Iranian Azeris seek rights, Turkey's support
Iranian Azeris' quest for rights puts Turkey in a difficult spot as it manages relations with Iran.
By Alakbar Raufoglu for SES Türkiye -- 08/06/12
Aimed at giving momentum to a movement for broader rights and freedom in "South Azerbaijan" -- the Azeri-populated northwest of Iran -- members of the Azeri minority are calling on Turkey to support their ethnic brethren's struggle following the establishment of the Azerbaijani National Council (ANC) in Istanbul last month.
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![A Turkish ultra-nationalist holds Turkey and Azerbaijan flags during a protest against Armenia in central Istanbul on February 26th. [Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/06/08/ALAKBARphoto-310_213.jpg)
A Turkish ultra-nationalist holds Turkey and Azerbaijan flags during a protest against Armenia in central Istanbul on February 26th. [Reuters]
![A Turkish ultra-nationalist holds Turkey and Azerbaijan flags during a protest against Armenia in central Istanbul on February 26th. [Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/06/08/ALAKBARphoto-800_550.jpg)
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Azeris -- Turkic-speaking Shiites who make up an estimated 25% of Iran's population of 70 million -- have long complained that their rights are stifled in Iran, where mother tongue education is limited and national identity and cultural rights restricted.
Turkey has established close political and economic relations with the post-Soviet state of Azerbaijan since its independence, but Turkish policymakers have long expressed less interest in the views of Azeri dissidents in Iran.
But recently Iranian Azeris have managed to organise in Ankara at a time when Turkey's close "brother" Azerbaijan is in the midst of a major political rift with Tehran. Viewed from Tehran, the independent secular state of Azerbaijan and rising ethnic demands constitute a threat to national unity in a multi-ethnic Islamic state.
The South Azeris' move comes as pro-democracy movements in the broader Middle East have put Turkey in the position of backing opposition movements, most notably in Syria, where Iran and Turkey have come out on different sides of the ongoing uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
But Cemal Mehmethanoglu, the ANC's spokesperson in Ankara, says the ruling AKP government is wary of supporting Iranian Azeris due to pressure from Iran.
"All we expect from Turkish leaders is to find the will within themselves and advocate for our basic rights in South Azerbaijan; at least let us get organised here [in Turkey], just like Syrian opposition does," he told SES Türkiye. "It's also in Turkey's national interest to have Azeri-Turkic rights protected in the neighbourhood," he added.
Faced with its own ethnic problems in the Kurdish issue, Turkey is wary of playing the Azeri card in Iran, where it has substantial economic interests and seeks to maintain amiable political relations in the name of broader regional stability.
As a result, Davud Turan, the chairman of the South Azerbaijan Social and Cultural Research Centre, emphasises that the creation of ANC in Ankara "wasn't easy" for the organisers.
"We do understand that Turkish politicians care about the relationship with Iran. But our struggle is not political, this is a basic human rights issue and we expect all countries to help us," he told SES Türkiye, adding that Azeri culture in Iran is "vanishing."
"If Turkey still wants to be a main regional player, [it] should open its doors to us," he emphasised.
The ANC plans to open a permanent office in Ankara in the coming weeks.
"We hope the Turkish government will not stop us this time, as we're representing 90% of Azeri Turks," Mehmethanoglu said.
For many in Ankara, however, it is hard to speak of a monolithic Iranian Azeri population. Many Azeris have been integrated into the economic and political fold of Iran. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the former prime minister and leader of the opposition Green Movement, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, are both ethnic Azeris.
Mehmet Sahin, an analyst at the Centre for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) -- an Ankara-based think tank, told SES Türkiye that Azeri federalist or nationalist groups inside Iran have long overstated their influence, "although the situation is changing so rapidly that it's impossible to predict the future."
"Generally speaking, I don't think that Turkey might enter into this issue, as there are already some problems between Tehran and Ankara, such as Syria. Also, Turkey is unlikely to support ethnic activities in its neighbourhood, while it is suffering from ethnic problems. This is not an Ankara-type policy," he explained.
Murat Yildirim, an AKP deputy and member of the parliamentary human rights commission, said that human rights issues are one of main topics discussed with Iran, but highlights that Turkey "will stand by human rights and democracy in the region, without damaging international relations."
"We have a very deep relationship with the Iranian people. We also share common values, close family connections with Azeris in Iran and abroad," he told SES Türkiye.
"But it's up to Iranian Azeris how to protect their national identity," he added.
What do you think of this article? (Total Votes )
138 Like(s)
53 Dislike(s)
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I like such news features a lot and I liked this one too. It is great! Thank you!
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Unfortunately Turkey has not any national policy whereas in developed countries, a policy for at least next 50 years is prepared and whichever government comes to power, they must conform with this policy. Our daily, narrow minded policies do indeed make the matter tangled. We have neither a defense policy nor any policy with our neighbours nor a technological, cultural and economic policy, always daily. This indeed shows that Turkey is sitting on a very fragile floor.
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Gosh! Turks were not recognizing Kurdish identity and now deeply occupied with another society talking their own language in another country. I …. the justice of this world (Translator’s note: Commentator had used bad language here). Then, whatever Kurds do will be right.
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Here is B.O.P. The year is 1984. The things written in a book that I’ve read in 1984 about Israel and Zionism have been impleneting step by step. It’s a plan set up its targets in 40’s. It has been materialized speedily nowadays: First, to set against each other and divide ethnic and religious grous in Lebanon thus make them unstable (already been done on early 80’s). To move Palestinians to Jordan and ensure them to stay there (This could not been materialized completely due to the struggle of PLO. They are trying to make this region unstable by using Hamas and abloish the legitimacy of Palentinians.). Then, to divide Iraq into three as Shi’ite-Sunni-Kurd (still trying to do it). Thereafter, to divide Syria into three in the same way (Here, Turkey plays an active role too). After that, to divide Iran into three as Turk-Persian-Kurd (it should be noted that the population of Turks are bigger than Persians in Iran and this had been tried previously but could not been done as the Turks had not been deceived.) The target is, Promised Land which is located in a part of so-called Kurdistan on the Turkish lands. The holiness of these lands comes from the petrol underneath and from the grain growing over them. You can be sure that the matter is not only that. After all these, the target will be Caucasia. Why? Of course because of the petrol underneath and the grain over it.
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Such a foreign policy deserves such a demand – it’s just like wearing a ten dollar hat on a five cent head. I think they should have asked for support from Kurdish politicians. Thye know it better and have more conscious policies. We are already supporting more than we can afford anyway – Libyan opposition, Egyptian opposition, Syrian opposition, Iraqi opposition, and Iran is next. I wonder if there are others on the list.
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It would be great if Azeri people unite.
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I am an Iranian Azeri and I love Iran. All Azeris in Iran are like me. Moreover, the leader of Iran is Azeri. These matters have been exaggerated and fabricated. Azerbaijan is a part of Iran. If you look back to the Iran Safavid state, you will see. All their shahs were Azeri, but they loved and ruled in favor of Iran. Such things will not happen, at least among Iranian Azeris. It is true that some Kurds want to be independent. And so do Arabs. But Azeris are never like that.
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Hello. I’m Sajjad Mahdavi. I’m reaching you from west Azerbaijan of Iran. We’re having hard days in Iran. This state does not treat Azeri Turks well. I don’t have enough money to immigrate to my beautiful native land of Turkey. I request you to value us, Turks and invite me for a good education for free so that I can come. I’ve declared to Turkish authorities that I don’t have enough money to come to Turkey. Help me to come to Turkey to continue my education. May God bless you.
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I don’t accept the word “Azeri”; when did Turks, that came to Anatolia from Iran, become Azeri? How different are they from a person, for example, in Erzurum? The fellow who say he is an Iranian Azeri is talking nonsense. They founded their own country in 1945-46 and initiated a modernization process well beyond Iran’s. Let him go to Tirextur matches and speak there if he dares, then let’s see whether he can survive or not there. Turkish people are awakening, we’re with our Turkish brothers everywhere and all the time. My brother Sajjad Mahdavi, Turkey is giving scholarship to a number of citizens in every country. Iran doesn’t have any, but there are Turkish schools or Yunus Emre cultural centers in Azerbaijan and Turkey or whichever country that you can go; if you consult these people they will assist you in finding a scholarship. If you can not go, send them e-mail. Your can find their email address on the internet.
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