If not now, when?! If not us, who?

A mind-boggling event in the history of independent Azerbaijan happened on July 14, 2020 testifying to the profound crisis of conscience of all country’s elites. That evening thousands of citizens began coming in crowds on Azadlyg square protesting against the further act of aggression of Armenia. Then the flowing crowd started moving toward Shahidler Avenue. The crowds flooded onto a square in front of Milli Majlis and adjoining streets. Meeting participants tallied tens of thousands, and the figure tended to grow on night July 14 and morning July 15. Despite rumored promises to speak, nobody addressed protesters, except for Defense Minister’s statement that protesters should go home, appear next day at a military commissariat to sign on as soldiers and take part in military operations.

Extraordinariness of the situation was that no elite representatives appealed to the people, nor backed its will. Inconceivable event – another evidence of the deepest spiritual crisis.

In the meanwhile, the spontaneous meeting in support of the army was growing into chaos: lack of response caused indignation; the latter led to radicalization of the state of mind and disorders (police car turned over, attempted rush into a building of Milli Majlis, etc.). As a consequence, police dispersed the demonstration using water cannons, gas, etc. and finally arrested some participants of the spontaneous meeting. In the meantime, Azerbaijani TV-channels were engaged in broadcasting anything but events in near vicinity of the State Television AzTV. Live from the square was run by unknown voluntaries who can be charged with foregone action and, hence, anti-government activities. It’s pitiable! Myths and half-truths about the14-15 July meeting organizers as a masked form of self-justification of the hunkered-down elite filled in domestic mass media and are currently sold at the external information market.

Overnight 14 into morning July 15 the society missed historical opportunity to start consolidating the Azerbaijani people with their elite: politicians, military, businessmen, clergy and men of culture and science – none of them ventured to start dialogue with their own people. To what are foreceasts scored (mot made publicly though) that dialoguing with the public is privately prohibited and all attempts of this sort are punished as encroachement upon statehood? In principle forecasts of this kind are veracious: there is score or two of instances of arbitrariness of the authorities against organizations and individuals that ventured on «unsanctioned» actions. However, time is presently ripe when punitive measures cease to end in expected impact. And the latest meeting is an eloquent testimony to the conclusion.

The bottom line is that our elite and we, in particular, are unaware of the country we live in. We are too lazy and hen-hearted to take an unbiased look at Azerbaijan and have the courage of speaking the truth aloud to the state and society.

That’s why the above-mentioned events are always unpredictable and fraught with more serious and dangerous consequences unless … Unless we start changing. Unless we realize existential threat to the Azerbaijani statehood, other probable risks in the nearest future, new international challenges. Suffice it to say that the pandemic coincided with a new cycle of economic recession; hence, the country has to stand a double blow.

At present, a buoying factor is that the most society is standing for changes against conservatives seeking to freeze the situation. However, conservatives are in overwhelming minority, so we must capitalize on the situation.

What sort of objectives are we pursuing? In the first turn, creation of a self-sufficient state capable of independently resolving its local, regional and international issues.

What are methods to attain these goals? What methods are to be chosen – political, economic, spiritual or military ones? We need revolutionary methods; not ones that shattered society and backed it into greater bondage. We need a spiritual revolution which is behind most prosperous states, including Christian, Moslem, Buddhist, Hindu, etc. Our Islamic intellectuals have to identify Moslem values promoting society’s consolidation, formation of positive labor ethics, political and economic growth. Are intellectuals of this sort in Azerbaijan? Let’s see an answer from religious intellectuals.

Our men of science, culture, literature and art must suggest values capable of consolidating the Azerbaijanis and diasporas. Let’s wait.

Our political intellectuals must explain what political system they are devising. Will they ever answer?!

Our economic intellectuals must explain why has original accumulation of capital drawn out so long on and what shall we face with after the process termination? Looking forward to their response.

All intellectuals should find motives of Azerbaijanis’ addiction to corruption. Can we answer this question?!

Beyond any doubt, the central political figure of Azerbaijan is President who has initiated the current reform. It is obvious that appointments to the senior positions are to be followed by formation of counterbalances between executive, legislative and judicial power that have never been in existence in Azerbaijan. This is the first, indispensable prerequisite for continuation of large-scale reforms. Also, strategic directions of these reforms should become a talking point of numerous debates to irrevocably end in nationwide forum and activities program.

I’m knowingly concluding debates over necessary measures having in mind that the issues above call for extraordinary political will and highest challenge of society and related elites.

At critical moments of our history I happened to issue statements of this sort. I’ve always received a firm public silence in reply. It has been explained as being due to the fact that the case touched on our domestic problems. However, the situation is markedly different today: Azerbaijan is facing system external threats challenging our statehood. Under current circumstance the silence implies adjudication of our bankruptcy. The time is ripe for future routing.