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'Orange Opposition' Demonstration in Baku |
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 19 June 2005 |
Three prominent opposition parties of Azerbaijan, the Musavat, the
People's Front of Azerbaijan (PFPA) and the Democratic Party of
Azerbaijan, which from the Azatlik (Freedom) Group held a demonstration
in the capital Baku Saturday. Thousands chanted slogans like "Freedom",
"Democratic Elections" and "Resign".
Referring to the orange revolution in Ukraine, wearing cloths and
holding orange flags, demonstrators often caused tension between the
police and themselves. Some young demonstrators, however, handed out
carnations to the police officers. Many of the banners written in
English demanded primarily support of the US and its president George
W. Bush and the Western world in democratization process in the region.
Ali Karimli, leader of the PFPA described President Ilham Aliyev's
administration anti-democratic and claimed it was approached its end.
Indicating that if the current government does not resign, they would
carry out a democratic revolution, Karimli said: " If attempts are made
to falsify the parliamentary elections, using our constitutional
rights, we will call on the people to rise in peaceful struggle against
the current regime." Musavat Party's Deputy President Arif Hacili, on
the other side, called on the people to vote for democracy in the
parliamentary elections.
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