An event titled "One day with internally displaced persons: no one is beyond attention" was organized in a residential compex built for internally displaced persons in Shikharkh settlement of Tartar region on July 9, at the initiative and organization of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs with the participation of heads of UN agencies in Azerbaijan. The event focused on the problem of becoming refugees and displaced people which straines year after year and causes great concern in the world community as well as on the work done to address this problem in Azerbaijan and the challenges ahead.
In the event held at the club-commununity centre, attendees first got acquainted with an exhibition of photos of people displaced from their native lands as a result of occupation of Armenia, taken in early 1990.
Making a speech at the event, Rovshan Rzayev, Chairman of the State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, stressed that the current problem in Azerbaijan emerged as the result of Armenia's military aggression and occupation policy. It was mentioned that the UN resolutions on the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of our country have not yet been implemented. The exceptional services of national leader Heydar Aliyev were emphasized in bringing Karabakh truths to the world community, as well as in the formation of systemic state policy in the field of solution of problems of refugee and IDPs. It was noted that currently, under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, consistent and purposeful work is being carried out to solve the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons in our country, the activity of the State Committee responsible for this sphere is being improved and responsibility is increasing. It was stated that the initiatives of First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva and the projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation are of great importance in improving the living conditions of internally displaced persons.
The event highlighted the efforts made by international organizations in the most crucial period of the problem of refugee and displaced persons in Azerbaijan to get rid of the humanitarian disaster and gratitude expressed to the UN institutions for active particiption in this work. The importance of pressure by the the world community and international organizations towards aggressor Armenia in order to restore the territorial integrity of our country as soon as possible was emphasized. Confidence expressed that the Azerbaijani lands will soon be liberated from occupation, the implementation of the Great Return Program will be launched on the IDPs' return to their own hometowns.
UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, Gulam Ishaczai described the visit of the international agency representatives to the region as a manifestation of attention to refugees and internally displaced persons in our country. He noted that Azerbaijan, as a developed country, set an example for the world in solving the problem of people from this category, adding that their move from tent camps to new and comfortable apartments, and the government's activity in this field was highly appreciated by international organizations. It was emphasized that international organizations will further continue to support the fair settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and take necessary measures to return refugees and internally displaced persons to their native homes.
Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Azerbaijan Guido Ambroso recalled that he worked in Azerbaijan in 1995-1997, when he witnessed the difficult, troublesome days of internally displaced persons and people suffering from the war. Noting that the High Commissioner assisted nearly 10,000 people at that time to improve the living conditions, the diplomat added that the activity of the Azerbaijani government in this area, as well as direction of the country’s increasing socio-economic opportunities to solving these problems is worth of esteem. He noted that today's meeting will help UN agencies to explore the needs of internally displaced persons in the current period and to establish their future activities in accordance with it.
Internally displaced Ilgar Gasimov said internally displaced persons are covered with comprehensive state care. But their greatest desire is to return to their homeland: "Here, the state has provided me with housig and the necessary conditions created to live. But I want my native land. We, internally displaced persons look forward to the implementation of UN resolutions on the settlement of the conflict and the liberation of our occupied territories".
During the visit, the UN Youth Advisory Council conducted training for IDP youth on Sustainable Development Goals. Following the event, UN representatives visited Beyimsarov village of Tartar region and met with IDPs temporarily settled there.
