"Insults, threats, attempts to hack social networks" Activist Efendiyeva persists: call us, don't be afraid!

Caliber.Az interviews Dinara Efendiyeva, who is an Azerbaijani civil rights activist and the Head of the “Woman: Peace and Security” Center within the Society for Protecting Women’s Rights named after D. Aliyeva. She is one of the active members taking part in the protest rally organized by the Azerbaijani public on a section of the Shusha-Khankendi road.

- The protest on the Shusha-Khankendi road is continuing for the 8th day. As we have already reported, you have appealed to the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan living in the zone that is under the temporary responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent (RPC) to provide them with humanitarian assistance if necessary. Even a hotline has been set up for this purpose. Please tell me, do you continue to receive appeals on this issue?

- Yes, both my phone number and the hotline number continue to receive large numbers of calls and appeals.

- All from the Karabakh region?

- Unfortunately, most of the calls come from Armenians living in Russia, Europe and the USA, and the vast majority of them are of an offensive nature. Not only did the callers insult me, but they were also threatening me and my family and trying to hack into my social media accounts. With regard to that, my phone number was published on Armenian social networks with an appeal to start a campaign of harassment.

- Did nobody from the zone that is under temporary responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers call?

- Why not? Calls were also made by citizens of our country of Armenian origin living in Karabakh and by several people from Armenia whose relatives live in Karabakh. Against this background, I was particularly struck by the call of a woman from Khankendi, who said that people are tired of this situation and want a speedy resolution of the conflict and to live in peace.

Another caller informed me that they had launched a campaign to discredit our hotline, looking for an agenda in our actions, while we were merely extending a helping hand to the general public.

There have also been calls from people that are genuinely concerned about the situation and interested in the soon signing of a peace treaty between our countries. They spoke of the need for establishing communication between the people, a dialogue that would make it possible to better understand each other’s problems and needs and would serve to bring each other closer together.

But speaking in general terms, calls from them were really not a lot.

- From your point of view, due to what could that be?

- In my opinion, there are a number of reasons. First of all, it indicates that there is a tough, I would even say severe censorship in this region that is not under the control of official Baku. People living in the zone, which is under the temporary responsibility of peacekeepers, are just afraid to call us, to ask for help. I have also received calls admitting that Armenian secret services and separatist gangs are monitoring such contacts and intimidating the local population.

It is worth mentioning that Yerevan and the top separatists point to the population of Karabakh being a fantastic 120,000. But our experience and elementary logic suggest that in the “grey zone” there are much fewer people. Therefore, there are fewer calls and requests to us.

- The Armenian propaganda persistently claims a “humanitarian crisis” in Karabakh. You have been among the participants of the rally for more than a week. What can you say about that?

- Of course, this is all propaganda rubbish. There is no humanitarian crisis in the area of responsibility of the RPC. We remain committed to communicating with the local population, do not hinder anyone and are ready to create any conditions required for the passage of all peaceful Armenians through the territory where the protest is held, especially those in need of help: old people, women and children.

According to our information, the top leader of the separatist regime, represented by Vardanyan, deliberately prevents peaceful Armenians from traveling to the protest site for their passage, spreading false information that the Azerbaijani side has blocked the road. Therefore, I remind you once again that the humanitarian protesters have not blocked the road, we are not closing anything.

I am also surprised that if we, the participants of the rally, have the opportunity to negotiate with the peacekeeping forces on the passage of willing people and humanitarian goods, why does the Armenian side not take use of the same opportunity? They also have contacts and leverage. But instead of cooperating and solving the problems of ordinary people, they prefer to declare their “problems” to the whole world and accuse Azerbaijanis of violating their rights, but, in fact, holding the ordinary population hostage.

I would also like to note that this morning, family members of one of the Russian peacekeepers drove from Khankendi toward Lachin. Participants of the action created all conditions for their unhindered passage.

I would like to take this opportunity and once again recall the number of the hotline: +994 70 277 99 11. Call and do not be afraid, we are always ready to help those who need it. Our hotline is run by volunteers who take part in various training courses on conflict resolution, peacekeeping and the teaching of tolerance.