Initiators of "Return to Karabakh" civic platform demand transparency

Baku/31.03.23/Turan: A group of natives of the territories liberated from occupation have set up an initiative group called "Return to Karabakh".

In their statement they express the hope that the territories will soon be cleared of mines, the settlements restored and the population returned. At the same time, they express concern over the process of the region's recovery.

For example, they believe that the rights of IDPs to land and other property, guaranteed by the Constitution, are being violated.

The IDPs are supposed to receive land as private property in accordance with the rules of the agrarian reform of 1997-1999; however, in practice the lands suitable for farming are given to large holdings.

In violation of the law, when small settlements are restored, they are amalgamated without taking into account the opinions of those who formerly lived there. Two such cases have been detected in the Fizuli region and four in the Gubadly region.

Note that the completion of the return process only by 2040 undermines the faith of the displaced older generation to see their places of origin.

The authors are concerned about the lack of transparency in the financing of housing and infrastructure projects in the liberated territories and the lack of accountability in this area.

They also believe that the IDPs' opinions should be taken into account when planning and resettling the people.

The authors of the statement call on the residents of the liberated territories to rally around the "Return to Karabakh" platform to achieve the mentioned goals and invite for cooperation the relevant state structures and all interested parties.

The initiative group's statement is signed by Gubad Ibadoglu, Ilham Mammadli, Yelmar Mustafa, Mirali Huseynov, Elkhan Nuriyev, Galib Togrul, Khagani Jafarli, Famil Suleymanov, Asif Talyboglu, Nofel Gasimov, Vahid Gazi, Elshan Nagiyev, Vagif Alisoy and Nasimi Sadygov.  -06В-