveled Agdam February There I hundreds screaming distraught Survivors described slaughter civilians rolling hills separating Agdam Armenian Askeron eastern Karabakh range Many recognized because previous visits They clutched clothes babbling names their relatives friends dragged morgue attached mosque bodies There Sadik Sadikov mosque administrator broke tears tallied names registered abacus There number include TCG those missing presumed those victims whose entire families wiped register God It represented number confirmed survivors Agdam physically fulfill however imperTectly Muslim practice burying within hours T number clear higher maybe Aside every there But number Washington Post believe It BBC How bodies atually Thomas No actual Don names people whose bodies rotting hills Give number bodies bodies touched The editorial discussion those first intense insulting worse What quoting government source government lying declines identified We different lengths friend David Ignatius Post foreign editor during marathon critique basic report What mosque morgue numbers This incredibly vague He solicited opinion about previous Goltz files others found wanting The doubting I needed study basics journalist trade reason I phone because devotion story I suspect reason because heart hearts paper sometling I heard least covered their instituLiona running enough material qualified allegedly reportedly The BBC meanwhile declined suggested I crank You suggesting people attack Karabakh total number reported killed years BBC Tim Huill Moscow Yes That impossible You lling No believe I never listen BEEB again To government press Baku exactly assist supporting allegation upwards people pitilessly slaughtered population Hodjali their lives after their attacked TCG The presidential spokesman ministry interJc information bureau initially claimed Hodjali defenders beaten Armenian attac suffered Just regular night Nagorno Karabakl But little irritating value source ground being level Azeri state machine It riating humiliating Between people slaughtered cared I thought I losing TIen newspaper I occasionally tribute London Sunday Times decided story They serious questions But after hours phone courage _tery front It after I first reported business I world scoop Then started parachuting around world count bodies confirm something awful appened And government liars remained unavailable during early crisis suddenly calling askirg provide numbers foreign correspondents could invite government expense report massacre I react I _oded I almost physically assaulted presidential press secretary Rasim Agaiev publicly accused lying He pleased nature dinasour recourse available began maligning started rumor I Armenian Hodjali ferret military ecrets during January visit doomed In awful ghastly Doubting reports Armenian Karabakh dispute Azeris massively armed their helicopters buzzing Armenian villages territory terror I aboard civilian helicopter designed maybe people packed terrified women children screwed above Azeri Agdam gauntlet Armenian Hodjali Once there I reported state siege military preparedness defenders which virtually Did report Armenian hands suggesting victory would easier presumed believe somehow influence their decision attack I cannot reluctant speculate In bizarre pathetic sense though allegation I assisting Armenians neutralized Turkish allegations suggested editors Washington Post contacts BBC Damned damned Maybe maybe I doing something right It around whole thing finally I Baku after having shelled missiles Agdam things raining around government guest house where staying blown windows We sauna basement until attack joining thousands others It But I sitting commercial bunch black marketeers Baku different world There I waiting roubles arrive exchange dollars I started collecting moisture Oh sympathetic dollar dealer noting slide mourning He cares holding Yas His mates wanted counting money tried clear But I could longer stand I cancelled dollar walked The evening streets still filled smiling shoppers apparently oblivious indifferent citizens Hodali Maybe think about drive insane It leather jackets women their cheeks smiling laughing parading I I hated And I I poured myself drink drank My asked where To Hodjali someone I voice I I there ghosts dumpy dumpy Hodjali speak water people I known there I started It sometime around I threw house telephone visiting journalist visiting newspaper I personally disliked newspapers reporters which increasingly common It house Tommy still I write There average house guests sleeping average dinner guests people everywhere drink argue T numbers truly estimate There ministers diplomats press around world senior advisor President Azerbaijan coming round confess crimes momentous changes underway Azerbaijan There regular Moscow irritated conferences Azeri Russian spelling Azeri names ircorretly because using RussLan their basic lingual There Englismen Americans Canadiars Freh Turks Turkis Farsi Gypsy speaking Greek American photograper helped traffic Tlere staffers freelancers writers ompetetive agecies sitting recent Goltz briefing There group Life Magazine doing slime Robert Kennedy i950s through Douglas accidentally tumbled story wanted write about first where start Hard nosed yours truly succumbed Kennedy mystique preious cartridge which repaid packs Marlb cigarettes sense style dealing aroet salesman driver Adding insult injury riley screwed young Azeri translator I bring front acting surprised asked payment getting services But perlaps attitude comprehend It ICWA front inform inform inform Brief brief Feed drink sleep ready batch I allowed Moscow reporter BBC group gathering sense magnanimousness opportunity demand apology having called All I Am Sorry welcome house I I sorry there misunderstandings Huill overweening public school manner I should thrown allowed He abused hospitality huddling corner passing telephone numbers people Azeri national machine replacement generally acting instant expert Azerbaijan TCG The I throw replacement Sunday Times Due misunderstanding assumed I opened house service bureau inter cIarge paper briefings feedings telepho filings I providing Perhaps never informational altruist mistakenly thought place We later But I whatever lingering sense faith I journalists purveyors basic information fundementally shaken Few really interested information Most interested story I hated story I informational altruist I scooping remains friends bloody ground Karabakh Black Garden burying I There weren bodies Most still hills waiting temperatures spring Some being spaded shallow growing Martyrs Cemetery across parliamet buiIding Baku My Major Alef Hadjiev facto commander Hodjali garrison friend A jocular Cief Joseph swagger smile managed galvanize community around belief despite against almost total support Baku could survive Some Armenians price million roubles Others million dollars All defending women children gauntlet Armenian Most women children anyway I Alef considered friend because drunk together three times muddy darkened served kitchen garrison although there bread We Russian Spare onions stale biscuits washed sweet Azeri cognac talked about perilous situation Alef hometown The government could raise siege forcing through Askeron could impose authorit Karabakh wanted Alef smile But communist mafia wants crisis while continue country If write attribute I But Now Had_iev I think quoting humousIy TCG And I think there people Baku breathed relief learned Hadjiev among Hodjali because lived would problems Like revolutior That lappening subtle I write because tlere other Alefs there You might tliat You might death symbolically resonance start people filth corruption afflicted tleir lives But another story another Major Alef Hadjiev bought bullet through heart after rotting mountains Black Garden brought Baku buried military honors Martyrs Cemetery Despite proximity parliamet across street government funeral maybe taste because there whispering eulogies abouk courage fortitude Alef martyr Hodjali might broken bonds death climbed grave killed But there funeral procession pretty small because Alef native Hodjali least mourners refugees obliged truck train distace Agdam attend rites The exception Alef widow Gala chubby Russian moustache lived Baku We Agdam aftermath massacre refused believe husband She frightened wondering could Azerbaijan without Russian Russian cried And everyone looks hatred their Then called later Alef remains recovered exchange Armenians gasoline I00 liters corpse Tomas Tomas Gala babbled Alef It tough understand Russian telephone probably tougher phone stayed coherent enough address funeral procession I knowing expect A cadaver living Mutilated others Scalped I traveled through wasteland hissing stuff belching pipes refining Baku driving streets seemingly never repaired We drove drove drive though utterly depressing landscape admits havin broke diseased It symbol rapacity ugliness egime successive regimes Baku corpses Agdam How allow people Complicating maybe complementing Azeri driver wanted jokes Russian I I thought I I going funeral friend Alef Martyr Karabakh people Baku along people Azerbaijan filth remaied behind He agreed He refused money It contribution national defence something I front series horrible Soviet style buildings slapped reasons I understand still cannot comprehend TIe designed toilet seperate Degrading everything around USeR Walking through mourners I people I least recognized embraced Then I Gala She standing truck carrying draped coffin holding smiling still oblivious happened father Gala embraced I something stupid strong Then I tried plant extended Alef coffin truvck I couldn reach I decided against climbing truck waited procession start There plenty people crying everyone My Then someone somewhere responsible formalities column started toward Martyrs Cemetery heights above Baku The funeral train journey although route different another broken leading through another industrial wasteland It Alef route anywhere nowhere death It Azerbaija Then arrived cemetery carved finest recreational Baku former Marshall Kirov Park It scores victims Soviet crack January buried along granite shaded dwarf Cyprus trees The faces photo etched stone This unusual Azerbaijani cemeteries difference faces names dates birth different death Now changing I journalist covering event everl political cultural tourist I there mourner mourning friend Maor Alef Had recent addition second gaves running among dwarf Cyprus trees where dates death different It graves given growing number military killed action Karabakh Alef 127th I counted graves correctl Martyrs Row Kids mainly Cannon fodder Anyway Alefs casket lifted truck I oined bearers hoisted their shoulders brought Alef remains religion recited Fa___tih____a_ Muslim creed faith I Alef Muslim except formal sense He never expressed anything approachirlg piety drinking although smoke which Azeri And certainly Turks which Azeri Alef found Made In Turkey labels trash Stepanakert believe Turkic ideal I remembering things first second third joked spoke I laggerate friends because weren friends I remembering B history Gala Russian relatives confu ritual pacement pious incantations corpse lifted caskeL muddy ground They An guard clicked their heels slapped dummy slugs their Kaleshnikovs three vollies The empty shells clattering granite walkway I picked pocket Then family intimate friends began covering wailing really began Women ripped their cheeks their nails sobbed regards I invited something grave declined I nothing Then another larger funeral procession started moving Martyrs Row heading shallow grave Alef It corner corpse would start being among dwarf Cypus trees anticipation Black Garden horrible place called Karabakh I nothing I something write I wrote following story filed Washington Post I I I Outlook section paper considerable length reprinted International Herald Tribune I thank doing I thought about naming An Epitaph Alef ended An Anatomy Massacre I title _Ej0i_aph Alef An Anatomy Massacre I remember HLdjali It There plenty other dumpy towns world hardly merit description Hodjali different imptrtat respect It dumpy Azeri Turkish Nagorno Karabakh And wiped Town almost describe Hodjali because really center speak other features usually associates incorporated urban entity Set plain between eastern Karabakh utains capital Stepanakert service float airport Hodjali series connected villages gravel roads cutting stried toilets little gardens A miasmic river several other seasonally canals crept through place I remember knots waddling white geese trees Hod_jali downtown consisted several stocked strangely naked unattractive local government buildings tdoor wells Costruction progress September I stopped early There electricit macines bricks mortar future build N there single restaurant By people stood small gravel streets waiting By night huddled their houses candles listening sound garrison security tried awling periphery Armenian militiamen crept closer The residents security doomed spoke opely There people Hodjali could accurately predict their Tle Armenian taken outlying villages government nothing Balakisi Sadikov He Ad drive DiIbar Sadikovs their three their daughters The includes worked sales clerk fabric where there nothing I I first waddling morning ground lying others video night There others mothers fathers daughters babies grand parents All Tle ultimate death probably never known least I establish parameters Established airport service minor interest collective farming Hodjali normal conflict population around But first visit September swollen twice The residents included several thousand Azeri refugees karabakh Others settled after being evicted Armenia The Azeri population supplemented arrival Tamilies Meschectian Turks These souls become refugees Tor third generations after their deportation tleir native Georgia allegedly collusion force settled collective Tarms Fergana Valley evicted June tfnic violece flared Uzbekistan Undoubtedly pathetic group Hodjali twety families mixed Armenian Azeri heritage driven their homes Stepanakert January Izth Azeris their Azeri blood One I September Murat Shukerov whose mother Arme aintained individuals quarter Azeri Muslims driven order purify Karabakh traces Armenian Slukerov reported In there people living Hodja September still connected Azeri Agdam This October Armenia militiamen blockaded allowig passage MVD vehicles In December tenuous ground severed MVD packed their Agdam Hodjali withdre Stepanakert presumably prepare their total withdrawal staging Azeri Gandja after Russia The MVD miglt pulled Stepanakert never pulled Karabakh And these forces esses deserters assisted attack February Those accompanying Armenian attackers preliminary artillery barrage subsequert armored vehicles provided MVD forces while welcome unexpected Thus December Hodjali could accessed limited fleet civilian model ME helicopters Agdam airfield And aboard these flying buses designed people I ourney Hodjali January Come friend Maor Alef Hadjiev spotting airport You comirg Hodjali Then write truth Insane helicopters ground months although miraculously actually I could resist aboard short dangerous Askeron Gap We corkscre meters before running gauntlet corkscre Hodjali field There government Azerbaijan charged Zumrut Ezova mother aboard helicopter Mrs Ayaz President Why making ducks ready Zumrut family believed The chopper packed around children carrying canary There supplies several boxes munitions rusted canon purchased anont MVD garrison Azerbaijan The limited hardware aimed supply soldiers airport guards Amtn trained fighting force Most passengers eturning Hodjali because governmet Baku afforded support after arrived Ai4dam refugees Better eturn Karabakh Most apparently It mistake women children admitted Hodjali Mayor Elman Mahmedov survivor massacre But I forced leave I would accused selling forever The point majority residents Hodali there Armenians attacked The Armenian claim there I000 Hodjali February outrageous It number manufactured damage control purposes assumption outside could dispute Who Hodjali people lived there I count January I hazard guess there least third eduction September census conservative argument The mathematics important Because assume average helicopter after departure there chopper arived empty total number possible evacuees since I there would ravage But choppers arrived continued bring people The flight Hodjali February The The clock ticking quickly toward Yet Baku nothig We several Armenian prisoners learned Fedayeen planning major attack Mayor Mahmedov recalled We begged Baku Corridor least women children The government nothing We utterly The mayor described anticipated attack began eveing apparently commemoration annive Sumgait massacre Armenians Azerbaijan Azeri Turks expelled Armenia descended Azeri people killed violence Azeri sources perhaps little conveniently violence inspired KGB They opened their barrage around attacked three sides about hours later 14ahmedov They wanted toward Askeron through their gauntlet We other cholce A photo reporter accompanying Armenian fedaye confirms details assault saying group fighters traveling attacked airport while IVD armor vehicles adjacent Hodjali ironically Helstki Ho where Meschetta Turks lived According vivos Adam Aiska titan irdividu remain althougl nconfirmed reorts Armeian lines suggest survivi Meschetian Turks Armeniar captives Azer Usubov Azeri militiamen rvive maelstrom describedIMajor Hadjiev organized effor break througl Armenian lines While refuge building Armenian vance outunned rumbered erferer clildren orked their Got Got RiVer toward Askeron before stream orkig their toward Nakhic ivaik lotogra velig Armenian battle buildin raged Ju I survived Tleir sacrifice group Ar menian ftghter pursui served photogr apler itnessing critical event beteen Nakhichivanik Agdam We around maaged trugh ooded enbered filled brush Mayor Mahmedov cluse Armenian lines would cross there first units lumnranar5 enalIthefuryofe 1brkelorJsead raining sides We etered their W atever order existed column refugees broke ladiiev caliber machine mounted BrR stndar Sovie Armored Persona Carrier Wlat appeed subject bitter conten Sur Armeian forces cised panicked terally standing above small i_llocks pitilessly slaughtered anything moved gullie Eye witnesses disaster military helicopter speak scoes bodies mutilate lying where their helicopter touched Tlere arotnd hillock touched freelance photographer Costa Sake lariou Many those including women children their hands raised heads after having surrendered Many fingers gouged krives Three scalped When helicopter after havinq recovered several bodies Sake larious small declivities between hillocks A video disaster filmed Azeri cameraman ailing crying recorded after literal leading foothills mountain range Azeris retreated Io brush frested areas hiding trees Armenian militiamen looked potential victims captives TCG But footllills between Azeri lines defending Agdam Armenian positions Askeron eights slaughter occurred T Amenians those serious lanation fleeing civilians could caugl between Aze defensive positions A meian unless AFmenian advancing backs refugees using human shield And there those Amenian forces killing massac occured No Armenians cross Tle implication Azeri soldiers mowing their And Given nature fatal wounds least corpses foothills proportion vicLims wounds A meian assertion means AzeFis eecuted their people carved measure order esumably sully Armenians before The charge boggles imagination least total cotFadiction testimony ndreds vivors ounded shock Agdam stony known Survivor spared details accountable Armenian militiamen Russian soldiers brigade Miistry Interior They blamed ighest lelons government Azerbaijan whose incompetence cupidity matched lyincj about massacre order cover criminal negligence allowing citizens slaughtered They called president traitor But voice suggested ultimate cynical That Lhe governmen ordered Azeri soldiers massacre their soldiers ordered complied That Armenian It infamy condemned fully Armenians their supporters condemn massacres perpetated Turks against Amenians years The Turks The Armenians And people continue maybe because everyone wants Now sides gearing round blood young others killed And their numbers exceed those killed llodjali events February become detail another statistic going litany death destruction Black Garden Nagorno Karabakh But I remember Alef Zumrut Sadikovs others whose names I never whose faces painted memory I remember Hodjail It Rec Hanover NH