Monument diplomacy

Yes, its going to be about THAT monument again. You see, it just doesn't stop fascinating me, really. Just today, I came across another article (thanks to a friend of mine who shared it) where my conclusions of just how "strong" and "deep" Azerbaijan's diplomatic relations with its neighbors are, were confirmed. In a press statement Azerbaijan's ambassador to Mexico, Ilgar Mukhtarov stated:

If Ebrard (Mexico's Mayor) decides to remove the monument, we will CANCEL the projects, CLOSE the embassy, it would HURT the relationship between the two countries, and it WOULD NOT BE GOOD for his image to be the person who prevented a USD4billion investment

So not only Ambassador Mukhtarov shows how shallow the essence of our diplomacy is (lets face it, removing a monument of a dictator shouldn't play such an important role in foreign policy but who knew it would?!), he goes much further as to threaten the Mayor of Mexico as well. And wait, there is even more to it, by saying that Mexico will lose the USD4bn investment demonstrates in which ways and "deals" Azerbaijani government "invests" in other countries.

Not sure what softened Mr. Mukhtarov's tone a while later, but whatever it was it didn't make his next statement any less appalling: "his government [Azerbaijan] was prepared to negotiate with the city and find a "friendly" solution to the dispute". 

Now, don't know who nudged our Ambassador, but who ever did it didn't do too good of a job. That nudge should have been a strong shake. But too late now anyway. Still talking about "negotiating" and finding not just a solution but a "friendly" one. And what does that suppose to mean? That Azerbaijani government will offer to renovate another park? Alas, have mercy on your people Mr. President, because you still have the hungry children and many other issues that are awaiting your immediate attention not to mention a drizzle of some of that oil money you are spending elsewhere abroad for park renovations and monuments.

And what is the so- called "dispute"? If the people and the Mayor do not consider the monument fit, why are still even discussing it? Its Mexico's decision! Our government is so much used to meddling with its own people's decisions and their businesses that it considers everywhere and everyone to be the same...

I am just curious to see where this monument diplomacy will end...

New kind of diplomacy: no monuments, no relations!

Looks like priorities of the Azerbaijani government in building diplomatic relations are really shifting. According to this New York Times article Azerbaijani authorities are ready to mess their foreign policy based on a statue.

Perhaps not many of you know but part of the country's diplomatic relations building skills is based on investing heavily (talking millions here) in park renovations and presenting of monuments of the late President Haydar Aliyev as "presents" that accompany the new parks.

This might have worked in other counties where public reaction was always limited or non existent but not in Mexico. Many in Mexico were left puzzled seeing the statue of an ex-KGB general placed in a park next to some well known and historical figures as Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln.

What's surprising here is however how easy apparently it is for the local Azerbaijani government to "damage" it's foreign relations- if the statue goes in Mexico, so will the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Is it that simple? Do no international political relations and rules apply any longer? Our government will really close the embassy in Mexico if the statue is removed?

But the real burning question is then how will the Azerbaijani authorities explain this "sourness" once the statue is removed. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

One statue for one renovated park

Over the last few years, one of the most bizarre attempts of Azerbaijan government has been "planting" statues of late President, Heydar Aliyev in various corners of the world for each renovated park the country invested in. Stretching from Serbia, Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Romania, to Georgia, the host of the next monument is Mexico. Yes, Mexico City. Apparently, Azerbaijani government invested $5million in a renovation of two parks there.

Here you can find the map prepared by the Radio Liberty Azerbaijani service. 

View Heydər Əliyevin heykəlləri in a larger map

The website is asking to send photographs of monuments of Aliyev Senior elsewhere if anyone comes across them. 

Out of curiosity- USD5million is not a small amount. Have we renovated everywhere in Azerbaijan that we are investing in renovation projects across the world? Do all our remote villages have infrastructure the people need? Do they have electricity every day? And gas? Do they have running water? And what about their salaries? Or quality of life? Its apparent that another show off is more important than any of the above? But to say that its a gift from the people of Azerbaijan to the people of Mexico is going too far- I am positive none of the Azerbaijani people knew about the allocated money nor about the park so why on earth would Azerbaijani Ambassador to Mexico say this? An average Azerbaijani spends more of his/her time working, and trying to make ends meet needs rather than think of how he/she could show their appreciation to the people of the country across the ocean. 

Maybe I am mistaken. Maybe our people do think this way. Maybe thats all they think about in fact. I wonder which will next country be? China? Venezuela? Syria?

Baku- a year later, changes are there but what about conscience?

My heart was racing. I was standing at the passport control at Haydar Aliyev International Airport. I was nervous. After being called a traitor, an agent and many other negative things by our beloved media, it was my first time home since my last visit to Baku in December of last year. I was nervous and millions of unpleasant thoughts for pacing through my mind. 

Few minutes down the waiting line, a woman in crispy uniform with a pretty smile said "Welcome home!" and stamped my passport. I was smiling too. Now when I think of that moment, I can feel the heavy weight lifting off my shoulders. 

I was excited to be back. 

But Baku didn't change. Apart from new constructions, a bit of usual glitz here and there everything was the same. The sad and stern looks on people's faces were everywhere- on the streets, on public transportation. The daily concerns did not disappear as quickly and as easy as some parts of old Baku destroyed for new construction projects and other mind blowing changes planned for the new Baku.

And though this may sound too dramatic, it felt like I was back in a country that had no future. Yes, and you might not agree with it. You don't have to agree with it. But, we, the citizens of Azerbaijan have no future because our future is being taken away from us. The life, the standards, the country we could possibly have one day, remains a distant dream, hidden inside of people like Bakthiyar Hajiyev who is still serving his unjustly given sentence in prison. 

I thought of the people sitting behind their desks up there watching their Baku and ours, taken apart piece by piece, people forced to misery- all aware of where we have come. Surely, these officials are also aware that no matter how many new buildings they construct, or facades build, they will never cover the reality- poor health care, deteriorating education, non- existent social care and most importantly human relations (you might say how is that relevant, but it is. If you suffocate people so much, no one is going to care about others, its all going to become one big survival of the fittest struggle, if not it has already become so). 

New Baku looks nice, but who is it for? You can "renovate" as many schools as you want, as many hospitals as you want, but if those who work there hold on to their old habits, all of this "beautification" is pointless. If young men on the metro don't know how to behave, if people litter the streets, if no one respects a line in front of an ATM machine- then none of them are going to understand the new Baku. They simply don't care! And why would they- if they struggle with their daily lives, if they need to take care of sick parents, if they need to pay a bribe at their local school or university...

Its just sad. Seeing how much is wasted, the potential human resources, and most importantly the potential future we might have. Its recklessly going away as if we are eternal, as if what have is infinite. We all are going to leave this world one day, but its the next generations who are going to stay behind and struggle with what we are leaving behind. 

Albert Camus once said "by definition, a government has no conscience. Sometimes it has a policy, but nothing more". Today Azerbaijani government has a policy- arrest, silence, forget, bribe, renew, rebuilt and don't look back. The question is, what policy will it have tomorrow? 

The hidden truth

When I left Baku last time, I left it literally covered in dust (and I mean something more close to a thick glaze of dust) from numerous, ongoing construction and renovation work all around the city (or more so in the main downtown area of the capital). And so during my most recent visit, the city took me by surprise. The dust settled and what was a construction and renovation site only few months ago, was now replaced with pretty alleys, new parks, polished buildings cleaned from years of accumulated dirt (unfortunately that was also inhaled by half of the Baku population while it was done).

And for a very brief moment, I thought to myself that its not all that bad. It looked clean, spacious, beautiful. But just like that I was snapped back into the reality- the hidden truth underneath those pretty looking streets, parks, buildings took over the feeling of brief satisfactory happiness...

Recently, I was approached by a young man from Azerbaijan at one of the conferences I was attending and asked what is the reason for me talking of Azerbaijan the way I usually do. Well, I hope you read this post dear F. (didn't feel disclosing your full name as I thought it might not be appropriate) because this is precisely why I speak of Azerbaijan the way I do. Because good life isn't just about pretty streets, renovated buildings (which I consider good initiative just not as important like say improving the situation with freedom of expression, human rights, and what not), uber expensive boutique shops and 5 star hotels built across the city.

I speak of Azerbaijan this way, because I would very much like to see that moment I shortly was overtaken by, exist for real. I want this country to be fair and just to its people. Its economy be transparent and distributed fairly (rather than used by certain individuals for their personal purposes or stacked away in some foreign banks or simply not accessible to the country en masse). Because I simply want truth and no more hidden reality. 

It might work perfectly for visitors who come to visit Azerbaijan (though that might not be the case anymore, give the recent visa changes) but not for its people. We all know that renovated facades look great (especially at night) but the actual life underneath those facades continues to rotten and fade away. Azerbaijan might have a lot of money and prosper day by day (based on numerous speeches of government officials) but the corruption, lies, distrust and degrading overall approach to the people and general welfare, is only a sign of a spoiled behavior, and definitely not something we should be proud of and pretend as if everything is just absolutely great...