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'BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE PEACE IS TO INCREASE ECONOMIC TRADE BETWEEN NATIONS'
news.az
May 12 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az interviews Dr. Michael Emerson, Professor of Sociology and
Co-Director, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University
(Houston, Texas).
How can you explain that the South Caucasus, quite small region in
the world is so full of conflicts?
The South Caucasus have been caught in a web of multiple destabilizing
forces:
(1) It is located in a region claimed to be both European and Asian,
thus it is located at the crossroads of major world cultures,
religions, and economies.
(2) Large modern nation states (for example, the Soviet Union) used
military power to create political entities that did not conform to
long-standing cultural and ethnic lines. As soon as people groups were
able to separate from such political entities, they did, with much
turmoil and conflict. Those conflicts have continued as people groups
and smaller regions within the South Caucasus fight for independence.
(3) To make matters worse, involvement by national interests of
outside countries (such as Russia) further complicate and destabilize
the region.
Thus conflicts in the region have occurred so often and so intensely
over the past 25 years because of these multiple destabilizing forces.
Is it possible to restore peace between the nations in the South
Caucasus after war between them? And what are the ways to achieve that?
History teaches us it is possible, but it comes with much struggle
and much risk. The longer the conflicts continue, the more distrust
and hate that builds across the region.
The best way to achieve peace, again relying on history, is to increase
the economic trade between the nations, and the flow of people across
borders for educational and job opportunities. Doing so serves as
powerful deterrents to conflict.
Still, I should stress that conflict can reappear during economic
downturns. All it typically takes is a charismatic political leader
who blames the economic troubles on old rivalries and enemies, and
rallies the nation or people-group around such a view.
To your opinion, what is the main problem in the Karabakh conflict:
ethnic relations problem, secessionism or something else?
Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan started in 1988, when
the ethnic Armenians of the Nagorno-Karabakh region declared their
independence from Azerbaijan, with the assumed intent of uniting with
the Republic of Armenia.
At that time, ethnic Armenians comprised about 65 percent of
Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict escalated with Russian support. This
is, at its origin, a secessionist movement driven by ethnic identity
issues.
Do you believe in peaceful coexistence between Azeris and Armenians?
Given what has happened over the past nearly 25 years, it will be
difficult for these groups to peacefully coexist in the same region
any time soon.
The Azeris are nearly all gone from Armenia at this time. Would it
be best if they could co-exist? Yes. Will they? I do not believe it
will happen in our lifetimes.
May we hope that the South Caucasus will soon be space of peace and
cooperation, not mutual hate and war?
The conflicts will continue for some time, as it often takes many
decades (even centuries) of conflict before border debates can
be settled.
Hate leads to more hate, each attack leads to a retaliation (even
if it does not come for many years). As the great world religious
leaders have taught us, until one group or another responds to hate
with peace, violence has no end.
Many people are praying and working for a truce, for peace. We can
hope they eventually succeed.
Dr. Michael Emerson is Professor of Sociology and Co-Director, Kinder
Institute for Urban Research, Rice University (located in Houston,
Texas, USA), Specialist in ethnic relations, Author of 10 books,
including the recently published Transcending Racial, Barriers
(Oxford University Press, 2010).
news.az
May 12 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az interviews Dr. Michael Emerson, Professor of Sociology and
Co-Director, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University
(Houston, Texas).
How can you explain that the South Caucasus, quite small region in
the world is so full of conflicts?
The South Caucasus have been caught in a web of multiple destabilizing
forces:
(1) It is located in a region claimed to be both European and Asian,
thus it is located at the crossroads of major world cultures,
religions, and economies.
(2) Large modern nation states (for example, the Soviet Union) used
military power to create political entities that did not conform to
long-standing cultural and ethnic lines. As soon as people groups were
able to separate from such political entities, they did, with much
turmoil and conflict. Those conflicts have continued as people groups
and smaller regions within the South Caucasus fight for independence.
(3) To make matters worse, involvement by national interests of
outside countries (such as Russia) further complicate and destabilize
the region.
Thus conflicts in the region have occurred so often and so intensely
over the past 25 years because of these multiple destabilizing forces.
Is it possible to restore peace between the nations in the South
Caucasus after war between them? And what are the ways to achieve that?
History teaches us it is possible, but it comes with much struggle
and much risk. The longer the conflicts continue, the more distrust
and hate that builds across the region.
The best way to achieve peace, again relying on history, is to increase
the economic trade between the nations, and the flow of people across
borders for educational and job opportunities. Doing so serves as
powerful deterrents to conflict.
Still, I should stress that conflict can reappear during economic
downturns. All it typically takes is a charismatic political leader
who blames the economic troubles on old rivalries and enemies, and
rallies the nation or people-group around such a view.
To your opinion, what is the main problem in the Karabakh conflict:
ethnic relations problem, secessionism or something else?
Conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan started in 1988, when
the ethnic Armenians of the Nagorno-Karabakh region declared their
independence from Azerbaijan, with the assumed intent of uniting with
the Republic of Armenia.
At that time, ethnic Armenians comprised about 65 percent of
Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict escalated with Russian support. This
is, at its origin, a secessionist movement driven by ethnic identity
issues.
Do you believe in peaceful coexistence between Azeris and Armenians?
Given what has happened over the past nearly 25 years, it will be
difficult for these groups to peacefully coexist in the same region
any time soon.
The Azeris are nearly all gone from Armenia at this time. Would it
be best if they could co-exist? Yes. Will they? I do not believe it
will happen in our lifetimes.
May we hope that the South Caucasus will soon be space of peace and
cooperation, not mutual hate and war?
The conflicts will continue for some time, as it often takes many
decades (even centuries) of conflict before border debates can
be settled.
Hate leads to more hate, each attack leads to a retaliation (even
if it does not come for many years). As the great world religious
leaders have taught us, until one group or another responds to hate
with peace, violence has no end.
Many people are praying and working for a truce, for peace. We can
hope they eventually succeed.
Dr. Michael Emerson is Professor of Sociology and Co-Director, Kinder
Institute for Urban Research, Rice University (located in Houston,
Texas, USA), Specialist in ethnic relations, Author of 10 books,
including the recently published Transcending Racial, Barriers
(Oxford University Press, 2010).