the representative of the Bolshevik Party who confirmed that total

extermination of the local Muslim population was the crux of the mis-

sion of Amazasp’s squad in Guba, following the order from the Center,

namely Stepan Shaumyan.

A question arises: was M.Baghirov, a Guba-born Bolshevik of

Muslim (Azerbaijani) descent, in a position to influence further de-

velopment of the events this way or another? Not likely. As Baghirov

later admitted,

“to my utmost regret and beyond my will, I happened

to witness a terrifying picture of what happened in Guba. Not only was

I unable to provide any basic support to innocent people suffering from

the atrocities committed by Dashnaktsutyn activists but I was even in-

capable to rescue my own kin. My 70-year-old uncle Mitalyb, his son

Mirhashim, son-in-law Hajji Heybat and a bunch of my relatives were

all brutally stabbed to death”.

(91) Another note by M.Baghirov either

for his acquittal or to shed the light to the situation reads:

“By the way,

comrade Naneyshivi while sending me with Amazasp’s squad made the

latter one’s assistants promise …that I would be protected by them. By

the same token, I made Victor Naneyshvili admit that I’m joining them

against my own will”.

(92)

Whether it was his will or not, Mirjafar Baghirov suffered the

tragic events in Guba with his fellow citizens, although on the op-

posite side. Meanwhile, he made a certain attempt if not to prevent

but at least to put end to ‘a terrifying picture of what was happening’.

According to D.Ghelovani’s testimonies”

Japaridze received a telegram

signed by Guba-born Mirjafar Baghirov, my ex-assistant according to

which residents of Guba were asking me to arrive to their rescue as

Amazasp was massacring everyone to the left and to the right. I agreed

and after getting broad authorities I arrived at the site. Upon my arrival

I started blaming Amazasp for what he had done there. In response

to this, he and his commissar Veluntz said that it were the Shiites and

Sunnis who had burnt the town in a blood feud. I never bought into this,

so I offered Amazasp to leave Guba with his unit. First he was hesitant,

however then he complied, and he really left with all his squad. I fol-

lowed him”

. (93)

With no comments on Ghelovani’s repeated return to Guba,

Baghirov admitted the fact of sending telegram to Japaridze. This time,

he decided to stay in town, apparently in hope that his stance towards

what Amazasp’s gangs had committed will be understood properly.

Events of 1918 in Guba in the Context of Plans for Mass Extermination

of Azerbaijan’s Muslim Population