Opposition Musavat Party promises Azeris "bread, freedom, Karabakh"

Text of report by Azerbaijani newspaper 'Yeni Musavat' entitled "Those who vote for Musavat will win!"

[Subhead] Bread, Freedom, Karabakh

The Musavat Party has appealed to the people of Azerbaijan.

The appeal says:

"Dear compatriots!

"The country is entering a new stage in its development - the stage of democratic change. During the past seven years the current authorities have not resolved the country's problems and, on the contrary, have created innumerable troubles for the nation. The political development of our independent state is very slow. Hereditary ties were broken with the first democratic republic which existed in 1918-20; a disgraceful and suffocating moral climate was being created in the 1930s which are considered a dark and bloody page of our history.

"After Heydar Aliyev came to power by the 4th July mutiny [in 1993], official propaganda started denying historical reality and inventing legends about his mythic `ability to save people', `genius' and `irreplaceability'.

"In reality, moral imperfections, such as the cult of personality, fear and lies, are blossoming in the country in the shadow of the regime's deeds.

"The process of polarization in society has accelerated. At one end of the spectrum is the corrupted regime that plundered the country's national financial resources and at the other are the democratic forces which are struggling against the anti-national regime.

"Through the fault of the Heydar Aliyev regime, the nation has become completely impoverished and turned into a beggar and hundreds of thousands of our compatriots have emigrated to find a better life.

"Despite their numerous promises, the Heydar Aliyev authorities have failed to take efficient measures to resolve the Karabakh problem - our holy and national pain - and to return citizens who have become refugees to their native land.

"As you can see, the current authorities have exhausted their political and moral potential and completely lost the ability to rule the country.

"The Musavat Party is always guided by the constitution and laws. Taking into account the unbearable current situation and the impossibility of the current regime remaining in power, the party is calling on all the electorate to vote for Musavat in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

"History has repeatedly proved that, be it under the tyranny of the totalitarian Communist regime or under the current authoritarian regime in Azerbaijan, if there was and is a force capable of preventing the attacks of reaction against the people, this force is the Musavat Party.

"Together with other democratic forces the party is fighting reaction.

"Dear compatriots! The Musavat Party, which always endures the trials of history and opposes repression, persecution and pressure, assures you that the day is approaching when our nation will see a bright period in its fate. If the Musavat Party wins the majority of votes in the parliamentary elections on 5th November 2000, the party will carry out social and economic and legal reforms and take concrete steps to lead the country out of the horrible crisis.

"Vote for Musavat!

"For these votes, Musavat promises jobs for the unemployed, bread for the poor, freedom to Karabakh, conditions for business, homes for the refugees, a motherland for emigrants and freedom for innocent prisoners."

Source: 'Yeni Musavat', Baku, in Azeri 11 Oct 00 p 5

BBC Mon TCU 111000 at

Email this article
Posted October 11, 2000 © Eurasianet
http://www.eurasianet.org

	The Central Eurasia Project aims, through its website, meetings, papers, and grants, to foster a more informed debate about the social, political and economic developments of the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is a program of the Open Society Institute-New York. The Open Society Institute-New York is a private operating and grantmaking foundation that promotes the development of open societies around the world by supporting educational, social, and legal reform, and by encouraging alternative approaches to complex and controversial issues. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Open Society Institute and are the sole responsibility of the author or authors.