Says Azerbaijani journalist Shahnaz Hasanova
On September, during the seminar of journalists held in Germany, one of the Azerbaijani journalists, Shahnaz Hasanova, who formerly was a member of «NIDA» (meaning, «Stop») opposition movement, was quite free and open expressing the problems of her country, the work of the Azerbaijani media, and about her positions on the Karabakh conflict. Although her opinion about the last problem, as well as some of the explanations and stance did not comply with the opinion and stance of our, Armenian journalists, however, our conversation proceeded in civilized and without conflict environment. “Aravot” also had one-on-one talk to her. “Of course, there are many journalists in Azerbaijani who cover the Karabakh conflict, but with different implications. We have some true professional journalists who are at the front, and present the problem comprehensively and balanced. They are mostly independent, opposition, and international media,” says Shahnaz Hasanova in the conversation with “Aravot”, at the same time noting that the style of pro-government media is the campaign, she says that everyone introduce Armenians in their releases as enemies. “As a journalist, I think that this is not professional, because no one can decide who the enemy is. It is beyond journalistic responsibility. They must write down the facts.”
Shahnaz Hasanova does not deny that the country’s leadership in every way is trying to instill hatred and hostility in its people towards Armenians, she says that a few years ago Armenian and Azerbaijani young people were meeting quite often, were talking about the problems in their countries, it was a great opportunity to recognize one another. “In my opinion, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem can be solved. This is, of course, a matter to be solved in the political platform, and is often used to keep people in irritant condition, but we also have a powerful effect on the solution of this problem,” says the Azerbaijani journalist and mentions that the two countries are introducing their different analyzes and accuse each other. “Azerbaijan TV channels always show that people in Armenia are living in very bad conditions, they are leaving their country, and it leaves the impression that there are three people living in Armenia, but I guess that’s not the case. As in Azerbaijan, so as in Armenia, young people perhaps want to go to other countries to get an education, work and so on,” says Shahnaz Hasanova.
Speaking about the attitude of young Azeris to Armenians, she says, “Of course, we have a lot of young people, who are educated and broad-minded, some of them think that Armenians are also like them, the problems are political, but there are also young people next to them, who are under the influence of country’s propaganda, and they hate Armenians.”
To my observation that Azeri propaganda starts from the school desk, even in kindergarten, which is excluded in Armenia, and the stereotypes formed at this age is hard to break, Shahnaz Hasanova answers, “Yes, it is written in our school books that Armenians are our enemies and so on. Of course, it’s not good, and it certainly leaves a great impact on people’s attitudes. But, in my opinion, it is done because Azerbaijan is the country defeated in this war. It is unacceptable for our president. On the other hand, there are many refugees in Azerbaijan, who are living in very poor conditions, most of them have arrived from the occupied territories. Only in recent years, the country’s leadership is paying attention to their problems. You are saying, Azerbaijan has a lot of money and be able to resolve these issues, but the money is not for ordinary people. Indeed, people in Azerbaijan should live in better conditions than, let’s say, in Armenia or Georgia, because we have oil, but the money is not for ordinary people. And these people, the refugees, are living in very bad conditions, even in the tents, and they should hate Armenians, who have taken their homes. This is also the reason for hostile attitude, she says and adds, I tell many people that we cannot change what happened in the past, but the changes for the future are in our hands. Until now, I cannot say that Azerbaijan is good, or Armenia has not started the war with Azerbaijan from the beginning, or has not done anything bad to us, maybe Armenia would try again to enter into war. I cannot tell which side is to blame, and which side is not. The soldiers of both sides were killed. The Armenian woman is also a mother like the Azerbaijani mother who had lost her son. We should not be emotional, let’s remember what had happened during the war…
This conflict has not commenced among the ordinary people, this conflict has started because of some Russian politicians. This is a political matter. I believe that our people can live together as they did before the war,” says she.
HRIPSIME HOVHANNISYAN
