March 31 – this date is remembered in the history of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis for two bloody events: the March massacre of 1918 and the Tunnel events in Kalbajar in 1993. Armenian savages, Dashnaks, committed inhumane massacres in various cities of Azerbaijan in 1918. They showed no mercy to children, women, or the elderly. Exactly 75 years after this event, they committed the same cruelty against the population wishing to leave the district in Kalbajar in 1993. A massacre occurred on March 31, 1993, in the area called “Tunnel” in Kalbajar district. Armenian fascists, who set up an ambush in front of the tunnel while occupying the district, opened fire on peaceful Azerbaijanis trying to pass through there and reach a safe place on that day, killing them. Survivors were taken hostage and subjected to horrific torture for a long time. The fascist group that committed the massacre in the Tunnel was led by the notorious terrorist Monte Melkonyan, known as Avo, who was later killed in the Aghdam district.
As is known, after the occupation, Armenian separatists were tried in an Azerbaijani court in Baku. The Tunnel events were also raised during the court proceedings.
Ramin Huseynov, one of the eyewitnesses of the Tunnel events, spoke to Modern.az.
In his statement to our website, R. Huseynov said that they are very happy that the Azerbaijani soldier did not leave their blood unavenged:
"Thank God, the Azerbaijani soldier avenged our blood there. We are happy. But no matter how much we rejoice, only God knows what I and my eighty-two villagers and relatives went through. There was seven-year-old Taleh, eleven-year-old Yadigar. I myself was fourteen years old. That is, they acted against children, women, and the elderly. We were peaceful civilians; we had no business with the Armenians. We were simply seeking refuge to go to a safe place. We left there by car to go to Yevlakh, Ganja, that is, wherever anyone had relatives. I was also coming here to Baku, to my relatives, my brothers. My brothers were students here. We took the children, women, and elderly out of the village. No one thought that Kalbajar could be occupied, that it would be taken from us. We were going to a safer place when this tragedy befell us. Thank God, today we walk in Kalbajar. I have also been to our village. We have passed through that tunnel many times. But no matter how many times we pass through there, we can never forget the tragedy we endured".
R. Huseynov says that every time he passes through that tunnel, he feels as if he is taken captive again:
"So, this was my fate. One must reconcile with their destiny. I wouldn't have wanted to experience such trauma at fourteen. I probably won't be able to escape this trauma until I die. Today I am already 46 years old, but every time I pass through that tunnel, I feel as if I am taken captive again. It's as if I haven't grown up; I've remained fourteen. This is also my fate. At 14, we were innocent village children; we hadn't seen a single bullet or a dead person. Usually, in the village, when someone passed away, children were not allowed to go outside so they wouldn't see the funeral and be scared. We wouldn't pass by the cemetery. But I was hiding under that car. They burned those fifty-two people. Five people from my village died right there in the car. Imagine, I was hiding under a truck, and blood was dripping onto my back from the truck's p. So, imagine what it's like for someone who has never seen a dead person; my villagers died next to me. This is our destiny from God; we must reconcile with our fate".
Speaking about the current situation in Kalbajar, Ramin Huseynov said the following:
"Today, when we feel a bit nostalgic, we often say, 'Let's go to Kalbajar.' Thank God, today Kalbajar itself and its villages are being rebuilt. We will move there and live, Inshallah. Thank God, everything is in order today.
Regarding the trial of the separatists, our interlocutor said the following:
"To be honest, due to my work, I couldn't be at the trial. But all my villagers and relatives were there. Thank God, they received their punishment. Seventy-five years later, the Armenians committed the massacre in the tunnel. Because they knew that the road to thirty-five villages passed through this tunnel. If that tunnel was closed, one would have to go to the district center only by donkey or horse. The Armenians also knew well that when they shelled those villages, people would pass through that tunnel by car. After Khojaly and Aghdaban, the Armenians committed the biggest massacre in the tunnel".
