Opposition Forces Celebrated 131 Years of M.E. Rasulzadeh

Today marks the 131 anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Azerbaijani public and political figure, one of the founders of the Azerbaijan People's Republic of 1918-1920, Mamed Emin Rasulzadeh.

On the occasion of this date, representatives of the opposition parties held a solemn event at the Rasulzadeh monument in his native settlement Novkhani in the Baku suburbs.

Flowers at the monument were first laid by activists and supporters of the party Classic Popular Front. Following them, members and supporters of Musavat gathered there.

The former head of the party Isa Gambar called 2015 "a year of important changes", referring to the upcoming parliamentary elections in November. He noted that the struggle for democracy will continue.

The head of Musavat Arif Hajily pointed to the current government indifference to the heritage of Rasulzadeh.

Next, a meeting at the monument was held by the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF).

The leader of the Popular Front Party Ali Kerimli criticized the government for failing to provide fundamental freedoms.

The head of NCDF Jamil Hasanli elaborated on the merits of Rasulzadeh and his ideas in the development of national Azerbaijani democratic state.

A researcher of Rasulzadeh’s activities Teyyub Gurban noted that the concept of "great leader" applies only to Rasulzadeh.

Rasulzadeh monuments stand in the hearts of millions, as opposed to those whose monuments are established by orders and instructions, he said.

During the event, the participants more than once emphasized the importance and role of Rasulzadeh in the proclamation of the first republic in the Muslim world.

Rasulzadeh was born in the village of Novkhany on January 31, 1884. By joining political activities in his youth, at the age of 19 he created a circle of young Azerbaijani revolutionaries. He wrote in the newspapers of the time, strengthening the idea of national identity.

In 1904, he was acquainted with Stalin, who was trying to connect the circle headed by Rasulzadeh to the Bolshevik struggle. Rasulzadeh played an important role in organizing the escape of Stalin from prison in Baku.

Next Rasulzadeh became one of the founders of the organization Hummet and a newspaper of the same name was published under his editorship. In the period from 1904 to 1909 Rasulzadeh conducted activities in the field of national education. Beginning from 1909, Tsarist Russia began to put pressure on Rasulzadeh and for this reason he went to Iran, where he met with the legendary Azerbaijani national leader Sattarkhan. There Rasulzadeh started edition of the newspaper New Iran and the same year he and a group of Iranian Azerbaijanis creates the Democratic Party.

Under pressure from Tsarist Russia in 1911, he was forced to leave Iran and in the same year with a group of his supporters he created the party Musavat.

Since 1913 he strengthened the party and its activities and general management.

Cause of great discontent in Iran was Rasulzadeh’s slogan of "autonomy for Azerbaijan", with which he spoke in that period, as well as the "Azerbaijani idea."

On May 27, 1918 Muslim members of the Trans-Caucasian Seim gathered in Tbilisi and created the National Council. On May 28 the National Council led by Rasulzadeh proclaimed the independence of Azerbaijan. The same day the first government of the Azerbaijan People's Republic (APR) was formed.

On September 15, 1918 Baku was liberated from Russian-Armenian military units and the APR government moved from Ganja to the capital. In April 1920 the Bolsheviks occupied Azerbaijan. Then Rasulzadeh was persecuted and arrested. Later he was sent to Moscow, where for some time he lived under the control of the Soviet authorities.

In 1922 he forwarded to Finland and from there to Turkey. Until his death on March 5, 1955 he was in political emigration in different countries. But, to his last breath, he continued to fight for the independence of Azerbaijan. Rasulzadeh was buried in Ankara. -05D04-