Moral Choice in Azerbaijan: “Flowers for Great Leader” or “National Mourning Day”?
By Emin Milli (Baku, Azerbaijan)
More than 2,000 students defied an unofficial ban on rallies in the city center of Baku on May 1 and gathered near the assaulted university with slogans “No to Terror!”, “No to Corruption!”, and “Declare National Mourning Day!”. Students are shocked with the terror act in the Oil Academy of Azerbaijan which destroyed lives of innocent students and teachers. The students said that if their demands are not met and mourning is not announced, they will gather to another mass demonstration on May 10. May 10 is the birthday of Azerbaijan’s late president Heydar Aliyev (father of the current president) and the government plans to celebrate a "Holiday of Flowers" on this day under the open air and near the same place. Government is refusing to declare mourning day and instead celebrates birthday of "savior of the nation" with the "Holiday of Flowers".
Is this humiliation ? Is this ignorance? Is this arrogance? Is this Ddsrespect of entire nation? Here is the video of the rally (on May 1):
Here are the pictures:
(If you can not open page on facebook, then have a look at photos in attachment)
Fifteen million manats will be spent just in one day in times of financial crisis for flowers to glorify “the greatest leader of all times”. For comparison the government is planning to spend this year only 10 million manats to send students to study abroad.
Regime in Azerbaijan is on the road to its destiny. It reminds me of all the mistakes and mismanagement of the "safest political regimes" like those mentioned in the “State of Africa” book written by Martin Meredith:http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=69687976984 ,
and also of the path of the last Shah of Iran: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDifaCVanaM&feature=PlayList&p=59D96999B552C4F4&index=0 )
May 10 will be another important moral choice for citizens of Azerbaijan and its current leadership. What will we choose?
(Feel free to send to everyone in your list and put it on blogs)
3 comments:
I think there’s no problem in honoring National heroes as this prevalent in any part of the world but the price they dedicate to these event is indeed concerning. Yes, 15 million mantas is too much to be spent on such an events.
When it comes to the shooting matter and the so called ‘National Mourning Day’ let’s say this is the parliament’s responsibility to assign a day as a national day but not the grassroots. It is humiliating to ignore parliament.
“The Moral Choice” you’re talking about is not typical of Azerbaijan. Millions of money is spent for carnivals, memorials and etc in any part of the world while many still starve to death in their relevant country.
By the way, I think you’re kidding about your comparison of Azerbaijanis government and the former Shah of Iran. Your opposition to the Azerbaijanis government is by no means the same as the opposition which the Iranian Shah had faced with.
Sinav,
I did write the following post, its by an acquaintance of mine. But I will forward your comment to him and post his response as soon as I hear back from him.
I don't mean to seem insensitive, but why is there such a strong movement to create an official day of mourning? Of course the moment should be recognized, and people should pause to remember what happened when the date of the shooting comes up in the years to come, but I don't understand the appeal of an official day. I'm not trying to argue, just figure out the reasoning.
Post a Comment