Armenia-Azerbaijan Diasporas: From Opportunity of a Dialogue to Its Necessity

When I wrote an article calling for dialogue between Armenian and Azerbaijani Diasporas last year* (Agos, in July 2019)  I did not think it would soon become topical. My idea was based on a number of remarks leading to an opportunity: first, it was based on the remark that exchanges and dialogue between the public opinion in Armenia and Azerbaijan had witnessed an important regression in the last 20 years. Second, this regression was because of increasing political pressures, state propaganda, growing militarization between conflict parties. Third, that the 2018 popular revolution in Armenia did not bring a qualitative change, and new opportunities for peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

A new generation of university students, researchers and scholars of both Armenian and Azerbaijani background had evolved in the last two decades in European and American universities. Some of those academics were working on history, international relations, sociology, anthropology, and so on, which gave them instruments to look at the conflict back in the Caucasus through different lenses. Moreover, increasing political repression inside Azerbaijan, which dramatically increased since coming to power of Ilham Aliev (2003), had decreased possibilities of dissident thinking and civil society activities inside Azerbaijan, but increased those possibilities in Europe: large number of Azerbaijani dissidents, were now asylum seekers in European cities. Repression back home also forced many young Azerbaijani graduates stay in Europe, rather than return to their country of origin. Moreover, many Armenians in the west also worked in professional capacity in conflict resolution, or academic research. 

Here was a potential, untapped opportunity. While dialogue was becoming more and more difficult in the Caucasus, I saw the potential of such a dialogue in the West. History shows us that dissident movements abroad could have huge impact back home: think about 19th and early 20th century revolutionary movements, Lenin in Geneva and Zurich, the dialogue but also tensions between Young Turks and Armenian revolutionaries in Geneva, Paris and London. Even small group of people, working on the elaboration of new ideas, could have huge impact on their societies – although not always constructive.

Exporting Conflict

The border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan on July 12-16 (the circumstances of which still remain unclear, like which side started the military operations and why), led to two new developments. The first was the spontaneous demonstrations on July 14 in a number of Azerbaijani towns, following the news of the killing of Major General Polad Hashimov, including some 30’000 in the capital Baku. Demonstrators were angry, disappointed, and asked for war: slogans such as “Karabakh is ours” or “End the quarantine and start the war” were raised. Later that evening, demonstrators entered the parliament building, and clashed with police. It was followed by a campaign of arrests among the Azerbaijani opposition, including people who did not take part in the demonstrations. This was the first time since the 1990’s that such a grass root mobilization took place in Azerbaijan, showing how dangerous unresolved conflicts could be for political stability, and clearly Aliev administration is shocked by the turn of those events. 

The other unforeseen development was acts of violence among Armenian and Azerbaijani communities, sometimes at thousands of kilometres away from the warzone. There were clashes between demonstrators, or acts of individual violence, in Moscow, Brussels, London, Los Angeles, among others. This is a new development; even at the height of the Karabakh war (1991-1994), there were no acts of violence among diaspora communities. Moreover, the scale, and the fact that it happened in numerous sites in a short time, shows there is a pattern developing. This spread of violence abroad seems to have taken state officials by surprise: in Moscow, both Armenian and Azerbaijani ambassadors called their compatriots to keep calm.  

In the last two decades both countries have spent billions of dollars for arms and weapon systems. The border between the two countries is not only closed, and no exchange takes place between the two communities, but the frontline resembles warzone reminiscent of World War I: three layers of trenches, guarded by heavily armed soldiers. Young people from both sides spend two years of their precious youth, to guard those trenches, and to shoot on the opposite side. Mass media on both sides scream hatred at each other, denigrating the identity, history, culture of the “other”, of the neighbouring people. In return, there are only few kopeks invested in peace-building and dialogue projects, mostly coming from Western states or private foundations such as Open Society Institute (ah, those horrible imperialists!) Is it surprising to see a new generation filled with hatred, then?

Words Not Swords

In this charged atmosphere, six intellectuals came up with an initiative on social media under the hashtag #WordsNotSwords calling their respective communities to engage in “peaceful activism, to respect the right of the others, and reject violence, dehumanization and discrimination.” This campaign did not become widespread, it did not attract as much media attention as acts of violence (alas, media is attracted towards violence rather than wisdom). Yet its existence suggests that we are at crossroads, and diaspora communities risk in the future to be forced to choose, if violence erupts once again in the Caucasus.

Armenian and Azerbaijani diaspora communities are in front of a new situation. The fires of the Caucasus could destabilize their communities. New acts of senseless violence could threaten the peace in their adopted homes. Such acts of violence are not only morally reprehensive, but also counter-productive. Communities abroad, their leaders and intellectuals, should instead ask: what is the best way that we could help the country and the people we cherish so much? 

* For the Turkish version : http://www.agos.com.tr/tr/yazi/23038/ermeni-ve-azeri-diasporalari-icin-diyalog-zamani