“Garabagh restoration project to spur reintegration of Armenians” Sharip Ishmukhamedov on Caliber.Az

The launch of the reintegration process in liberated Garabagh certainly raises many questions that require competent answers. This is a competent approach to working with the local population, and the Armenians of Garabagh, who left in a hurry, under pressure from the separatist junta, now do not exclude the possibility of returning.

As Kazakh political pundit, economist, Ph. D. in politics Sharip Ishmukhamedov noted in an interview with Caliber.Az, the problems of reintegration need to be solved quickly, for which specific mechanisms should be used. If we approach this process deeply and in detail, we must take into account that the social and economic results of reintegration will not begin to appear immediately - this takes time. Only after some period of time will it be possible to see a positive effect.

If we use what will work now and immediately, then, according to the expert, we should focus on informative, political measures, for example, social propaganda for the local population. This is necessary, first of all, to create an atmosphere of trust and good neighborliness, to defuse tension, which could attract both Armenians, who have already left Garabagh and those who remained in the region.

“I would note that social propaganda measures that are broadcast through the media could help make the reintegration process much more effective. For example, such symbolic gestures could be announcements about the recruitment of citizens to protect and care for churches, cultural sites, museums, and to care for cemeteries. Who should do this? It is clear that the best candidates for such work are local Armenians. Such an attitude will directly testify to Azerbaijan’s policy of maintaining and preserving the heritage and cultural sites of the Armenian people, dispel myths in this regard, help resolve employment issues for certain segments of the population, and create a tendency to return.

Another conditional option is to announce the hiring of teachers with knowledge of the Azerbaijani and Armenian languages as part of the reintegration process, courses teaching Armenian youth Azerbaijani language. This could have a good effect on the older generation of Garabagh Armenians, many of whom speak Azerbaijani. The opportunity to master the state language may also be of interest to those Armenians who left out of despair and are now determined to return if lucrative job offers appear,” the expert suggested.

In his opinion, as a symbolic gesture towards the Armenian population, one can try to involve former local “deputies” or “officials” in various activities. Of course, if they did not violate Azerbaijani legislation at one time and are committed to constructive cooperation with the country’s authorities.

“Even if such work is temporary or with a probationary period, it can be useful as a working element of socio-political propaganda for establishing more trusting contacts with the local population. By the way, another option is possible - to create a reintegration information point right on the border with Armenia, so that Armenians could get acquainted with all the benefits and opportunities of living in Azerbaijan without entering the territory of Garabagh,” the expert suggested.

Nevertheless, as Sharip Ishmukhamedov emphasizes, from the very beginning, it is worth focusing on economic instruments of reintegration. These are aspects of welfare, development or restoration of a business lost as a result of relocation.

“Here it makes sense to think about temporary residence permits in Garabagh. That is, someone will not acquire citizenship immediately, but will receive some kind of temporary document,” suggests the Kazakh political expert, adding that this approach will help residents of the region make the right, rational, deliberate decision about where they should live and what to do.

“The tax breaks already announced by Baku and investment guarantees for both Armenian and Azerbaijani entrepreneurs in the Garabagh region can spur the reintegration process. The attractiveness of this method, as they say, is obvious. Nevertheless, it is worth returning to a very pressing problem - the creation or restoration of previously functioning schools and kindergartens for Armenian families in Garabagh. Of course, with the compulsory study of the Azerbaijani language from the first grades or in pre-school institutions. The emergence of such educational institutions will remove a lot of questions for Armenian families wishing to reintegrate into Azerbaijani society, the process will go much faster,” concludes Sharip Ishmukhamedov.