Nabiyev Bektash Enverpasha oghlu

“I was born in Karachanta village of Amasiya district. There were serious problems in securing employment for students returning to their villages after the graduation. Because we were Azerbaijanis, we could not get a job, we could not be promoted. When I was admitted to the university, I faced documentation problem. This policy was one of the first steps leading to our deportation. They slandered the Azerbaijanis working in higher position in order to remove them from the offices. They attacked the house of Ildirim Bagirov, the first secretary of our district. Because Ildırım Bagirov was an Azerbaijani, attempts on his life were organized. The population stood on his defense and sent him to Gazakh district by helicopter. Armenians from the city of Gyumri attacked us. When the deportations began, travel routes were also restricted. We saved our lives by crossing the mountain roads. The occurrence of earthquake prevented the population of our region from being massacred. The Armenians were confused, and the Azerbaijanis somehow saved their lives and emigrated. The snow in the area helped us to move. Those places are our historical lands, and sooner or later we must return to those lands.”