There are usually two types of Turkish/Azerbaijani responses to the photos of destroyed/desecrated Armenian holy sites in Turkey and Azerbaijan. The first response says, “This is Photoshop® fabrication,” the second one: “What about Muslim monuments that Armenians destroyed?”*

Commenting to the first response would be the last thing I could do to waste my life.

Coming to the second response, I find it rational: rational, because many would expect Armenians to “avenge” Turks and Azerbaijanis for their desecrations against the Armenian heritage. Many would expect Armenians to do the same, but not me. Because I have always believed that MY PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT. Because if Armenians did the same to the Muslim heritage, I would never raise my voice to protest the destruction of Old Julfa.

Special thanks to Onnik Krikorian for sharing the photos below.

*There are, indeed, a few other responses, like “It is shocking…” as Taner Akcam reacted in Toronto.


Malibeyli around Kashatagh (Lachin) District, Azerbaijani cemetery in Nagorno Karabakh, 2001, © Onnik Krikorian


Azerbaijani cemetery around Askeran, Armenia (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), 2001, © Onnik Krikorian