ORDINARY RACISM
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1126:-ordinary-racism&catid=3:all&Itemid=4
Tuesday, 20 August 2013 11:25
Modern science, giving the definition of racism, notes that it is
the most widespread weapon in the hands of some groups seeking to
establish their economic and political power. Racism is also denial
of some people's history and non-recognition of their contribution to
the progress of mankind. Implementation of racist theories in practice
sometimes finds its expression in the policy of racial discrimination.
Surely, it isn't an accident that we have appealed to this ugly
phenomenon, which, throughout the human history, have dealt a serious
blow to the societies suffering from this dangerous vice. The theory of
racism made us get interested in the behavior of the senior leadership
of Azerbaijan, which raised the hatred towards Armenians to the rank
of state policy.
Today, the hatred towards Armenians is widely advocated in this
country and is even included in school curricula, mutilating and
poisoning children's immature hearts.
Azerbaijan has gone too far in its total anti-Armenian policy. For
years, we have read in the mass media that a foreign citizen was
prohibited to enter this country solely on the reason that he was an
Armenian. It seems that even the recent scandal around the "black
list" of 335 people issued by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and
comprising those who are denied an entry to this country due to their
visit to the NKR, which caused a wave of angry criticism towards the
Azerbaijani authorities, has not become a lesson for official Baku.
Otherwise, it wouldn't continue the vicious practice of banning the
entry to Azerbaijan for the persons having even any relation to the
Armenian people.
The most recent example of this really shameful range is the denial of
entry to Azerbaijan for Russian journalist Anna Sahakian who left for
Baku for highlighting the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir
Putin to this country. According to Anna, she was denied the entry
to Baku due to her Armenian surname in the passport. It may seem
ridiculous, but even the explanations of the journalist that she is
a Russian and the Armenian surname is her husband's couldn't save
Anna from expulsion from Azerbaijan. Another and more egregious case
took place during the recent visit of RF State Duma Chairman Sergey
Naryshkin to Azerbaijan. This time, the visit was denied to not a
journalist, but ...a member of the delegation and the State Duma just
because she was an Armenian.
In the existing situation, we'd like to draw attention not so much
to the aggressive radicalism and the Azerbaijani authorities' hatred
towards Armenians raised to fanaticism. As is said, everything is
clear with them. Racist ideology has definitely taken deep roots in
Azerbaijan, and one can only sympathize with the people of Azerbaijan.
Now I would like to talk about something else - the national dignity
of Russia. After all, grossly violating the rights of Russian
citizens associated with the Armenian people with ethnic or kinship
relationships, the Azerbaijani authorities do not just expose them to
discrimination based on nationality. Thus they offend, first of all,
Russia itself.
It is no secret that even today, years after the "cold war", the
geopolitical rivalry in the international arena is underway between
Russia and the United States, to which the attitude of the majority
of Russians is unambiguous. However, the Russians should recognize
that the USA strongly defends the interests of its own citizens,
no matter where in the world they are violated. But, Moscow didn't
demand from official Baku even any explanations related to the refusal
of the entry to Azerbaijan for a member of an official parliamentary
delegation, dutifully sacrificing him to the Azerbaijani nationalism.
If this had occurred with an official U.S. delegation, Washington would
have hardly forgiven similar offense and swallowed the bitter pill.
But, the claims are not only to Russia. Today, a totalitarian regime
has formed in the South Caucasus in the face of the Azerbaijani
authorities, for which international law is only empty words.And
we are talking about a country that is a non-permanent member of
the UN Security Council (for which the current head of Azerbaijan
flaunts with or without any occasion), which means that it must respect
international law and not trample it... Yes, the West sometimes accuses
Ilham Aliyev of authoritarianism, infringement of democratic rights
and freedoms. For example, a few months ago, at a meeting of the UN
Council on Human Rights, Azerbaijan was subjected to harsh criticism,
from which demanded to put an end to the pressure on domestic human
rights activists and journalists. But, apparently, the case has not
gone beyond the recommendations, because, as we can see, the pressure
of the Azerbaijani authorities has affected foreign citizens.
Summary: The current regime of Azerbaijan, which claims the history and
original territories of the Armenian people, conducts a discriminatory
policy based on ethnicity, and uses the hatred towards Armenians as a
means of maintaining and strengthening the authorities, falls under
the definition of racism. Consequently, the international community
should not limit with persuasion and should take the most drastic
measures to confront this evil.
Leonid MARTIROSSIAN
Editor-in-Chief of Azat Artsakh newspaper
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1126:-ordinary-racism&catid=3:all&Itemid=4
Tuesday, 20 August 2013 11:25
Modern science, giving the definition of racism, notes that it is
the most widespread weapon in the hands of some groups seeking to
establish their economic and political power. Racism is also denial
of some people's history and non-recognition of their contribution to
the progress of mankind. Implementation of racist theories in practice
sometimes finds its expression in the policy of racial discrimination.
Surely, it isn't an accident that we have appealed to this ugly
phenomenon, which, throughout the human history, have dealt a serious
blow to the societies suffering from this dangerous vice. The theory of
racism made us get interested in the behavior of the senior leadership
of Azerbaijan, which raised the hatred towards Armenians to the rank
of state policy.
Today, the hatred towards Armenians is widely advocated in this
country and is even included in school curricula, mutilating and
poisoning children's immature hearts.
Azerbaijan has gone too far in its total anti-Armenian policy. For
years, we have read in the mass media that a foreign citizen was
prohibited to enter this country solely on the reason that he was an
Armenian. It seems that even the recent scandal around the "black
list" of 335 people issued by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and
comprising those who are denied an entry to this country due to their
visit to the NKR, which caused a wave of angry criticism towards the
Azerbaijani authorities, has not become a lesson for official Baku.
Otherwise, it wouldn't continue the vicious practice of banning the
entry to Azerbaijan for the persons having even any relation to the
Armenian people.
The most recent example of this really shameful range is the denial of
entry to Azerbaijan for Russian journalist Anna Sahakian who left for
Baku for highlighting the recent visit of Russian President Vladimir
Putin to this country. According to Anna, she was denied the entry
to Baku due to her Armenian surname in the passport. It may seem
ridiculous, but even the explanations of the journalist that she is
a Russian and the Armenian surname is her husband's couldn't save
Anna from expulsion from Azerbaijan. Another and more egregious case
took place during the recent visit of RF State Duma Chairman Sergey
Naryshkin to Azerbaijan. This time, the visit was denied to not a
journalist, but ...a member of the delegation and the State Duma just
because she was an Armenian.
In the existing situation, we'd like to draw attention not so much
to the aggressive radicalism and the Azerbaijani authorities' hatred
towards Armenians raised to fanaticism. As is said, everything is
clear with them. Racist ideology has definitely taken deep roots in
Azerbaijan, and one can only sympathize with the people of Azerbaijan.
Now I would like to talk about something else - the national dignity
of Russia. After all, grossly violating the rights of Russian
citizens associated with the Armenian people with ethnic or kinship
relationships, the Azerbaijani authorities do not just expose them to
discrimination based on nationality. Thus they offend, first of all,
Russia itself.
It is no secret that even today, years after the "cold war", the
geopolitical rivalry in the international arena is underway between
Russia and the United States, to which the attitude of the majority
of Russians is unambiguous. However, the Russians should recognize
that the USA strongly defends the interests of its own citizens,
no matter where in the world they are violated. But, Moscow didn't
demand from official Baku even any explanations related to the refusal
of the entry to Azerbaijan for a member of an official parliamentary
delegation, dutifully sacrificing him to the Azerbaijani nationalism.
If this had occurred with an official U.S. delegation, Washington would
have hardly forgiven similar offense and swallowed the bitter pill.
But, the claims are not only to Russia. Today, a totalitarian regime
has formed in the South Caucasus in the face of the Azerbaijani
authorities, for which international law is only empty words.And
we are talking about a country that is a non-permanent member of
the UN Security Council (for which the current head of Azerbaijan
flaunts with or without any occasion), which means that it must respect
international law and not trample it... Yes, the West sometimes accuses
Ilham Aliyev of authoritarianism, infringement of democratic rights
and freedoms. For example, a few months ago, at a meeting of the UN
Council on Human Rights, Azerbaijan was subjected to harsh criticism,
from which demanded to put an end to the pressure on domestic human
rights activists and journalists. But, apparently, the case has not
gone beyond the recommendations, because, as we can see, the pressure
of the Azerbaijani authorities has affected foreign citizens.
Summary: The current regime of Azerbaijan, which claims the history and
original territories of the Armenian people, conducts a discriminatory
policy based on ethnicity, and uses the hatred towards Armenians as a
means of maintaining and strengthening the authorities, falls under
the definition of racism. Consequently, the international community
should not limit with persuasion and should take the most drastic
measures to confront this evil.
Leonid MARTIROSSIAN
Editor-in-Chief of Azat Artsakh newspaper
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress