Statements Condemning Armenian Massacres in Baku and Sumgait Made in the Canadian Parliament

Statements condemning the massacres in Baku and Sumgait have been made by MPs in the Canadian Parliament. According to Armenpress, the MPs noted that the entire Armenian community in Canada is paying tribute to the memory of the thousands of Armenians who fell victim to the atrocities in Baku and Sumgait.

Emmanuela Lambropoulos, an MP from the Liberal Party of Canada, stated that the anniversaries of Baku and Sumgait compel them to speak on this topic, as they live in a country where various national and religious minorities can participate in the country's politics. “Thirty years ago, the massacres of Armenians took place in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. Over the course of seven days, hundreds of Armenians were subjected to violence, murdered, and expelled from the city. These crimes brought an end to the ethnic cleansing that had begun against Armenians in the country. About 500,000 Armenians were displaced and scattered across the world, including coming to Canada. There were also massacres of Armenians in Sumgait, which shocked the entire world,” said Lambropoulos.

MP Bob Saroyan demanded that the Canadian Parliament remain committed to the protection of human rights and the prevention of crimes against humanity. “In response to the demand for self-determination of the Nagorno-Karabakh population, the Azerbaijani authorities orchestrated massacres and ethnic cleansing against the Armenian population in Sumgait and the capital Baku. These massacres are evidence of xenophobia, hatred, and discrimination against Armenians in Azerbaijan, which unfortunately continues,” the MP stated.

Fasial El-Hour, a member of the Canadian Parliament, described the massacres in Baku and Sumgait as abhorrent crimes against humanity. “The Armenian community of Laval and all Armenians across Canada commemorate those Armenians who fell victim to the genocide in Baku and Sumgait. It was a crime against humanity that claimed many lives. This pain is still fresh in the memories of the survivors. Today, let us take a moment to honor those directly or indirectly affected by this savage violence. Remembering this horrific tragedy reminds us of how fortunate we are to live in a country like Canada, where fundamental human rights are respected and where we all share the same human values of tolerance, respect, and justice,” El-Hour emphasized.

The year 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the Baku massacres and the 32nd anniversary of the Sumgait massacres. From February 27-29, 1988, the Azerbaijani authorities organized the massacres and mass displacement of the Armenian population of Sumgait at the state level. On February 29, Soviet troops entered Sumgait, but on that day, the violence and killings continued. The army only took decisive action in the evening, preventing further massacres. Although the international community has yet to recognize the Sumgait atrocities as genocide, they have been condemned by the European Parliament (1988), the US Senate (1989), and the Parliament of Argentina.