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Nezavisimaya Gazeta website, Russia
Aprl 26 2011
The opposition has replaced protest rallies with walks in the park
Who in Azerbaijan is interested in an "Arab Revolution"
by Sokhbet Mamedov
[translated from Russian]
After two unsuccessful attempts at holding unauthorized rallies in the
centre of Baku, dozens of persons have announced their withdrawal from
the parties that belong to the oppositional Public Chamber (OP), which
was conceived as a shadow parliament for Azerbaijan. The influential
National Independence Party (PNNA) has also suspended its work as a
part of the OP.
"The protest-rally tactic of the OP was a mistake. We expressed our
dissatisfaction about several decisions made in the OP and brought up
our own proposals more than once. The OP was originally created as an
organization that was supposed to perform the functions of an
alternative parliament. But then problems of an organizational nature
developed that needed to be solved. Unfortunately, instead of working
steadily on these problems, attention was shifted to holding mass
actions. In addition, the organization of these actions occurred
without preliminary preparations," the PNNA's secretary for the press
and propaganda, Ali Orudzhev, said to journalists.
However, the leaders of the OP, where the roles of first violin fell
on the shoulders of the chairmen of the Musavet Party and Peoples
Front Party, Isa Gambar and Ali Kerimli, apparently have not made the
corresponding conclusions and intend to resort to a new form of
protest in the future - to send their supporters on "Sunday walks in
city parks".
In the opinion of several political experts, an analysis of the
tactical actions of OP leaders points to a meagre arsenal of ideas
among the people who dream of occupying the chairs of first persons of
the state. After the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, these parties,
without thinking long, dressed their supporters in orange jerseys and
assured the entire world that they would come to power any time now.
But neither the public nor foreign players supported them. Today,
after two unsuccessful attempts at provoking disorder in the city
centre in March and April, OP leaders have decided again to resort to
plagiarism and take into their arsenal the experience of the
opposition in a neighbouring country, which has over a long time
unsuccessfully held "Sunday walks" in Yerevan's North Prospect.
Commenting on this tactical "discovery" by OP leaders, the chairman of
the Azadlyg (Freedom) Party and the head of the Union in the Name of
Democracy (SVID), Akhmed Orudzh, noted that every time over the course
of 20 years it has been the same people, who in the wave of processes
taking place in the world have wanted to use the situation and achieve
some kind of narrow, egotistical goals. And every time all of this has
been to the detriment of the Azerbaijani people.
"In regard to the tactic of 'taking walks in city parks on weekends',
then this is a direct indication of their incompetence in the use of
the insignificant financial, organizational, and personnel resources
that are still left in these parties. Instead of using various
political technologies, they again are resorting to theatrical
stunts," Akhmed Orudzh said. In his opinion, the parties and their
leaders that are not in a position to conduct an active policy should
leave the political scene before they ultimately shame themselves.
The leaders of other opposition parties also hold the same point of
view. The chairman of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan [DPA], Sardar
Dzhalaloglu, noted in a conversation with NG that protest rallies are
effective when a significant event takes place in the country's
political life.
"For example, if they were held after elections or if the government
intended to make concessions unfavourable to Azerbaijan in the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict or did not solve socio-economic
problems, then in such a case the holding of protest rallies would be
effective. At the present time all of the above are absent in the
country," Dzhalaloglu said.
The assertions of the DPA leader are not reverence towards the
government; they reflect today's reality. Today Azerbaijan, which has
painfully emerged from the world crisis, is successfully developing
its economy. New houses, schools, hospitals, and roads are being
built, the republic's regions are prospering, new jobs are being
created, and both the country's capital and city and rayon centres are
acquiring new looks. Of course, problems exist, particularly in the
social sphere, but they are on the agenda of urgent affairs of the
country's leadership. In such a case, how can the spring outbreak of
activity by the opposition Public Chamber be explained? In the opinion
of several analysts, it is naive to believe that all of this is
occurring in the face of the revolutions in the Arab countries. Most
likely the OP is carrying out the orders of a third country that has
strategic interests in Azerbaijan and is not suited by President Ilham
Aliyev's balanced policy with neighbouring countries or with the
superpowers, experts believe.
Coincidence or not, but the day before, US Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State Tina Kaidanow made a short visit to Baku, and she said that
the purpose of her visit was to meet with Ilham Aliyev and MID
[Ministry of Foreign Affairs] head Elmar Mammadyarov. At the same
time, she specified that bilateral relations as well as issues of
regional security would be the subjects of discussion at the meeting.
At the same time, Tina Kaidanow noted that she plans to hold a number
of meetings with representatives of the public. In all probability,
the OP leaders will be among them. And it will become known in the
coming days what they will talk about with the representative of the
United States.
From: A. Papazian
Aprl 26 2011
The opposition has replaced protest rallies with walks in the park
Who in Azerbaijan is interested in an "Arab Revolution"
by Sokhbet Mamedov
[translated from Russian]
After two unsuccessful attempts at holding unauthorized rallies in the
centre of Baku, dozens of persons have announced their withdrawal from
the parties that belong to the oppositional Public Chamber (OP), which
was conceived as a shadow parliament for Azerbaijan. The influential
National Independence Party (PNNA) has also suspended its work as a
part of the OP.
"The protest-rally tactic of the OP was a mistake. We expressed our
dissatisfaction about several decisions made in the OP and brought up
our own proposals more than once. The OP was originally created as an
organization that was supposed to perform the functions of an
alternative parliament. But then problems of an organizational nature
developed that needed to be solved. Unfortunately, instead of working
steadily on these problems, attention was shifted to holding mass
actions. In addition, the organization of these actions occurred
without preliminary preparations," the PNNA's secretary for the press
and propaganda, Ali Orudzhev, said to journalists.
However, the leaders of the OP, where the roles of first violin fell
on the shoulders of the chairmen of the Musavet Party and Peoples
Front Party, Isa Gambar and Ali Kerimli, apparently have not made the
corresponding conclusions and intend to resort to a new form of
protest in the future - to send their supporters on "Sunday walks in
city parks".
In the opinion of several political experts, an analysis of the
tactical actions of OP leaders points to a meagre arsenal of ideas
among the people who dream of occupying the chairs of first persons of
the state. After the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, these parties,
without thinking long, dressed their supporters in orange jerseys and
assured the entire world that they would come to power any time now.
But neither the public nor foreign players supported them. Today,
after two unsuccessful attempts at provoking disorder in the city
centre in March and April, OP leaders have decided again to resort to
plagiarism and take into their arsenal the experience of the
opposition in a neighbouring country, which has over a long time
unsuccessfully held "Sunday walks" in Yerevan's North Prospect.
Commenting on this tactical "discovery" by OP leaders, the chairman of
the Azadlyg (Freedom) Party and the head of the Union in the Name of
Democracy (SVID), Akhmed Orudzh, noted that every time over the course
of 20 years it has been the same people, who in the wave of processes
taking place in the world have wanted to use the situation and achieve
some kind of narrow, egotistical goals. And every time all of this has
been to the detriment of the Azerbaijani people.
"In regard to the tactic of 'taking walks in city parks on weekends',
then this is a direct indication of their incompetence in the use of
the insignificant financial, organizational, and personnel resources
that are still left in these parties. Instead of using various
political technologies, they again are resorting to theatrical
stunts," Akhmed Orudzh said. In his opinion, the parties and their
leaders that are not in a position to conduct an active policy should
leave the political scene before they ultimately shame themselves.
The leaders of other opposition parties also hold the same point of
view. The chairman of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan [DPA], Sardar
Dzhalaloglu, noted in a conversation with NG that protest rallies are
effective when a significant event takes place in the country's
political life.
"For example, if they were held after elections or if the government
intended to make concessions unfavourable to Azerbaijan in the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict or did not solve socio-economic
problems, then in such a case the holding of protest rallies would be
effective. At the present time all of the above are absent in the
country," Dzhalaloglu said.
The assertions of the DPA leader are not reverence towards the
government; they reflect today's reality. Today Azerbaijan, which has
painfully emerged from the world crisis, is successfully developing
its economy. New houses, schools, hospitals, and roads are being
built, the republic's regions are prospering, new jobs are being
created, and both the country's capital and city and rayon centres are
acquiring new looks. Of course, problems exist, particularly in the
social sphere, but they are on the agenda of urgent affairs of the
country's leadership. In such a case, how can the spring outbreak of
activity by the opposition Public Chamber be explained? In the opinion
of several analysts, it is naive to believe that all of this is
occurring in the face of the revolutions in the Arab countries. Most
likely the OP is carrying out the orders of a third country that has
strategic interests in Azerbaijan and is not suited by President Ilham
Aliyev's balanced policy with neighbouring countries or with the
superpowers, experts believe.
Coincidence or not, but the day before, US Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State Tina Kaidanow made a short visit to Baku, and she said that
the purpose of her visit was to meet with Ilham Aliyev and MID
[Ministry of Foreign Affairs] head Elmar Mammadyarov. At the same
time, she specified that bilateral relations as well as issues of
regional security would be the subjects of discussion at the meeting.
At the same time, Tina Kaidanow noted that she plans to hold a number
of meetings with representatives of the public. In all probability,
the OP leaders will be among them. And it will become known in the
coming days what they will talk about with the representative of the
United States.
From: A. Papazian