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The original was posted on /r/hayastan by /u/Admirable_Novel3702 on 2023-09-01 04:37:53.
The 1964 letter can be found here:
Nagorno Karabakh’s Petition to Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev: 19 May, 1964
Their objective was not only the termination of the autonomy of the region, but also the expulsion of the Armenian population of Karabakh. To this end, they relentlessly and systematically trampled upon the interests of the Armenian population, derided the workers and subjected the people in general to inexcusably hostile treatment.
Let us cite some examples:
- The bread factory of Stepanakert has been placed under the jurisdiction of Aghdam — an Azerbaijani regional center located at a distance of 40 km. In other words, it has been proposed that the planning of the production of flour and the regulation of the quality of bread, and altogether the management of the production of bread for Stepanakert all be controlled in distant Aghdam.
- The health department of Mars has likewise been subjected to Aghdam, where appointments to and removals from posts of the department for workers are initiated; medical supplies and other material needs of the hospitals and other institutions are supposed to be secured, but in fact are not provided. The same applies to pharmacies and pharmacists.
- The management of construction works is under the jurisdiction of Minkechaour, which is located 120km away from Stepanakert. The immediate result of this arrangement was the removal of the best machines to Minkechaour and their replacement by useless and antiquated implements and technical systems. The top laborers of one particular concern were flatly dismissed and were replaced by Azerbaijanis.
- The combine of Mars which produces silk and employs 3,000 workers (the only industrial concern of Mars) has been placed under the administrative jurisdiction of a comparable but much smaller enterprise in Nukhi, which is 120 km away from Stepanakert. The dye factory has been transported to Nukhi as a result of which the wage fund has been reduced and the wages of the workers of Stepanakert have been lowered. The silk spinning factories of Khntzorestan, Seyidshen, Gheshlach and other villages have been closed.
- The sojuzpetchat department of Mars (in charge of distribution of newspapers and other printed material) has been transferred to Aghdam (since May 1962). Now Aghdam is to plan what we are to read. As to the workers of Stepanakert sojuzpetchat, they remain jobless.
- The cement factory in Stepanakert has been placed under the jurisdiction of the region of Barda (60 km distance), which has absolutely no connection with the factory.
- The Tartarkes project has been made part of the post-war five year plan, but until today has not been realized. Tartarkes is meant to solve to problems of electrical energy and irrigation of the semi-mountainous and mountainous regions. The construction of Minkechaour, which can not solve the problems peculiar to Tartarkes.
- A number of projects provided in the recent five year plans for Mars have not been fulfilled. Still, nothing is being done, even though those projects have been made an integral part of the seven year plan, e.g., the cake combine, the wine factory of the Gurbadkino, etc.
- The auto repair plant, provided in the seven year plan for Stepanakert [Karabakh], has been erected in Kirovabad [Azerbaijan] instead, in spite of the problems this presents in terms of available personnel and other prerequisites.
- In forty years, not one kilometer of new road has been constructed between villages and the regional center; nor have existing roads been repaired.
- No possibilities have been explored for developing the agriculture of the region. The corn, potato and vineyard acreages have not been expanded. There is no increment in the rate of the growth of produce. Cattle breeding is in decline; the authorities are oblivious to the problem of water resources. Reservoirs have been erected on the banks of a number of rivers of mountainous Karabakh, but only Azerbaijani villages are benefiting from these waters. The kolkhozniks of Karabagh have not been given the right to utilize the waters of theirs own rivers. Since ancient times Mountainous Karabakh has been famous for its mulberry farms which often were cultivated despite great difficulty on the rocky slopes of the highlands. These farms were utilized to produce spirits and doshab, and were also used for construction material and fuel. Disregarding the protest of the population, with a stroke of the pen they forbade the extracting of spirit and ordered the cultivation of mulberries for the sole purpose of feeding the silkworms. As a result, large numbers of mulberry trees were destroyed, and the rocky slopes became barren and useless for agriculture. Besides, the mulberry wood is known to have precious qualities for industrial use.
Mars has not been carefully studied in terms of its soil and climatic conditions; no narrowly specialized subregions were created for he purpose of enhancing productivity.
The experimental station of the region of Margushaven has been placed under the jurisdiction of Baku. One is led to believe that the management in Mars is not interested in investigating its agricultural problems and in resolving other problems of local significance.