Arif Aliyev: We must restore honest names of our soldiers

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-You have revealed unknown facts. First they were published as a book, now presented to the public as a film. Where did you get information about the events in Yalama? How did the idea of ​​the film come to you?

- I was driving from the village of Horadil to Baku. The radio broadcasted an interview with a historian Shamistan Nazarli, he recalled the heroism of the Yalama garrison defending the country from the attack of XI Red Army. I have heard about this before, but for some reason this story did not look credible. Cause since childhood, we were taught that the Russian army did not meet any serious resistance in Azerbaijan, and entered Baku in one march. We had no facts contrary to this official version.

I felt as if someone had shaken me, my forehead was sweating. I stopped car, and remembered the words from the song: "The eyes of the two hundred soldiers remaining on the earth are looking to the sky, all together they are only two thousand years old."

After all, our 350 fighters together were only 7 thousand years old. If all this is true, we must restore honest names of these soldiers. In fact, we need it more than the deceased. So, I promised myself to investigate the events till the end.

- If to follow your words, in Yalama 350 young guys extended our independence by two hours. They died to save their native state. Did someone help you spread this story, or did you do everything yourself with personal funds?

- The investigation lasted a year and a half. Another six months we worked on the documentary. Of course, the main work does the author, but it is unfair to say that no one helped. Without friends, I could not reach the archives of six countries and would not have published the book.

After the book was published, many people were interested. In addition to the story, I also prepared a play and a script for a documentary. On the my colleague, Tahir Tairovich said that the documentary should be made in any case even without money. Vagif Geraizade and Rovshan Armuradly called to make a feature film, and even began negotiations on that ahead of me. It almost worked, but I do can not ask someone for something...

Once a foreign friend asked me about my occupation, I told him. He was very surprised to learn how such a fact in the history of a nation could be concealed, and after learning these facts the nation should do everything possible to spread this history around the world.

He gave me a credit card and an access code for it. He said it would be enough to start, and asked me do not stop. After that all roads opened for me. While we worked in Georgia, we filmed in Gazakh, friends bought tickets to Moscow and Ankara. We flew to Ankara and returned on the same day. In Moscow, our Azerbaijani friends, business people, received us as guests and took everywhere by car. We organized the work in such a way so as not to waste too much time. We tried to arrange permission of all shooting objects advance from Baku.

- I wonder, if the government, official people, officials took into account your determination? Did they offer any financial assistance?

- No, we have not received any suggestions, but no one interfered. For me the absence of obstacles is the greatest contribution of the government. In such circumstances, civil society must show its capabilities. In any case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Azerbaijan Railway, the Border Troops, and the embassies in Turkey and Georgia helped to take pictures at the sites and get permits for filming. The Ministry of Culture gave the right to show the film.

However, there were problems at the presentation, we had to change the place of it although the invitation cards were sent.

In fact it was not an obstacle from the government, but only from one specific government official. In general, we have overcome this obstacle too.

- The events in Yalama and the fate of those 350 young guys became an example of great patriotism and heroism that can be used for propaganda in a good way. One could even make a film on a Hollywood level. Why are we indifferent to such facts and do not use these facts?

- Yes, that's another matter. Two years ago, I wrote "A dedication to 350 souls waiting for a train on the platform of Yalama station." I wrote that the souls of 350 young defenders of independence, are waiting there for 86 years, huddling together, the train of our appreciation. For example: in the state of Texas, in the city of San Antonio, next to it is the Alam Rock - a symbol of America"s independence and freedom. In March 1836, a detachment of about 260 Americans defended the independence of Texas in a battle against a much larger Mexican army. As a result of an hour-long battle, three defenders of the rock survived. In the next hundred years, Texans restored the entire history of the battle, every hour, revealing the names of the heroes, perpetuated, built a memorial. The history of the Alamo hit the textbooks, documentary and artistic works were shot, paintings, songs were written, even a coin was printed in the 100th anniversary of the battle. Thirteen provinces of the state are assigned the names of the defenders of the rock. The church on the rock is declared a monument, the Americans state guests must lead there and talk about the heroism of their grandfathers. They give souvenirs and postcards. 20 years ago I was in Alabama, I listened to the guide"s story, looked with envy at the brilliant eyes of the students who were listening to him. What will we show our children if we want to take them to our Alamo - to Yalama? There is no memorial, not even a small monument, not even a modest tablet. We have all the materials of the battle of young guys at the age of 19-20, who stood up against the well-equipped army. What else do you need? Go to the mausoleum for help from Lenin? I do not know. The future of the people who do not know their history is dark.

- The book and the film have become known. What is the reaction of the public, government, international circles?

-They all admire, but in the end there is nothing real. International organizations only observe, and say, let's see what they themselves are able to do.

I think this is our internal affair, regarding to national honor.

- The book, and then the film. What is the next step? Will you continue this research? What do you need for this?

- A documentary film needs dubbing and should be presented to a foreign audience. We can do it. But there are two more tasks in the program: to make a feature film and put a sculpture to the heroes of Yalama. The monument was offered by the late academician Ziya Bunyadov. These tasks cannot be solved without state support. And other plans ... I am preparing to print a new documentary story "Art is eternal, life is passing." Soon we will publish it in ayna.az. I wrote it on the basis of the memories of an actor of cinema and theatre Adil Iskenderov transferred to Rovshan Almuradly. I dedicated it to the events of 1937-38. I am working on a documentary story about Ismail Shihli "A Man's Portrait Against the Century". Vagif Geraizade also loaded me with a heavy and responsible burden, almost as heavy as the story "Yalama".