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EURASIANET: AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION ALREADY UNDERSTANDS THAT WEST WILL NOT HELP TO DEMOCRATIZE THE COUNTRY AND RELIES ON ITSELF
19:58 02/05/2013 " SOCIETY
Democratization activists in Azerbaijan are increasingly pessimistic
about what they describe as the West's lack of support for reform
and the protection of basic rights in the energy-rich South Caucasus
country. The soured mood follows a new wave of arrests of youth
activists, the closure of the Western-funded Free Thought University,
an alternative education center, and a scandal over offshore companies
reportedly linked to President Ilham Aliyev's family, the Azerbaijani
journalist Shahin Abbasov wrote on EurasiaNet.org.
The author notes that although the arrests and university closure have
sparked statements of concern from international human rights activists
and Western governments, the alleged offshore activities have not.
"An October 2012 decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) not to adopt a resolution calling for the release of
alleged Azerbaijani political prisoners, along with a report about
Baku's alleged use of "caviar diplomacy" to woo PACE deputies added
to the unease," the publication reads.
Murad Gassanly, director of the London-based Azerbaijan Democratic
Association-UK thinks that there is little, if any, support for the
Azerbaijani pro-democracy movement in the West. "The US and Europe
have considerable interest in preserving the status quo in Azerbaijan,"
he said.
One of the Aliyev administration's most vocal critics, formerly jailed
blogger Emin Milli, went a step further, recently claiming on Facebook
that the "silence of the international community at this moment is
a crime!"
"It is naïve to expect that the international community will solve
the democratization problems of Azerbaijan," commented Erkin Gadirli,
a leader of the Republican Alternative (REAL) group. "Each country
tries to satisfy its own interests, then the interests of its allies
and only then, all remaining issues," he said.
Such a duality of interests should come as no surprise, underlined
longtime opposition leader Ali Kerimli, head of the Popular Front
Party of Azerbaijan. "We should rely on our own resources ... in
order not to get disappointed later," he said.
Author of the article sees an irony in the fact that the President
Aliyev also recently called for self-reliance in political affairs. At
an April 14 cabinet meeting, Aliyev repeated the familiar theme that
Azerbaijanis "know better how to rule our country." and "do not want
interference by foreign powers."
In the meanwhile Baku-based blogger Ali Novruzov, an activist for the
OL youth group and former coordinator of the Free Thought University,
believes that self-reliance already has begun. As an example he brings
the recent unsanctioned protests in Baku against the non-combat deaths
of Azerbaijani soldiers, or the January crackdown on protesters in
the regional town of Ismayilli targeted locals. According to him
it means that the understanding that changes have to come from the
inside is growing.
Source: Panorama.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
19:58 02/05/2013 " SOCIETY
Democratization activists in Azerbaijan are increasingly pessimistic
about what they describe as the West's lack of support for reform
and the protection of basic rights in the energy-rich South Caucasus
country. The soured mood follows a new wave of arrests of youth
activists, the closure of the Western-funded Free Thought University,
an alternative education center, and a scandal over offshore companies
reportedly linked to President Ilham Aliyev's family, the Azerbaijani
journalist Shahin Abbasov wrote on EurasiaNet.org.
The author notes that although the arrests and university closure have
sparked statements of concern from international human rights activists
and Western governments, the alleged offshore activities have not.
"An October 2012 decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) not to adopt a resolution calling for the release of
alleged Azerbaijani political prisoners, along with a report about
Baku's alleged use of "caviar diplomacy" to woo PACE deputies added
to the unease," the publication reads.
Murad Gassanly, director of the London-based Azerbaijan Democratic
Association-UK thinks that there is little, if any, support for the
Azerbaijani pro-democracy movement in the West. "The US and Europe
have considerable interest in preserving the status quo in Azerbaijan,"
he said.
One of the Aliyev administration's most vocal critics, formerly jailed
blogger Emin Milli, went a step further, recently claiming on Facebook
that the "silence of the international community at this moment is
a crime!"
"It is naïve to expect that the international community will solve
the democratization problems of Azerbaijan," commented Erkin Gadirli,
a leader of the Republican Alternative (REAL) group. "Each country
tries to satisfy its own interests, then the interests of its allies
and only then, all remaining issues," he said.
Such a duality of interests should come as no surprise, underlined
longtime opposition leader Ali Kerimli, head of the Popular Front
Party of Azerbaijan. "We should rely on our own resources ... in
order not to get disappointed later," he said.
Author of the article sees an irony in the fact that the President
Aliyev also recently called for self-reliance in political affairs. At
an April 14 cabinet meeting, Aliyev repeated the familiar theme that
Azerbaijanis "know better how to rule our country." and "do not want
interference by foreign powers."
In the meanwhile Baku-based blogger Ali Novruzov, an activist for the
OL youth group and former coordinator of the Free Thought University,
believes that self-reliance already has begun. As an example he brings
the recent unsanctioned protests in Baku against the non-combat deaths
of Azerbaijani soldiers, or the January crackdown on protesters in
the regional town of Ismayilli targeted locals. According to him
it means that the understanding that changes have to come from the
inside is growing.
Source: Panorama.am
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress