CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VIII (1) ContemporaryEurasia81 | Page 99

NAREK SUKIASYAN
free and democratic tools coupled with the unforeseen effects of
korenizatsiia 53 provided fertile ground for ethnic mobilization.
On February 20, 1988, the Regional Soviet of Nagorno Karabakh
adopted a resolution to transfer the Autonomous Region of Nagorno
Karabakh from the Azerbaijan SSR to the Armenian SSR. 54 The first case of
violence occurred in the village of Chardakhlu, as “a punitive raid” against
Armenians by the local Azerbaijani party leader. 55 The events resonated in
Armenia and led to the emigration of ethnic Azerbaijanis from Armenia,
most of whom later ended up in Sumgait, Azerbaijan. Later, the chain of
events led to small-scale outbreaks in Aghdam and Askeran, resembling
hooligan clashes. Reports of deaths in Aghdam reached Azerbaijan and
sparked the pogroms against Armenians in Sumgait. The death toll is
estimated to be from 26 to the hundreds. 56 Brutal murders were committed
starting from the evening of February 27, 1988. 57 It seems that the pogroms
were in part organized and coordinated by the authorities and in part by local
mobs and Azerbaijani refugees from Karabakh, who had been suffering
social hardships after their displacement. The conflict escalated, intensifying
the refugee flows from both sides 58 , “cleaning” the sides from the opposite
ethnic groups over the course of several months. Cases of virtual siege were
reported in Nagorno Karabakh, with Azerbaijanis attacking convoys of
supplies to Stepanakert, which later transformed into a practical blockade.
There are reports of refugees brutally “escorted” from both sides. 59 On
January 12, massive attacks on Armenians of Baku began with proof of
government involvement. 60
As in other ethnic mobilization cases of this nature, as predicted by
Horowitz, the conflict quickly escalated into a large-scale military
53
These Soviet policies disproportionally favoured the rule of titular ethnic groups in order to
attain and maintain control of the resources of mobilization. For more on the effects of Soviet
ethno-federal policies on secessionist struggles, see Philip Roeder, “Soviet Federalism and
Ethnic Mobilization.” in World Politics 43, no. 2 (1991): 196-232. doi:10.2307/2010471.
54
Christopher J. Walker, Armenia: The Survival of a Nation, (New York: St. Martin's Press,
1980), 399.
55
Claire Mouradian, “The Mountainous Karabakh Question: Inter-Ethnic Conflict or
Decolonization Crisis?”, Armenian Review, vol. 43, no. 2-3/170–171 (Summer/Autumn
1990): 15.
56
Elizabeth Fuller, “Nagorno-Karabakh: The Death and Casualty Toll to Date”, RL 531/88,
(December 14, 1988): 1 –2. apud Stuart J. Kaufman, Ethnic Fears and Ethnic War in
Karabakh, (Lexington: University of Kentucky, 1998), 23.
57
Samvel Shahmuratian, “The Sumgait Tragedy: Pogroms against Armenians in Soviet
Azerbaijan”, (New York, Zoryan Institute, 1990), 56-60.; Thomas De Waal, Black Garden:
Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War (New York: New York University Press,
2003), 34.
58
Stuart J. Kaufman, Ethnic Fears and Ethnic War in Karabakh, (Lexington: University of
Kentucky, 1998), 26.
59
Ibid, 28-30.; De Waal, Black Garden. Armenia and Azerbaijan through Peace and War.
60
Graham Smith, “Armenia and the Armenians” ed. in The Nationalities Question in the Post-
Soviet States (London; New York: Longman, 1995), 281.
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