One cannot so anymore! (Open letter to the President Ilham Aliyev)
Dear Mr. President!
I long time ago wanted to write you an open letter. Express to you personally what is troubled me as citizen of Azerbaijan. We have different status and it is unlikely possible a personal meeting, unless you do not wish this.
Even if I am journalist I would not have chance to interview to you on a number of reasons. One of which is that I do not remember that for the last years you gave interview to the local media.
I do not know whether you are reading personally of our press or your assistants report you about the publications. Nevertheless, I am addressing to you through an open letter in hope that even so you will find time to read it, and it is possible that my words will be helpful you.
Frankly speaking I do not even know from what to begin. The reason is not that I have nothing to say. I just want much to say and write.
Thoughts are mixed. The wish to write about everything, nothing forget.
In general, I hope that even so you understand my state. Yes, I will begin from the end.
The end is “One cannot live so anymore”.
You know, Mr. President, I do not belong to any political party in Azerbaijan, I do not support any political force. I am convinced (and it is seems to me that I am not wrong), that the political preferences of the most part of the citizen are similar. If you wish to know, I think personally that in 21 century, in currently time, in age of social nets, the political parties are obsolete. What for to create a party if can create a group in Facebook, open his page and without any permissions and registrations to associate, discuss, negotiate about mutual actions those who share your views?
In principle, I am addressing this not to you and to those uncles and aunts who read this letter, will try to find out in the rush at what political party the author belongs, whose man he is (this is a lovely question of the most part of our compatriots). I responsibly declare. I am independent.
And now to the point:
I absolutely dislike what is happening with our country. It seems to me that we both live in different countries. You live in successfully developed country where daily are built new roads, plants and factories, in country that is winning unemployment.
Am I? I am in Azerbaijan where many thousands refugees until now live in cramped conditions in the hostels. In order to feed somehow their families during many years and in spite of hot, snow, rain they every day have been selling fruits and vegetables (come at Darnagul and you see everything yourselves). At the same time our country holds “Eurovision” and intends to spend huge money to hold the first European Olympic Games.
I live in Azerbaijan in which the poor are getting up more. I live in Azerbaijan where corruption is becoming an integral part of our everyday life, and officials and their scions behave themselves like kings. I live in Azerbaijan where a system of education is absolutely degraded and unjust. As for the Health Ministry, our citizens are ready to give the last money or lend them in order only to leave on treatment to Iran, Turkey, Russia, and Western Europe countries etc., but only not to be treated at home.
I live in country where do small and middle business is practically impossible.
I live in Azerbaijan where salaries of the teachers, doctors and many others civil servants do not correspond with levels that satisfied even minimal requirements of man. Many, the most of our citizens do not live, and try to survive. At the same time, some groups of officials do not just live, and go crazy from the abundance of wealth (excuse me, I could not just select the most suitable word to describe how our officials-oligarchs live).
Everybody knows their names, and they are no longer the officials and not servants of people. They are the most real businessmen, the main kind of activities of which to exploit budget of entrusted ministries. Do, they monopolize separate fields of production, export and import.
Unlike you, mister President, I have chance constantly to talk with people in real life and in virtual i.e. I am doing everything that you due to taken status and position are deprived. You know, I have got a lot to tell you.
Mister President, our citizens are far from the life as it is described in reports of colleagues from AzTV or I dare to suggest you are told your assistants.
People are dissatisfied and await changes. People are dissatisfied with prices, situation in army, in health care service, in system of education, dissatisfied by absence of competent personnel in many sphere of vital activity. People are dissatisfied by salaries and pension benefits.
Events in Guba… Protests of inhabitants of capital against arbitrariness in the army… Protest of the sellers of the Bina Trade Center…Dissatisfaction and yesterday’s pogroms in Ismayilli…
Do you think that it everything are provocations of our external and even internal enemies?
As for me, I do not think so. In a certain time the last straw is overflew.
Yes, it is possible that some forces try to use this situation. Today, it is enough a small spark to set fire whole country…
People are dissatisfied by injustice that rules in society and tone of this injustice is set by the civil servants and institutions. People are awfully dissatisfied that any problem can be solved for money. To be exact, any problem even that which can be solve in legal way, one has to resolve for money. Even a certificate in housing office our brother, Azerbaijani cannot obtain so easy.
People feel sick from NAP’s old and young party members – the leaders of various pro-governmental young organizations.
People are dissatisfied that Nagorno-Karabakh problems cannot find it solution. It passed 20 years and every year on each event we are talking about millions refugees and 20 percents occupied lands, essentially becoming a eternally aching neighbours who cannot resolve their problems.
People leave country. Those who have any chance, use it at once. Do not you see this? And I see because I am flying in economy class. I see the families who fly away to Russia, Ukraine. Recently, I was told that there are villages in Belarus where live only Azerbaijani people. We are a lot in Europe. And queue to leave country are constantly increased.
Our compatriots are dissatisfied by the parliament. And the story that takes place in recent times from giving of the notorious you Elshad Abdullayev, enters into despondency. It is not exactly the story itself. Most striking that there is no adequate response of the authorities.
I swear, it would not be probably a shame if from the beginning authorities accuse Elshad for distributing counterfeit movies. But it is nothing happened.
People tired to discuss rumors of a confrontation of power groups. As they are tired to watch from election to election a rat race of extra-parliamentary opposition, trying to finally choose a single candidate.
In search of at least some justice in the country, some of our fellow citizens are with you or especially from the radical, either from very susceptible to favor religion, actively promotes Islamic values in the traditionally tolerant secular country, which, I am convinced, will not lead to anything good neither for the country nor for you in particular, and for me in separate, as a purely secular citizens.
I could write much, Mr. President, I could, and I am ready to do, but do not want to bore you and the readers. And believe me, if I have an opportunity, I will tell you many of the details of what is written and not even written in the letter. I, as a citizen of Azerbaijan, to monitor the situation in the country and outside it, convinced that the country needs reforms. It needs in serious reforms. If you want it needs in upgrade.
I am not at all frightening, and I have no such a desire, but I do not want to get in some time at home the second of Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, etc. But unlike your assistants and subordinates, which it seems do not catch the similarities and trends, I every day to realize that if nothing changes, and then, if everything will remain as it is now, we will come to that to which came to the Middle East. And I do not want that.
I do not want a revolution that is mandatory to put us back many years. I do not want to come to power pro-American forces, Islamists, pan-turkists, nationalists, swindlers, impostors, Musavat-frontiers, which we had seen once in power.
Today, I do not see an alternative to you as president. But with all this, I realize that, as now, cannot continue. We need a change. We need radical reform, and it is in your power to begin to implement them. Otherwise, if you miss the moment, hurt us all – you, me, and the main thing is our country, which I am sure you love just as much as I am.
Sincerely Yours, Hamid Hamidov
This post is also available in: Russian
