This morning, my family and I lost a relative, an aunt who passed away early this morning. She was ill and for the last few days was feeling weak and in pain. She said it hurt everywhere and asked us to hold her. She never wanted to go. Nor did we.
That never happened. The last time I saw her alive was last night, when I went to see her since she was asking for me. The next morning (today) I saw her lying motionless, face covered with her blanket, people at her house, paying respects, saying their good byes.
The truth is, I was never strong in these kind of situations. In late 2007, I lost a friend, it was the first time when I was old enough to acknowledge death of a person, to feel the pain of an actual loss and of course, mourn for someone who was close to me.
Today, I mourn again.
But today I also saw the true face of humanity in Azerbaijan. The truth is, there is no humanity left in this country. The doctor who was called in to call the time of death and issue death certificate asked for 10 manats (approx. 10 EUR) when he arrived.
A doctor whom we called a day before asking her to come and see my aunt, refused to come because it was too far for her to go.
A woman who was washing the body (according to Muslim traditions, the body must be washed) asked for an additional payment for the second woman who was helping with the process because otherwise they might have an argument among each other as to whom will get the whole bill.
I can continue writing but it wont change anything. I was so mad today when I heard about all of this. The truth is, today, for the first time since being back, I regretted being back...
8 comments:
Allah Rehmet Elesin!
I know how much it hurts, not only the sad fact itself, but what doctors and that "washing" woman "want". However, they have to give some share to "top", to have money for their own survival. and your grief is not theirs they dont care...theirs is not yours you dont care..and again it all comes to the system and people or people and system...:(((
same issue as chicken or egg..
Regards,
M.A.
I’d like to offer my condolences too. Ruhları şad olsun
I regret that asking for bribe is also prevalent over there and this sort of extortion must be resisted and addresses publicly via newspapers, publications and media. I don’t agree with M.A. that the extorted money has an upward funneling but I agree with him that it somehow hinges on people to put an end to this situation because this is the people who refuse to resist or they get over matter so easily.
Arzu I know that you are now upset by the incident though I can’t stop talking the talk after reading some of your unjustifiable expressions. First off let me tell you my own story: Once my Grandma was awfully ill and lying in bed so that we couldn’t take here to doctor. I decided to ask a doctor to visit grandma at home but he charged me with 20`000 Tomans while they usually charge no more than 5000 Tomans.
I also want to tell you a true story of my Friend. My Friend who has been graduated from Civil Engineering was conscripted about 2 years ago. He pulled strings with military officials to avoid being part of ground forces and instead he is now serving his military service as a traffic officer. Last month he told me that he has extorted as much money that he can buy a Peugeot Persia ELX. If I had that amount of money, I could begin thinking about my future. That’s about over 17 million Tomans. If you deposit that money in the bank you’ll be the beneficiary of about 500`000 Tomans a month without doing anything. Another Muslim guy who had once been a security officer now has several 4WD Lexus out of extortion. In the “Behesht-Zahra” grave yard of Tehran (The capital city of the hell known as Iran) which has rather a massive facility, if you won’t pay enough money to the undertakers they will screw around the lifeless body of your beloved one just in front of your eyes but yet all these are not enough to gain the title of inhumanity.
The true face of inhumanity was unveiled in the course of ASALA assassinations of Turkey’s diplomats. You may find the true face of inhumanity in the Orly Airport incident or the disasters that plagued Azerbaijani population of Karabakh.
What you have already perceived is far beyond what you put it in words. To be honest, I am pissed off by these pesky criminal acts too but you know what, just try thinking about who those criminals are. All those money extorters around me know nothing about Azerbaijan, their own nationality, their own history and their own what-about. I will not call them Azerbaijani and conclude the humanity’s demise in Azerbaijan as easily as you do. I’ll call it the true face of brain drain. What you are talking about is so typical of Middle East, Caucasus and as far as I know Russia. The lack of intellectuals with a fair IQ to mend things is what has let our country slide. The lack of people capable of standing against odds is what has let your beloved concept of humanity fade away.
At the end let me tell you that I hate your way of pinning every pervasive mess to Azerbaijan. Humanity died in Northern Azerbaijan with your international fence mending co-operations and in Southern Azerbaijan it died with the ideology of Muslim fraternity. No matter how long it will take, we will always be there for Azerbaijan to recover our territories and fight against all sorts of setbacks and build democracy and prosperity. This is too early for us to herald the dissolution of humanity in Azerbaijan.
Solidus, thank you for your comment first of all.
Now, i would like to respond to critical comments in this and your other comments.
This blog is about Azerbaijan and things I like to write about or simply want to write about. If I one day decide to write post about America I will do that, if its going to be Istanbul then thats what the post is going to be. And whats wrong with me writing about Azerbaijan, talking about its problems.
THe other time you asked for solutions, I agree, I should also write about solutions. But this blog, is my personal diary almost. Why are you telling me what to write about and how to write it. Its my blog, and I write whatever I want and how I want. iTs that simple.
You have already, several times expressed your dissatisfaction with this blog and the way I write and things I write about. In fact, you have made it very clear with some very negative comments.
Can I ask you a question? Why? WHy are you telling me what to do with my blog and how to write?
THis blog is reflection of my frustrations, my happiness, my dissatisfaction and pleasures. Why do I need to make it something else and can't write the way I write?!
While I appreciate your comments, I would appreciate it also if you stop writing negative comments on my blog. If you don't want to leave any comments then its fine, but this is my way of a story to tell.
Thank you,
@Solidus, ok, you resist money extortion, and so do others...how would they live? My point was ....system is based on a chain system...where everyone is dependent on others, and others are dependent on everyone....and everyone knows that there is bribery,and almost everyone in one way or another extorts money....(bribery, double accounting, money laundrying...etc) otherwise you wouldnt survive....anyway, not the topic for a nice sunday morning....
@Solidus, it is not as if I am defending Arzu,but you do not like the blog, you still keep reading it..why? you want to see it in a different way, different topics....open up yours and write the way YOU want.Lazy? :)
Arzu I never asked you to hesitate from writing about what you want or what to do with your blog. You upload a post and I express my opinion about the post and the issue which the post is about. You write about Azerbaijan with your own wording and I express my opinion with the deserved wording. You share it with variety of people and leave it open for comments and I come up with a comment that you may not like to receive. I’m so surprised that you’ve come up with such a misunderstanding.
However I’ll pay heed to your request and leave your blog for what you expect.
Thank you Solidus for clearing up the air. I felt it was in order for me to write the previous comment, as I was getting the impression that you were judging every singe post i wrote with no specific logic behind it. Thats why you shouldn't be surprised to my previous comment.
Plus, i never thought that things that were happening here were simply happening only here, I knew that there are many countries elsewhere where similar things take place.
I was getting offended by your comments not so much because they were your opinions but more so because i felt you were trying to tell me what to do with my blog and what to write here.
Anyway, thanks again for clearing up the air.
Да не плохой блог в принципе только вот в чём дело не стоит обвинять Солидиуса в том что он такой ибо мы все такие у нас в стране нет пока того что называется личность, так или иначе мы всегда говорим мы отодежствляя человека в целом с обществом ну вобщем в целом это длинная история не будем вдаваться в подробности а так по теме я бы сказал бы аллах ряхмят элясин да только не верю в бога.Ну думаю ты поняла меня в смысле что в таких случаях может сказать атеист.
Canim, I just noticed this post. I'm sorry for you. I give you my strenth and would like to be with you on difficult moments in your life... I know it hurts but I also know you're a very strong beautiful blogging girl!
Keep writing! Your blog and Ali's one are the best blogs in Azerbaijan (in my opinion of course)
& keep holding on because as I told you before, it's difficult but it's worth to be Arzu Geybullayeva!
Post a Comment