Washington Trades Human Rights for Oil in Azerbaijan

[Say_What]

More US style *democracy* for OIL.

<clips>

WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan 23 (OneWorld) -- The oil-rich nation of Azerbaijan, eagerly courted by the Bush administration, is suffering its worst repression since it became an independent state--after the Soviet collapse more than a decade ago--according to a new report released today by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The 55-page report, "Crushing Dissent: Repression Violence and Azerbaijan's Elections," details hundreds of arbitrary arrests, widespread beatings and torture, and politically motivated firings of opposition activists and supporters following October 15 presidential elections widely denounced as unfair and fraudulent by Western and other observers.

The elections confirmed Ilham Aliev as the nation's new ruler. He is the son of Heidar Aliev, a former top KGB official and Kremlin adviser, who became president two years after Azerbaijan became independent in 1991. The elder Aliev died last month while receiving medical treatment in the United States.

"Azerbaijan is experiencing its gravest human rights crisis of the past ten years," said Rachel Denber, acting director of HRW's Europe and Central Asia Division. "The government must take immediate steps to end the repression."

<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=655&e=1&u=/oneworld/20040123/wl_oneworld/4536774701074881523>

[reprobate]

1. And this is different from the US just how?

[arcane1]

2. another one to rate a 5

just goes to show that you can NEVER trust a Bush to pick our friends

[arcane1]

3. kick

:kick:

[rog]

4. How about our buddy Karimov, in Uzbekistan?

The current administration just loves these guys ... as they loved Saddam.

Smiles and handshakes all around.
http://www.thememoryhole.org/pol/us-and-uz.htm

Human Rights Watch -- Uzbekistan: Torture Death in Prison
http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/06/uzbek060303.htm

.rog.

[AliceWonderland]

5. Yes

This is one of the reasons I had such problems with the born again human rights advocates in the leadup to the Iraq invasion.

[Sufi Marmot]

6. USA vs. Russia vs. Turkey vs. Iran = Azerbaijan...

Azerbaijan is a fascinating country in that it's the nexus of three (now four, if you include the USA) competing interests: Russia, Turkey, Iran, and America. Azerbaijian has strong ties to Turkey in that both nations are linguistically Turkic, but Azeris are Shia Muslims, (like Iran), rather than Sunni (like Turkey). There are more ethnic Azeris living in northwest Iran than in all of Azerbaijan. Russia and the USA are competing in Azerbaijan over oil rights and general influence in the Caspian basin.

Oh yeah, then there was that whole Nagorno-Karabakh thing with Armenia (which was instigated by Russia...)

Could get very interesting over the next 10-15 years, depending on how things develop in that region.

Anyone read "Azerbaijan Diary" by Thomas Goltz? Really interesting book, I hope he does a sequel in 5-10 years detailing the post-Heidar era...

-SM

[Say_What]

7. Meanwhile, back in the Western Hemisphere, Colon Bowel proclaimed

today that Colombia, with the worst human rights record in this hemisphere, is eligible for military aid!!! The Bush unta redefines the word hypocrisy.