Thought police and Oceanic Azerbaijan

Source: Google Images

Perhaps you have heard of this term. I camE across it while reading 1984 by G.Orwell. Interesting book by the way. A friend recently told me that 1984 applies more to countries like Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kazakhstan while Huxley's Brave New World to the West. The more I read, further I realize my friend is right and that I fully agree with him. 

The extent of surveillance state, paranoid assumptions, robotized thinking and much more- remind me of my own country and many other countries around the world where governments could not care less for its people while skillfully instilling fear in minds of millions.

So far however, my personal favorite in the book are references to what the author describes as Thought Police. People vanish because of their thoughts writes the author, especially when they are different i.e., potential challengers of the status quo must go (literally). There are monitors everywhere to "help" Thought Police, there are spies too. You are not safe even when you are with your family let alone your "comrades". The careful strategy implemented by the Big Brother ensures its power and permanency while eliminating any possible threats. 

Reminding me of how Azerbaijani police deals with protestors, advocates, journalists and activists on the streets and off the streets acting on the commands of their own version of Big Brother makes me think that soon we might too have the Though Police department. And the neglect of reality fits even better. Earlier in the book the author describes how easily facts are changed, including economy. 

The actual output was given at sixty- two millions. Winston, however in re-writing the forecast, marked the figure down to fifty- seven millions, so as to allow for the usual claim that the quota had been over- fulfilled. In any case, sixty- two millions was no nearer to the truth than fifty- seven millions, or than a hundred and forty- five millions. Very likely no boots had been produced at all. Likelier still, nobody knew how many had bee produced, much less cared. All one knew was that every quarter astronomical numbers of booths were produced on paper, while perhaps half the population of Oceania went barefoot (pp. 43- 44).

Rings a bell? Think Azerbaijani State Statistical Institute, think inflation numbers, think unemployment numbers, think whatever indicator that comes to your mind then put it into present day Azerbaijani context and voila, Azerbaijan ain't that far from Oceania.

And then add this article (and you can even watch it too [AZ]) published today of bold statements made by the President of Oceania ehm, excuse me, of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev speak of prospering democracy in Azerbaijan while vicious Europeans slam their people for protesting on the streets. Never mind how his very own police is slamming its very own people and the recently adopted gigantic fines added on November 10th to the Law on Freedom of Assembly. Never mind any of that, so long as the bellies of the upper echelons are full, their minds empty and their pockets full.

I guess the show must go on...

Hijab debate in Azerbaijan

I have been meaning to write on this matter. But I have been putting it off for various reasons. I wont get in too many why's but a piece I just saw on NY Times prompted me to write few things on this matter. 

Azerbaijan is a predominantly Muslim country. According to this article that was published by Washington Post:

In Baku, an ancient seaport in which Zoroastrian ruins coexist with brilliantly lighted glass skyscrapers, young couples hold hands or embrace on park benches along the broad, tree-lined promenade that hugs the Caspian shoreline — public displays of affection that are officially banned in Tehran. Women and girls in designer jeans hunt for bargains at Western clothing stores such as Bebe and Benetton. Head scarves are rare, but karaoke bars and nightclubs are plentiful along the downtown thoroughfares choked with traffic and new construction.

Not that I found Washing Post article in any way correct, in fact, many things in the article weren't quite right but thats a different story. So back to religion, Islam, and predominantly Shia state, where "head scarves are rare but karaoke bars and nightclubs are plentiful" things are not as "brilliant" and "embraced" as the article claims. Moreover, if you read the NYT article, you would see that things are far than being calm. These clashes between Muslim activists and the government are not happening for the first time. There were others too especially after a ban on head scarves at schools in 2009. 

About two weeks ago, I had a conversation on Twitter about this issue. More precisely a young man asked me whether I was for or against hijab at schools. My response was negative. A child, or young female student should not be forced to wear hijab because the religious community wants her to. If its her decision when she comes of age then she could wear whatever she wants. The man on Twitter quickly accused me of immorality claiming I approved explicit clothing especially on younger girls. 

This type of thinking- that one can dress only one way or live only specific way- is a growing trend at home. And I am not afraid to make generalizations in this case. Let young women decide themselves whether they want to wear hijab or not and not impose that on them at a younger age. And don't tell me that this is what all Muslim women of all ages should do. We live in a world and a time when women spend twice as much time as men on domestic work; work longer hours; many women around the world still do not meet international standard for duration of maternity leave; becoming heads of state is still elusive with only 14% of women in the world holding some government position; women face daily violence- sexual, psychological, economic, social- at home and outside; because of existing traditions and so- called customs, women have limited access to land and other types of property; women have fewer cash income. 

So please don't tell me that all we have left to deal and solve is whether young girls of school age should be wearing a hijab at school. And even if all of the problems are solved, as I said, let the women decide themselves whether they want to wear a hijab or any other religious dress at an age when they can actually make these decisions themselves.

As for the WP article, well, I guess the writers should talk more about religion in Azerbaijan and how much it impacts lives of women (and not just simplify it to karaoke bars, young couples holding hands, and girls wearing designer clothes) in this country. And as for the clashes, well, there is little that could be done here as long as women are treated as objects of pressure...