ICRC's long track record of xenophobic policies extends beyond Azerbaijan Experts cite examples of organisation's dubious behaviour

The Regional Director of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for Europe and Central Asia, Ariane Bauer, made a series of anti-Azerbaijani statements, essentially accusing Azerbaijan of planning to attack neighbouring Armenia, as Caliber.Az previously reported, citing Russian Telegram channels. The absurdity of this is staggering. This is not the first time that the ICRC has carried out such provocations against Azerbaijan. We have repeatedly seen that double standards, anti-Turkish chauvinism, the indulgence of Armenian provocations, total indifference to the problems of Azerbaijanis, etc. reign in this international organisation.

What are the motives that drive and guide the ICRC? Why should this humanitarian organisation argue with Azerbaijan? Caliber.Az asked foreign political analysts to respond to these questions.

According to Ukrainian international political scientist Maksym Yali, the activities of the Ukrainian branch of the ICRC were extremely ineffective and reminiscent of the feigned "humanism" shown by the ICRC towards the Azerbaijani prisoners.

"We remembered the ICRC for not making any special effort to gain access to Ukrainian military personnel in Russian captivity, showing extremely little interest in this very important issue. Although who else but the ICRC should protect their rights," said Yali.

Azamat Gulyayev, a Kazakh political scientist and a candidate for political science, noted that the activities of the ICRC raise questions in many countries of the world. Moreover, history is full of examples of the organisation's representatives being at the centre of political and corruption scandals.

"First of all, the ICRC helped Nazi criminals escape justice after the end of the Second World War. Twenty years ago, the ICRC admitted that after the Second World War, it had issued documents to several high-ranking Nazis (including Adolf Eichmann, Klaus Barbier, Erik Priebke and Josef Mengele) that enabled them to escape justice in Latin America and subsequently to visit Europe. This was allegedly because the organisation's staff were very busy. They could not distinguish between Nazis and ordinary refugees," the political scientist recalled.

However, he said, a number of the ICRC's actions in Azerbaijan openly show that this humanitarian mission has become entangled with organised crime and has consistently pursued a policy of double standards.

"The structure, which is supposed to help people in the most critical circumstances, like war, actually did the opposite. For example, the Red Cross openly supplied smuggled goods to Armenian separatists in Khankendi and was caught red-handed by Azerbaijani border guards. But what is most appalling is the cynicism and indifference of the ICRC during the First Karabakh War, when the organisation simply ceased to care about the fate of Azerbaijani military and civilian prisoners held by the Armenians, even though it was well aware of the inhuman conditions in which they were being held. Many of them later died in captivity, Azerbaijanis were practically kept like cattle, tortured and inflicted with severe physical injuries. The Red Cross has been completely inactive on this issue, although for some reason it recently began to show extreme concern when Azerbaijan arrested Armenian terrorists, whose hands soaked in the blood of many innocent Azerbaijanis, whose crimes are confirmed by many witnesses and whom the Azerbaijani authorities have been trying to arrest for decades. In other words, we see once again that ICRC staff have begun to take an unhealthy interest in Nazi criminals.

One wonders why the ICRC is defending thugs, murderers and bandits. I think the answer is obvious. In each case, high-ranking representatives of this organisation were either involved or bribed, they were agents of xenophobic sentiments. The latest case, in which the ICRC has once again proved that it is not a neutral body, and the ludicrous and unfounded allegations made by Ms Ariane Bauer against Azerbaijan, are nothing short of shocking. All this shows that the activities of the ICRC are extremely toxic and require investigation and international condemnation," Azamat Gulyayev said.