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Azeri channel in Iran seeks to resume broadcasting in Turkey
Ahmed Obalı (Photo:TODAY'S ZAMAN MEVLÃ`T KARABULUT)
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-302824-azeri-channel-in-iran-seeks-to-resume-broadcasting-in-turkey.html
1 January 2013 / GÃ-ZDE NUR DONAT, ANKARA,
The US-based Azeri-Iranian channel GünAz TV, whose mandate is to
create awareness of the plight of Azeri people living in northern
Iran, is working to return to Türksat after its sudden removal from
the satellite in 2006.
In an exclusive interview with Today's Zaman, Ahmed Obalı, the owner
and founder of GünAz TV, guessed that their broadcast in Turkey was
stopped due to pressure from Iran. Founded in 2005, GünAz TV was only
able to broadcast in Turkey for a year. The TV channel has continued
to broadcast in the Middle East and Europe since 2005, however.
A senior member and spokesman of the Southern Azerbaijan National
Freedom Front, Obalı requested more support for their cause from
Turkey, which he calls a `friend and sister country.'
Iranian-Azeri people living in northern Iran define themselves as
southern Azerbaijani Turks and are struggling with the Shiite regime
as they have been denied their ethnic rights granted in Articles 15
and 19 of the Iranian constitution, which provides for the equal
treatment of all ethnic groups and freedom to use their mother tongue
in mass media and education. However, these Azeri Turks in Iran have
been arbitrarily deprived of such rights while other ethnic groups,
such as Armenians, enjoy all these freedoms. Iran has an Armenian
population of 200,000, while the number of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran
amounts to 35 million.
Iran may see `spring' soon
Commenting on recent political and economic developments in Iran,
Obalı predicted that a `spring' of the kind seen in Egypt and Syria is
likely to take hold of Iran.
`There are both political and economic reasons that would cause this
kind of mobilization on the part of the people,' Obalı said,
explaining that `Iran has a multiethnic society. There are Azerbaijani
Turks in the north and Kurds, Turkmen and Baloch people in southern
Iran in addition to the Persians. The regions with different groups
have been seriously polarized. There is a clear influence of the Arab
Spring in Iran.'
Asked whether this is a response by the southern Azerbaijani people to
a large extent to the rights struggle being experienced by some
political organizations founded to defend the ethnic rights of Turkish
people -- because the existence of these organizations was banned by
the Iranian regime -- Obalı claimed that the southern Azerbaijani
people have gained more and more national awareness over previous
decades.
Iranian Azerbaijanis have gathered under different rights groups,
defending their ethnic rights, but these groups do not exist legally
because they are banned by the Iranian state.
`We could not imagine such a [national] reawakening 50 years ago,'
Obalı stated, noting the increasing support of southern Azerbaijani
Turks in the national struggle.
Obalı claimed that the economic pressures caused by severe
international sanctions against Iran for its controversial nuclear
program are an important factor that could mobilize all of Iranian
society. The Iranian rial has seen rapid collapse over the past year
thanks to these sanctions, which the Iranian regime calls a conspiracy
against its economy.
Protesters have taken to the streets several times in Iran since the
middle of 2012 because of rising prices. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
has been called a traitor because of what many see as his serious
mismanagement of the economy.
According to official statistics, the unemployment rate in Iran is 15
percent. Obalı claims that currently 65 percent of the Iranian
population is the under age of 35, and the high rate of unemployment
causes serious pressure on the young population.
Obalı mentioned that corruption is also a notable problem for Iran,
claiming that there is an ongoing investigation into $12 billion in
oil revenues that were embezzled by state authorities.
`Divisions within state structure add to instability'
Obalı claimed that rifts within the state structure that have shown
themselves recently in the form of a disagreement between the camp of
religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ahmadinejad are another
source of political instability in the country.
`At first, the Islamists were in one camp. Then they were divided into
two: hardliners and reformists. The Iranian military has suppressed
reformist groups, and they have been marginalized. Currently, the
hardliner group has been divided within itself and they are trying to
eliminate each other,' said Obalı.
The violation of laws by the government, fraud and a power struggle
are corroding the Iranian administration, Obalı claimed.
Iran uses PKK, other groups against Turkey
Referring to claims by politicians such as Interior Minister Ä°dris
Naim Å?ahin and others that Iran is supporting the terrorist Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK), Obalı stated that Iran's support of the PKK is
nothing new.
`Iran is clearly involved in Turkish internal affairs. As a
broadcaster, I am speaking based on my own sources. Iran has always
supported the PKK; it is continuing to do so and will continue to do
so in the future,' he maintained.
Obalı also suggested that Iran is using Shiite religious groups in
Turkey, especially from provinces neighboring Iran such as Kars and
IÄ?dır. `These groups have a religious bond with the Iranian regime and
feel more loyal to Iran than Turkey. Iran uses their loyalty in
different ways to put Turkey in an awkward position,' he said without
elaborating further.
Turkey and Iran have been at odds over how to approach the 21-month
Syrian uprising as well as a recent NATO decision to deploy Patriot
missiles in Turkish territory. Turkish officials recently confirmed to
the media that Iran is sheltering terrorists of the PKK in its
territory while giving these terrorists free rein to operate against
Turkey from Iran. The tension between the two neighbors upon their
differing stances on the Syrian crisis has been suggested as the main
cause behind increasing Iranian support of the PKK.
While Tehran has been the staunchest backer of the Bashar al-Assad
regime in Syria, Turkey maintains that Assad must step down to make
way for a democratic transition.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Ahmed Obalı (Photo:TODAY'S ZAMAN MEVLÃ`T KARABULUT)
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-302824-azeri-channel-in-iran-seeks-to-resume-broadcasting-in-turkey.html
1 January 2013 / GÃ-ZDE NUR DONAT, ANKARA,
The US-based Azeri-Iranian channel GünAz TV, whose mandate is to
create awareness of the plight of Azeri people living in northern
Iran, is working to return to Türksat after its sudden removal from
the satellite in 2006.
In an exclusive interview with Today's Zaman, Ahmed Obalı, the owner
and founder of GünAz TV, guessed that their broadcast in Turkey was
stopped due to pressure from Iran. Founded in 2005, GünAz TV was only
able to broadcast in Turkey for a year. The TV channel has continued
to broadcast in the Middle East and Europe since 2005, however.
A senior member and spokesman of the Southern Azerbaijan National
Freedom Front, Obalı requested more support for their cause from
Turkey, which he calls a `friend and sister country.'
Iranian-Azeri people living in northern Iran define themselves as
southern Azerbaijani Turks and are struggling with the Shiite regime
as they have been denied their ethnic rights granted in Articles 15
and 19 of the Iranian constitution, which provides for the equal
treatment of all ethnic groups and freedom to use their mother tongue
in mass media and education. However, these Azeri Turks in Iran have
been arbitrarily deprived of such rights while other ethnic groups,
such as Armenians, enjoy all these freedoms. Iran has an Armenian
population of 200,000, while the number of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran
amounts to 35 million.
Iran may see `spring' soon
Commenting on recent political and economic developments in Iran,
Obalı predicted that a `spring' of the kind seen in Egypt and Syria is
likely to take hold of Iran.
`There are both political and economic reasons that would cause this
kind of mobilization on the part of the people,' Obalı said,
explaining that `Iran has a multiethnic society. There are Azerbaijani
Turks in the north and Kurds, Turkmen and Baloch people in southern
Iran in addition to the Persians. The regions with different groups
have been seriously polarized. There is a clear influence of the Arab
Spring in Iran.'
Asked whether this is a response by the southern Azerbaijani people to
a large extent to the rights struggle being experienced by some
political organizations founded to defend the ethnic rights of Turkish
people -- because the existence of these organizations was banned by
the Iranian regime -- Obalı claimed that the southern Azerbaijani
people have gained more and more national awareness over previous
decades.
Iranian Azerbaijanis have gathered under different rights groups,
defending their ethnic rights, but these groups do not exist legally
because they are banned by the Iranian state.
`We could not imagine such a [national] reawakening 50 years ago,'
Obalı stated, noting the increasing support of southern Azerbaijani
Turks in the national struggle.
Obalı claimed that the economic pressures caused by severe
international sanctions against Iran for its controversial nuclear
program are an important factor that could mobilize all of Iranian
society. The Iranian rial has seen rapid collapse over the past year
thanks to these sanctions, which the Iranian regime calls a conspiracy
against its economy.
Protesters have taken to the streets several times in Iran since the
middle of 2012 because of rising prices. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
has been called a traitor because of what many see as his serious
mismanagement of the economy.
According to official statistics, the unemployment rate in Iran is 15
percent. Obalı claims that currently 65 percent of the Iranian
population is the under age of 35, and the high rate of unemployment
causes serious pressure on the young population.
Obalı mentioned that corruption is also a notable problem for Iran,
claiming that there is an ongoing investigation into $12 billion in
oil revenues that were embezzled by state authorities.
`Divisions within state structure add to instability'
Obalı claimed that rifts within the state structure that have shown
themselves recently in the form of a disagreement between the camp of
religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ahmadinejad are another
source of political instability in the country.
`At first, the Islamists were in one camp. Then they were divided into
two: hardliners and reformists. The Iranian military has suppressed
reformist groups, and they have been marginalized. Currently, the
hardliner group has been divided within itself and they are trying to
eliminate each other,' said Obalı.
The violation of laws by the government, fraud and a power struggle
are corroding the Iranian administration, Obalı claimed.
Iran uses PKK, other groups against Turkey
Referring to claims by politicians such as Interior Minister Ä°dris
Naim Å?ahin and others that Iran is supporting the terrorist Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK), Obalı stated that Iran's support of the PKK is
nothing new.
`Iran is clearly involved in Turkish internal affairs. As a
broadcaster, I am speaking based on my own sources. Iran has always
supported the PKK; it is continuing to do so and will continue to do
so in the future,' he maintained.
Obalı also suggested that Iran is using Shiite religious groups in
Turkey, especially from provinces neighboring Iran such as Kars and
IÄ?dır. `These groups have a religious bond with the Iranian regime and
feel more loyal to Iran than Turkey. Iran uses their loyalty in
different ways to put Turkey in an awkward position,' he said without
elaborating further.
Turkey and Iran have been at odds over how to approach the 21-month
Syrian uprising as well as a recent NATO decision to deploy Patriot
missiles in Turkish territory. Turkish officials recently confirmed to
the media that Iran is sheltering terrorists of the PKK in its
territory while giving these terrorists free rein to operate against
Turkey from Iran. The tension between the two neighbors upon their
differing stances on the Syrian crisis has been suggested as the main
cause behind increasing Iranian support of the PKK.
While Tehran has been the staunchest backer of the Bashar al-Assad
regime in Syria, Turkey maintains that Assad must step down to make
way for a democratic transition.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress