Fun facts on Azerbaijan and elections

[Canuckistanian]

In honor of the meeting between Bush and Azerbaijan's leader Ilham Aliyev.

From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijan

After the presidential elections of October 15, 2003, an official release of the Central Election Committee (CEC) gave Isa Gambar — leader of the largest opposition bloc, Bizim Azerbaycan ("Our Azerbaijan") — 14% percent of the electorate and the second place in election. Third, with 3.6%, came Lala Shevket Hajiyeva, leader of the National Unity Movement, the first woman to run in presidential election in Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, Human Rights Watch and other international organizations, as well as local independent political and NGOs voiced concern about observed vote rigging and a badly flawed counting process.

* Human Rights Watch commented on these elections: "Human Rights Watch research found that the government has heavily intervened in the campaigning process in favor of Prime Minister Ilham Aliev, son of current President Heidar Aliev. The government has stacked the Central Election Commission and local election commission with its supporters, and banned local non-governmental organizations from monitoring the vote. As the elections draw nearer, government officials have openly sided with the campaign of Ilham Aliev, constantly obstructing opposition rallies and attempting to limit public participation in opposition events. In some cases, local officials have closed all the roads into town during opposition rallies, or have extended working and school hours—on one occasion, even declaring Sunday a workday—to prevent participation in opposition rallies."

Spread that freedom, Shrub!

[dipsydoodle]

1. By coincidence

the mother of one of the American swing dancers here in the UK was an election observer in Azerbaijan at those elections - all of the observers were kicked out.

The key issue there is the BP pipeline across to Turkey and nothing is allowed to happen which would disrupt that. We had a full TV program on that pipeline which passes through Georgia. It's route is heavily policed in an effort to maintian secrecy. I got the impression that any villagers who complain about the situation are violently discouraged from doing so.

It's worth remembering that BP is what the original Anglo Iranian Oil Company was renamed after the 1953 overthrow of the government of Persia by the British aided by the CIA. I've posted this before on a different thread but here it is again anyway :
http://www.lobster-magazine.co.uk/articles/l30iran.htm

[Canuckistanian]

2. Thanks for the link

I'm interested in the Iranian coup of 1953. I hadn't seen this site.

[enigma000]

3. so the US didn't rig this election, unlike

the ones in Ukraine, Georgia, Iraq (Germany? Canada?)

This is a bad thing?

[dipsydoodle]

4. Subtle difference

in that the USA did nothing to prevent them from being rigged.

[Canuckistanian]

5. I was just noting certain "similarities"

Between US and Azerbaijan election "strategies".

[enigma000]

6. Of course the other way of looking at it

is regardless of who wins, it appears to have a pro-American taint to it. The old leader in Ukraine was part of the coalition of the willing. Its not like Martin was going to withdraw Canadian troops from NATO operations in Afghanistan. Is the new PM in Iraq any less friendly toward the US than al-Jaffari?

Is the opposition in Azerbaijan anti-American?