The ‘appearance’ of regularity

BAKU—Well, the counting’s over, and save for an “exposé” on supposed premature results of the presidential election released a day before the voting, there seems to be general agreement that, apart from some glitches and an atmosphere of intimidation leading up to the election, it was generally clean and reflective of voters’ sentiments.

The exposé, it turns out, resulted from an “exit poll” posted on the web showing the results of the voting even before the polling stations opened. But “exit poll” is the term used for surveys here, it seems, and what were published were the results of preelection surveys, which showed an overwhelming win for incumbent President Ilham Aliyev.

Still, there is word that leaders of the leading opposition coalition, the National Council of Democratic Forces, are calling for an indignation rally to contest the election results. So the next week or so should prove to be very interesting, if not tumultuous, for Azerbaijan.

The day after the vote, international observers held press conferences at the Hilton Hotel here to share their findings. By and large, the groups conceded the general regularity of the polls, with the American Observers Group noting that “no meaningful irregularities in the numerous polling stations … were observed.” It also noted the “overall transparency and fairness which were very encouraging.”

The Centrist Asia-Pacific Democrats International (Capdi), which sponsored the trip of Filipino journalists here, added that foreign observers enjoyed “free and full access to witness the whole process” and were free to “interview the voters, witnesses (watchers) and officers.” The only caveat in the statement was the need to reach out more to the young generation to encourage greater participation.

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In a statement, the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (Icapp) observed that “Azerbaijan [is] moving in the right direction to achieve more mature democracy.” It expressed admiration at the “great interest and participation demonstrated by the Azerbaijani people in the election process.”

Former Speaker Joe de Venecia, described by Pakistani senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed as the “Asian guru,” explains that Capdi and Icapp, whose formation he spearheaded,

attempt to create an “Asian” political consensus. While Icapp is made up mainly of political parties in and out of power, Capdi gathers retired and active politicians, NGO leaders, academicians, and civic figures to gather consensus on issues that cross borders and require international cooperation.

In addition, says De Venecia in a conversation, Capdi and Icapp are reaching out to counterparts in Latin America, Africa, Central Asia and the Caucasus to forge a united voice for so-called “Third World” nations.

An encouraging bit of good news is the planned construction of a “Nicaragua canal,” larger than the Panama Canal, giving world shipping an alternative route linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Icapp, in a resolution, has decided to support the proposal which seems to have gained international and continental interest and expressions of willingness to invest in the project.

That seems quite a wide range of interests and concerns—from elections in Azerbaijan to a new iteration of the Panama Canal in Nicaragua—but it seems just par for the course for someone who has found a new “frontier” after his unceremonious ouster from local politics. De Venecia says he has an “ulterior motive” in his global politicking. He says that with the Arab states in turmoil and with no end in sight, overseas Filipino workers will soon run out of destinations. New areas of the world where emerging economies are asserting themselves, such as Azerbaijan and its other oil-rich neighbors, can very well offer new jobs and opportunities for our wandering OFWs.

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Any visitor to this capital city will notice at once the proliferation of cushy shops carrying the world’s best-known and admired luxury brands, from Burberry to Louis Vuitton, Chanel to Chloe, Hermes to Dior.

Who shops in these stores? I wondered, noting that they weren’t just tiny boutiques in malls but stand-alone establishments, some occupying an entire city block.

I asked one of our youthful male interpreters if these stores catered mostly to tourists (numbering about a million a year). No, he said. “We Azeris patronize these shops.”

His country folk “are very conscious of status and appearance,” he explained. “An ordinary white-collar worker will save for an entire year just to have enough money to buy a signature suit. We would rather go hungry than look bad.”

They are also a people who love to dance, though mostly in sedate, same-sex groups, except when a man and a woman are married. The steps look quite simple—rhythmic dance moves with arms raised and hands doing graceful loops in the air. But when the music gets heated, the steps get more involved and energetic.

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IT’S a nation at a crossroads. People speak Azeri (a Turkic language) and Russian equally well, although there are also numerous regional languages. The cuisine reflects the diversity of the area—with touches of Greek, Turkish, Arabic, even European cuisine.

They are proudest, though, of their vegetables, particularly the tomatoes (dark red and sweet) and cucumbers which sell particularly well in Russia at premium prices.

We were surprised to learn that Azerbaijan has also had a thriving wine industry, with wines of amazing quality, plus vodka whose attributes range from gut-burners to smooth-as-silk. I must make clear, though, that this is all based on the testimony of drinkers in our group!