• am
  • ru
  • en
print version
07.07.2008

PROPAGANDISTIC ACTIVITIES OF AZERBAIJANI “DIASPORA”

   

Haykaram Nahapetyan

The Azerbaijani community organizations taking roots abroad don’t hide that one of their main problems is to carry out active propagandistic work against Armenia, and, according to the Azerbaijani party, “let the world know all the truth about Azerbaijan.” On March 16, 2006, at the second Conference of World Azerbaijanis held in Baku, Ilham Aliyev mentioned: “Although Azerbaijan is the aggrieved party of the conflict, there is a wrong opinion about Azerbaijan’s conflict in the world which is the result of the Armenian Diaspora’s propaganda.” Later on I. Aliyev announced “about the program of attacking Armenia from all the sides, including the information field” (see www.day.az, 22.06.2007).

“Diaspora” has joined the Azerbaijani information aggression. Azerbaijani mass media (newspapers, sites, magazines, publications) is founded abroad and certain literature is spread. In the axis is the Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan and the community are presented under a positive light, there are articles of historical, cultural character, interviews with community figures. The publications not concerning to the Armenian subject are also in the interest of the Armenian party as by means of such a propaganda Azerbaijan solves the problems of connecting the compatriots inhabited abroad with Azerbaijan and ensuring unity.

Among the Azerbaijani mass media abroad should first of all be mentioned the Azerbaijani «Euroxeber» newspaper, which was first issued on July 11, 2004. The presentation was held in the press club in Baku. It is officially mentioned that the newspaper has 4 thousand print run, which may possibly be exaggeration. The newspaper is delivered to the Azerbaijani communities of the EU countries, is sent to the EU, European Council, OSCE official office, the legislators of the EU countries. Euroxebar has also a site -www.euroxeber.com.

The newspaper is published by “Azerbaijani house” founded in Brussels in 2000 by Gyurjam Byulent Fermanoghlu. He may be characterized as one of the most active figures of Azerbaijani Diaspora in the EU. He was born in 1962 in Igdir. By the way, the Fermanoghlus are from Janifda village of the Armenian Armavir district. The parents of Gyurjam Byulent Fermanoghlu moved from Armenia to Turkey in 1930s. In 1980 Fermanoghlu was inhabited in Brussels and worked as a correspondent for “Hurryet” and “Terjyuman” newspapers. In 1987 was launched the Turkish language “Gurbet” newspaper, which was the first Turkish language printed body in Belgium. In 1995, after the Azerbaijani embassy was opened in Brussels, he worked in the embassy for five years, than, in 2000, he opened “Azerbaijani house,” which makes a ground for us to suppose that the work has been realized in the framework of “state order.”

Beginning from 2003 the lobbyist coming from Janfida published the multivolume “Genocide” on the days of Khojalu events anniversary.

He was also present at the court procedure of Ramil Safarov and was the main journalist to provide the Azerbaijani mass media with information on the subject.

In Russia has been issued 2 voluminous Russian language newspapers - “Azerros” and “Azerbajanski kongres.” The publishers of the newspapers are the two Azerbaijani most prominent lobbyist organizations – “Azerros” (Federal national cultural self government of Azerbaijanis in Russia) and “All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress” (Всеройссийский азербайджанский конгресс - ВАК).

In spite of all the efforts of Baku, “Azerros” doesn’t obey the Azerbaijani authorities. The newspaper is headed by the local Azerbaijani businessmen, in particular by Soyun Sadikhov whose relations with Baku are quite tense. In the editorial stuff of “Azerros” work Russian, and the chief editor is Aleksander Babyakin of Russian nationality. While touching upon the Armenian subject the Russian editors of the paper are “allowed” to demonstrate some liberate approaches. Here it should perhaps be mentioned the fact that the newspaper is partially financed by the RF state budget. In particular it is known that 150 thousand rubles were allocated to it in 2001-2004.

In one of the articles the deputy director of “Sukhoy” aircraft company Vladimir Ilyushin says words of praise about the director Michael Poghosyan. However “Azerros” is tough in its approaches to the “Karabakh” issue which don’t differ from the ones of official Baku.

The approaches of “Azerbaijani congress” newspaper are more harmonious with the Azerbaijani official propaganda. In the newspaper’s webpage is in a separate page presented the subject of the Armenians allegedly destruction of Azerbaijani monuments and an appeal is made to “the Russian society, scientists, people of culture and just kind people to raise their voice of protest against Armenian vandalism.” Than it is presented a list of Azerbaijani monuments in Shushi and its surrounding, which are “under threat of destruction”.

The Hague Peace Palace library was presented for about 16 volumes of books on the subject of “ Khojalu Genocide” as well as the novel of the Azerbaijani writer Gurban Said “Ali and Nino” published in Dutch by the head of the Netherlands based Union of Azerbaijani women “Ana Vatan” Gyulshen Kyazimova and the Azerbaijani embassy in Netherlands. Gurban Said’s book was translated into Dutch still in the Soviet Period. According to Azerbaijani sources the director of the library, Geron Ferfilt, appreciated deeply the donation of the Azerbaijani party.

Within the framework of propaganda carried out by the Azerbaijanis abroad let’s mention that on February 26, 2008 in Düsseldorf was shown a film devoted to Khojalu events on “Chanel Europe» TV Chanel. On February 27 the subject was also touched upon by the Frankfurt based “Chanel-7.” According to the report of the State Committee for the work with Azerbaijanis living abroad all these entrepreneurship became possible thanks to “Germany inhabited Azerbaijani community institutions.”

The Azerbaijani-French youth association in Paris began publication of “Le Pon - bridge” journal which publishes Azerbaijani and French language articles.

By the initiative of “Azerbaijani community in London” organization the pro-Azerbaijani English language publications “Tragedy of Khojalu: international viewpoint” and “International viewpoints: Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict on Karabakh” were sent to the United Kingdom Foreign Minister David Miliband, 646 members of the Chamber of Communities, 78 deputies representing Britain in the EU Parliament, international news agencies such as “Washington Post,” “Sunday Times,” “New York Times,” “Newsweek,” “Boston Globe” and others. According to Azerbaijani sources the books were also sent to the 60 world libraries.

The organization of “Europe’s Azerbaijanis forum” has become very active in Istanbul. According to the organization’s head, Emil Mili, the structure planes to establish an Azerbaijani news agency in Europe. This was announced at the end of previous year; however, at the moment there is no information about certain steps to be made.


Return
Another materials of author