Several days ago as an Armenian neighbour commented one of my pictures on Facebook I had to face Azeri prejudices.
I've been told not to be friends with betrayers Armenians, I've been taught patriotism and hatred. Yes, patriotism. "Vetenperverlik" we call it.
What is "vetenperverlik" here?
Crying everytime one hears the national anthem or "Kuchelere su sepmishem" while abroad? Hanging the flag out of the window and kissing it everytime one runs to it? Supporting Azerbaijan on Eurovision? Calling Armenian an enemy - the louder the better? Swearing each other extremely dirtily on every video posted on youtube and actually think we're different?
In early ninetees, when the anti-soviet movements spread among Caucasus countries someone smart decided to follow Roman strategy "to divide and to rule"with someone else's help. This turned our to be a successful way to go, based on nationalism and destructive ambitions of our region.
Today, we have a countless amount of myths and legends of the horrible conflict travelling all around the web, media and people's minds.
According to Wiki there were Massacres of Armenians by angry Azeris in Baku on January 13-20, 1990. As different sources have their version of the story, the death toll varies from 50 to 300 people, they say. And, of course, this story was easy to believe, taking the conflict and rising tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
RF was deeply engaged in investigations, human rights issues and search of the real facts of this war. A committee headed by him investigated Khojaly tragedy, made hidden videos of the demonstration dispersal on December 5, 1988 in Baku together with his crew, as well as the Tragedy of 20th January, 1990 and other. Yes, he completely discharged his "vetenperver" duty. The only person he couldn't prove to be a Public Enemy was EM, the guy who was told to move his whole family, cattle and property from Khojaly days before the tragedy. Today, he is one of the prime persons in every meeting, a victim of evil invaders, an honored Azeri "vetenperver" in the eyes of the unconsious society.
The Massacres of Armenians circa January, 1990, were nothing more than a carefully planned strategy of the horrible regime we lived in for 70 years. Yes, KGB actually WAS a legendary structure and managed to break both Armenian and Azerbaijani societies by killing 15 Armenians, mostly in their homes, to let this happen on January 20th, 1990 in Baku.
Today, both countries refuse to acknowledge the crimes made by them, spending most of the time and power blaming the other side. We celebrate the dates of terrorist acts and justify murders calling it "vetenperverlik".
It's not only about the Third Power (whatever it is) being evil enough to provoke the war but also about us being selfish and blind enough to actually get provoked as well as being stubborn and short-sighted enough to keep up in this approach.
Karabakhi war was violent, unjust, disgusting and completely destructive for the whole region as EVERY WAR IS. The real "vetenperverlik" and a first step of resolution here would be FINALLY SAYING THE TRUTH.
As by me - I care about people, their approach and contribution in life, not surnames.
I want Peace and believe in the ability of this region to become a Place to Be.
Yes, I'm naive and I enjoy it.
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1 day ago
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Nigar, if the "Armenian neighbour" was me, let me just say one thing that illustrates the absurdity of this mutual hatred of the other by nationalists on both sides.
Basically, I'm a British citizen, I consider citizenship over nationality, am half-English anyway, and consider the world to be a far bigger place than just isolated countries.
I'd also say that I consider patriotism and nationalism to be two separate concepts and that I do not welcome hate rhetoric from both Armenian AND Azeri nationalists.
Love your country, but do so by directing your pride towards it and not allowing it to manifest itself as hatred of others. That's probably why the Caucasus is in such a mess.
Regarding Karabakh, while the nationalist rhetoric continues on both sides, there will never be a solution which is probably why it's actually promoted by certain forces.
Anyway, my philosophy is simple. First, people should be considered as just that -- people. Then, I treat people as I would like to be treated myself.
Nigar, as always your post is thought provoking and refreshing! Please keep up the good work!
Onnik, thanks for your comments. It was interesting to read them. And thanks for constantly keeping up the peace agenda.
I also believe in peace. But I would be very careful with artificial peace and friendship agendas that could easily turn into hatred and atrocities, when that agenda is over. This is what happened when SU collapsed.
Although I believe that conflict settlement is a n elitist project (meaning simple people do not have means available for nationwide peace-building initiatives), I also guess that this process should be well-planned and thought over.
I do always share and support idealistic approaches to peace because without them you cant move things forwards. At the same time, I also believe that it is impossible to force people love each other. And any solution that neglects conflict and tries to get rid or "erase" it, in fact, paves the way to more bloodshed and massacres in the future. Conflict resolution is not about eliminating conflict (simply because conflict is a natural thing), but transforming negative energy of the conflict into something positive.
The truth is that, Armenians and Azerbaijanis are too similar to love each other unconditionally. The distance from this kind of love to unexplained hatred can be so short as we had seen in the past. Herman Hesse says that, if you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us. Sometimes, similarity brings more problems as differences.
To make peace, we both needs some formats, some rules of the game agreed, some modules. Like Western Europeans decided to join into something bigger than they were individually. As cold as it mind sound, it wasnt love that brought Germans and French together in early 50-s, but coal and steel.
We have created some problems for ourselves, when we were very nationalistic. Noone can say that he or she had capacity and willingness to stop the war, when it has erupted. Let's face it: the war was a necessity for both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Yes, it was brutal. It was inhuman. But this is what happens when empires collapse. Noone could bring peace for the last 15 years. It was hard.
But now it is time. Now we can take a more pragmatic, more comprehensive view of what should be the solution.
To sum it up, I believe my point is that, many peace accords in the history failed, simply because people in solving a problem used similar thinking as when they created that problem. Extreme excitement rather than coldmindedness. I think both extreme nationalism and extreme pacifism could bring to renewed conflict in the future.
The truth is somewhere in the middle as always!
Peace at large!
Nigar jan
Apres!!!
Hope,this mess will be finished soon,and both Armenia and Karabakh will have normal relationships with their neighbourgh Azerbaijan.
We don't need new war,new horrors new victims.
God decided to be like it is now, so let it stay like this
Regards
Tigran
Rashad, all good points, especially about the fragile nature of peace-building and conflict resolution or confidence building measures. For sure, I believe that such processes should be genuine and not artificial.
Probably, as an outsider to the region, I don't possess the similarities you mention between Armenians and Azerbaijanis so feel somehow separate from both. I do notice the similarities, however.
What is ironic, though, is that just because I have an Armenian surname by virtue of the fact that my father was Armenian from Greece, I am stereotyped as "an Armenian" with all the negative connotations that the term has in Azerbaijan.
The same is true, of course, when it comes to stereotypes of Azeris in Armenia and that's why first of all I think these aspects of nationalist-driven propaganda machines need to be addressed first.
Of course, it represents the lack of trust between Armenians and Azeris, but I think that the negative stereotyping is the most significant point here. It's designed to perpetuate hatred and animosity.
Anyway, whatever happens in negotiations or on the ground is out of my control. Instead, I will continue to communicate and hopefully strike up friendships with people from anywhere that I'd like to be in touch with.
Again, I think that intelligent people everywhere should think first of all on the human level. Unfortunately, I think this aspect of life, along with the long-term future of the South Caucasus, is often forgotten.
Dear Tigran,
I appreciate your opinion but would like to make things clear here: I do not support any kind of separatism, whatsoever. And it has nothing to do with my nationality or mood.
If one day 20 mlns of Iranian Azerbaijanis living in Northern Iran (or the way our media says: Southern Azerbaijan) decide to separate from the state - I will be standing in the first row of protesters, simply because having land ambitions in 21st century is merely destructive. Today with so many information sources and the ability to analyze objectively the whole history behind, this can not be an issue in civilized world.
You have to realize that Azerbaijan will never give Karabakh away. Special status - most likely to happen.
We all had plenty of lands at some point of the history but today, we have what we have and we better make our peace with it and learn to love the neighbour. Otherwise, things will never change.
Nigar,
Therefore you must have been against Azerbaijan seceding from the USSR.
The Armenians of Karabagh will never accept being subjected to Azerbaijan's control. The probable solution is a return of surrounding territories to Azerbaijan with a land link to Armenia through Lachin.
"Therefore you must have been against Azerbaijan seceding from the USSR."
U must be kidding? Azerbaijan, as well as 14 other countries, entered USSR as a REPUBLIC and left it as a REPUBLIC.
Now you're being inconsistent. In whatever way Azerbaijan left it did secede. Dozens of new countries have been formed over the last decades. The reality is whatever the constitutional form you cant force people to remain part of a country if they dont want to be.
Dear Richard,
You are missing the point. Azerbaijan was a REPUBLIC, with its borders, flag, anthem and language. Karabakh, though, has been a region of Azerbaijan.
I don't like many things about Azerbaijan today. And I don't even feel safe due to the things I say or write from time to time. Can I proclaim my apartment an Independent Republic? I don't think so.
Of course you can't force people, but you shudn't bring along false and delusional propaganda provoking the war, as well. Especially, if you really care about these people.
This goes to the heart of the issue. The people of Karabagh have chosen a different path - whatever the history or the constitutional niceties. There is no going back from this.
The fact that even someone as open-minded as you doesnt see this indicates how difficult it will be to reconcile the two sides.
Richard, it's difficult to get your point, because I think you don't even know who are the people of Karabagh.
People of Karabagh are THOUSANDS of refugees who live today in different parts of Azerbaijan. What path did they choose as you say? Leaving all what they had behind and running to the safer places because of Russian-Armenian soldiers?
IMHO, you should be into it and be sure of the facts before commenting...
Chinara,
I have been to Karabagh several times. I am well aware of the thousands of Azeri refugees who had to flee, as I am of the many Armenians who fled Baku some of whom are now in Shushi - which is one of the most depressing places I have been to.
I am "sure of the facts" that the Armenians of Karabagh will not return to Azerbaijani jurisdiction. They feel they have paid the price in blood. A whole generation has grown up with no connection to Azerbaijan.
I am trying to explain that though it is good that people not demonize each other, that people talk to each other, that people empathize with each other - it is best to be realistic about the bottom line issues.
wow, "it's getting hot in here, must be something in the atmosphere..." :)))
Hey, blogger, are you still recovering from all that georgian wine??? come on, you have not posted anything since I was officially still 35!!! and I am 36 now, so it has been a loooong time!!!
xx
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