“EURONEWS” broadcasted report named “Upper Garabagh: In Azeri refugee camp”.

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 04 February, 2010

“Euronews” channel broadcasted a report “Upper Garabagh: In Azeri refugee camp”. “Euronews” goes on with the spotlighting of results of Garabagh conflict. After our Garbagh visit we pick our way towards Azeri refugee and IDP settlement. As a result of conflict around 350 thousand Armenians fled from Azerbaijan. About 700 thousand Azeris were forced from Armenia, Garabagh and other neighboring occupied territories. Now we are in camp for the internally displace people in Khojavand. This community lived in real Khojavand just in 15 kilometers away. IDP Gudrat Huseynov: We want the world to know, there is injustice here. Our land is there, we are here. IDPs Saida Hajiyeva: We live here normally, but the graves of our ancestors are there. We want to go visit them. We have gas, electricity and running water here, but our land is there. If you think that your eyes will not fill go and see what they’ve done to Khojali. How it is possible?! It drives me crazy when I see these horrible things. My eyes fill up. Upper Garabagh is Azeri territory with a strong ethnic Armenian presents which pushed for succession in the period of Soviet empire. A referendum on Upper Garabagh status was held in December 10 of 1991, 99,89 percent of participants voted for independence of Garabagh. The referendum was boycotted by Azeri minorities and was not recognized by the international community. Before a cease-fire was signed in 1992-1994 5 thousand Armenians and 25 thousand Azeris were killed. About 1 million people forced from their homes and land. Outside of Upper Garabagh Armenian troops occupied seven regions of Azerbaijan. IDP Gaytaran Guliyev: We are foreigners in our own land. Here is not home for us, our land was there. The son of my dead son wants to go visit his farther’s grave. IDP Hasan Mehdiyev: The whole world supports the Armenians, as for us nobody cares. The displaced Azeris see themselves as forgotten victims of the frozen conflict .The despite of four UN resolutions calling the Armenia to withdraw from the occupied territories the lives of these uprooted have been frozen too. In 1993 the UN and other NGOs provided humanitarian aid. In 1999 the Azerbaijan government began the construction of new camps across the region using oil revenue to finance them. In the early years post displacement things were difficult, now there has been a visible improvement in material conditions. Azerbaijan began to fill up with camps of internally displaced people. However the improved living conditions fails to address the central issues for these people they want to return to their own land. The political settlement efforts of OSCE have no any effects. However Azeris as before believe in logic of international law. It is a concept that is let critisim by the Council of Europe the authorities want to keep the displaced group together rather than integrate them into local communities. Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs Affairs Ali Hasanov says: - If they lived together in the same settlements it is much easier to move them back. Otherwise I have to search them one by one in the cities. But now I know: one thousand of them are living in the same place. Most displaced Azeris now have a roof over their heads. Around 3 billion dollars have been invested for improvement their conditions. 1,3 million dollar was taken from the state budget, the rest 750 million dollar supplied by the humanitarian agencies. Each family has a house, there is a school and pharmacy and a piece of land to cultivate. Many of the settlements provided facilities to live ordinary lives: water, gas, electricity and rental free. They also benefit from allowances 720 dollars per person. All told the displaced people are well provided for. Prior to this it was a battle to survive. The Guliyevs have spent last 17 years in what they described as a metal box, a shelter provided by EU in the early humanitarian crisis period. A young couple and their parents-family comprised of 7 persons lived in 3x4 meter structure that they still keep it in the yard of a new house. IDP Shabnam Guliyev: When it rained it was horrible. The house was flooded and was damp everywhere; the snakes came into the room. We slept with snakes. It was very dirty. A thousand thanks to our government and President that he has given us house. But we are not satisfied, we want our land. A neighbour Garanfil Bayramov spots our crew and tells her story: - My husband died for his country in the Armenian massacre I left Kalbajar barefoot with my kids. I have two boys and a girl. The girl will marry soon. My sons have been brought up to love their country; they are just waiting for Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev’s call. For now a military option is not on the agenda, despite it is said Baku the patience also has a limit. A line stretching some 120 kilometers separates the Armanian and Azeri military. We visited one of the Azeri observation points in Tartar region. Between the positions are land mines and Azeri villages destroyed by the occupiers. We were trained here. The cease-fire is often interrupted. The soldiers are young man caught up in a conflict born of history. Soldier of Azeri Army: I’d like to study history to learn all about my country’s past. Extremes and war have been a feature the last two decades, but two sides of co-existed in Upper Garabagh for generations like the couple of Zeynalovs. They have lived together for 52 years. He is Azeri, she is Armenian. He is Azeri and she Armenian. When war heat Jenya fled Upper Garabagh with the Azeri community. IDP Jenya Zeynalova: If they had mistreated me in any way and if I didn’t want to live with them I wouldn’t have come here, I would stay there. But they are so nice to me. Some call me aunt, others granny. Some even call me mother. They’ve done nothing wrong. Sixteen years of living in a place beween a war and piece has left the both sides with a wait and see attitude. For hundred thousands of displaced persons the years come by in trauma and survival. Thus far they say they’ve been simply ignored. If any when a peaceful solution is found it will be for both communities to come together. School director Ramiz Rustamov: We’ve lived together and share bad and good times. There is no reason why we can’t do this again? What interests us is the fact there has been four UN resolutions calling an Armenian aggressor to stop this unjustified occupation of our lands. When my students ask me questions about this I can not answer, I don’t know how. The Azeris claim that a longlasting attachment to their native land is distinctive traits of peoples however will those born in the settlements have same passions for Upper Garabagh as their followers.