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IRANIAN AZERIS SET UP NATIONAL COUNCIL IN TURKEY, ASPIRE FOR INDEPENDENC
AYDIN ALBAYRAK
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-280353-.html
14 May 2012
Representatives of Azerbaijani Turks living in Iran have announced
the establishment of an “International South Azerbaijani Turks'
National Council,” which ultimately aims to become independent
from Iran.
“Our ultimate aim is the independence of Turks living in
‘Southern Azerbaijan.' But we seek independence by democratic,
peaceful means, not through the use of weapons,” Cemal
Mehmethanoğlu, the spokesperson of the council, declared at a press
conference held at the Azerbaijani Cultural Association in Ankara
on Monday.
But Azeri Turks at the press meeting also stressed -- presumably
desiring not to be associated with any US or Israeli intentions
towards Iran -- that their search for independence has nothing to
do with a possible military intervention into Iran by the US or a
military airstrike against Iran's nuclear installations by Israel.
They assert that their goal is a century-old dream which goes back
to the days before the foundation of modern Iran in 1925, and is
therefore independent from any other initiative.
But Dr. Yasemen Karakoyunlu, both a member of the board of management
and head of the council's Strategic Research Unit, maintains that at
35 million, people of Turkish ethnic origin make up the majority in
Iran -- nearly half of the Iranian population -- and made a point of
saying that should the US have any plans regarding Iran, it should
discuss the issue not only with Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also with
Azeri Turks in Iran.
People at the press conference made it clear that they are a little
frustrated with Turkey's policies in the region. “Turkey should
change its policy regarding Turks in Iran,” Karakoyunlu told
Today's Zaman. “Turkey keeps a close watch of the Palestinian
problem, and raises its voice when Palestinian people are targeted
by Israel, but doesn't seem to care much about what's happening to
Turks in South Azerbaijan,” she added. Noting that hundreds
of people are in prison in there, she asked, “Why doesn't
Turkey take a genuine interest in their problems?” Karakoyunlu
believes Turkey's fainthearted attitude is also to do with the fact
Azeri Turks in Iran belong to the Shiite sect of Islam. “But
today, the Azeri people in Iran, although they are Shiite by faith,
have a democratic and secular mindset,” she noted.
She also claimed that some Azeri Turks in Iran tend to wander away
from Shia belief, seeing it as a major part of the assimilation
process Azeri Turks are subjected to in Iran.
Mehmethanoğlu also severely criticized the Iranian authorities:
“In the last six months or so, teachers who clandestinely teach
Turkish to children at home or at cultural associations in Iranian
Azerbaijan are being put in prison.” He added that Azeri Turks
in Iran are not allowed to publish newspapers in Turkish, nor to
establish television stations broadcasting in their own language. In
fact, a Turkish television channel formerly broadcasting from the US
is no longer being relayed through Turkey’s Turksat satellite
following pressure from Iran.
Azeri Turks tried to organize a two-day forum, the “First
International Forum of South Azerbaijani Turks,” in Ankara on May
12-13, which is said to have been cancelled by the Ankara governorship
due to pressure from Iran. However, according to Mehmethanoğlu, the
spokesperson of the council, they managed to find another location
to hold the forum, which he told Today’s Zaman was given full
support by most of the nationalist movements in Iranian Azerbaijan.
The forum aims to bring the troubles in the area of human rights facing
Azeri Turks in Iran to the world public, to demand education in their
mother tongue and to create public awareness about the rights of the
Azeri population in Iran. It was also noted at the press conference
that although Armenians are a small minority in Iran, they freely
enjoy their cultural heritage, while Turkic culture remains subject
to oppression.
More than 300 people from fifteen countries, most of whom are from
Turkey and Azerbaijan, attended the forum on Saturday. Among the
attendees are Prof. Firudin Celilov, former Azerbaijani minister of
national education, Ferec Ulusoy, and Sabir Rustemxanlı, Azerbaijani
deputies, former Turkish deputies Cemil Unal and Orhan Kayıhan,
Iraqi Turkoman deputy Fevzi Ekrem, and the chairman and members of
the board of the World Azerbaijani Congress.
AYDIN ALBAYRAK
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-280353-.html
14 May 2012
Representatives of Azerbaijani Turks living in Iran have announced
the establishment of an “International South Azerbaijani Turks'
National Council,” which ultimately aims to become independent
from Iran.
“Our ultimate aim is the independence of Turks living in
‘Southern Azerbaijan.' But we seek independence by democratic,
peaceful means, not through the use of weapons,” Cemal
Mehmethanoğlu, the spokesperson of the council, declared at a press
conference held at the Azerbaijani Cultural Association in Ankara
on Monday.
But Azeri Turks at the press meeting also stressed -- presumably
desiring not to be associated with any US or Israeli intentions
towards Iran -- that their search for independence has nothing to
do with a possible military intervention into Iran by the US or a
military airstrike against Iran's nuclear installations by Israel.
They assert that their goal is a century-old dream which goes back
to the days before the foundation of modern Iran in 1925, and is
therefore independent from any other initiative.
But Dr. Yasemen Karakoyunlu, both a member of the board of management
and head of the council's Strategic Research Unit, maintains that at
35 million, people of Turkish ethnic origin make up the majority in
Iran -- nearly half of the Iranian population -- and made a point of
saying that should the US have any plans regarding Iran, it should
discuss the issue not only with Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also with
Azeri Turks in Iran.
People at the press conference made it clear that they are a little
frustrated with Turkey's policies in the region. “Turkey should
change its policy regarding Turks in Iran,” Karakoyunlu told
Today's Zaman. “Turkey keeps a close watch of the Palestinian
problem, and raises its voice when Palestinian people are targeted
by Israel, but doesn't seem to care much about what's happening to
Turks in South Azerbaijan,” she added. Noting that hundreds
of people are in prison in there, she asked, “Why doesn't
Turkey take a genuine interest in their problems?” Karakoyunlu
believes Turkey's fainthearted attitude is also to do with the fact
Azeri Turks in Iran belong to the Shiite sect of Islam. “But
today, the Azeri people in Iran, although they are Shiite by faith,
have a democratic and secular mindset,” she noted.
She also claimed that some Azeri Turks in Iran tend to wander away
from Shia belief, seeing it as a major part of the assimilation
process Azeri Turks are subjected to in Iran.
Mehmethanoğlu also severely criticized the Iranian authorities:
“In the last six months or so, teachers who clandestinely teach
Turkish to children at home or at cultural associations in Iranian
Azerbaijan are being put in prison.” He added that Azeri Turks
in Iran are not allowed to publish newspapers in Turkish, nor to
establish television stations broadcasting in their own language. In
fact, a Turkish television channel formerly broadcasting from the US
is no longer being relayed through Turkey’s Turksat satellite
following pressure from Iran.
Azeri Turks tried to organize a two-day forum, the “First
International Forum of South Azerbaijani Turks,” in Ankara on May
12-13, which is said to have been cancelled by the Ankara governorship
due to pressure from Iran. However, according to Mehmethanoğlu, the
spokesperson of the council, they managed to find another location
to hold the forum, which he told Today’s Zaman was given full
support by most of the nationalist movements in Iranian Azerbaijan.
The forum aims to bring the troubles in the area of human rights facing
Azeri Turks in Iran to the world public, to demand education in their
mother tongue and to create public awareness about the rights of the
Azeri population in Iran. It was also noted at the press conference
that although Armenians are a small minority in Iran, they freely
enjoy their cultural heritage, while Turkic culture remains subject
to oppression.
More than 300 people from fifteen countries, most of whom are from
Turkey and Azerbaijan, attended the forum on Saturday. Among the
attendees are Prof. Firudin Celilov, former Azerbaijani minister of
national education, Ferec Ulusoy, and Sabir Rustemxanlı, Azerbaijani
deputies, former Turkish deputies Cemil Unal and Orhan Kayıhan,
Iraqi Turkoman deputy Fevzi Ekrem, and the chairman and members of
the board of the World Azerbaijani Congress.