Language Research

Representatives of national minorities, use Azerbaijani or Russian in their contacts with State organizations. They communicate freely in their own language among themselves as well as in public places in areas where they constitute the majority of the population.

Any representative of a national minority may communicate in any language in judicial proceedings. Moreover, the Constitution of Azerbaijan establishes the right of any person to use his or her own language in judicial proceedings in areas where a national minority constitutes the majority of the population.

The languages of all national minorities living in Azerbaijan are offered in schools. These languages are taught in the initial classes of secondary schools for general education, and the courses are elective and not mandatory. Teaching of the languages of national minorities and their national cultural values takes place through the use of specially designed syllabuses. In areas where national minorities constitute the main population, the following higher educational establishments exist: the Lenkoran State University, a branch of the State University of Culture and Art in Guba, and a branch of the Baku State University in Sheiki.

Until 1988, teaching in the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Azerbaijan Republic took place in Azrbaijani, Russian and Armenian. However, as a result of the aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Azerbaijan Republic, about 20% of the territory of Azerbaijan was occupied and everything of historical and cultural value (architectural monuments, schools, institutes, hospitals, libraries, kindergartens) was destroyed. The inhabitants of these areas were forcibly expelled from their places of permanent residence.

About 20 newspapers and magazines are published in Russian in the Republic, and there are broadcasts in Russian on television and radio. Newspapers are also published and radio programs transmitted in Kurdish, Lezgi, Talysh and Georgian.

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Updated (April 2002)

TALYSHI LANGUAGE

The Talyshi language, being a member of the Irani language family, belongs to the Indo-European language group. The specialists consider this language to be related to the old Avesta language.

Historically, Talyshi has been the native language of the people living in the Talyshi region in south east of Azerbaijan, in the provinces of Gilan and Ardabil and in two provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Zenjan and Gazvin).

The information about this language differs and depends on the sources.

• According to Mr. Ali Hasir, the Director of the Talysh Human Rights Project in Azerbaijan, more than one million people use Talyshi language in every day life. This language was prohibited in 1930's, during the Stalin regime, when the schools teaching in Talyshi were closed; newspapers and other media were suspended. Even after Azerbaijan gained its independence, the Talyshi language was not rehabilitated and the progress in this field is not satisfactory. Though the Talyshi language is taught at the elementary schools in the districts of Masalli, Astara, Lenkaran and Lerik, Mr. Hasir feels there are many obstacles for this language in Azerbaijan - no suitable textbooks, no newspapers, television and radio in Talyshi language, etc.
• According to Mr. Azer H. Hasret, Chairman of the Azerbaijan National Committee, the situation is different. The Talysh-speaking population does not exceed 150,000 people. Talyshs and their language were never repressed by the national majority of Azerbaijan. Instead, they used their language freely and today they have the same rights as the other nationalities including Azerbaijan Turks. There are mass media in the Talysh language in Azerbaijan. For example the weekly newspaper “Talyshi Sado” (Voice of Talysh) or some programs in state radio. The Talysh language is not prohibited in Azerbaijan.
• Mr. Eldar Zeynalov from the Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan also confirms that nobody from Azerbaijani officials prohibits or represses the Talysh speakers. On the other hand, he admits that nobody supports this minority language as well. The school textbooks in Talysh were printed four years ago. There also is no official support of media in the Talysh language despite of special decree of Azerbaijani President of 1992. Official explanation of this situation is that the schools with the Azeri language of instructions are in bad situation as well. The hidden motif could be fear that active propaganda of Talysh culture would provoke a revival of ethnic separatism in the region as in 1993 when for 2 months a self-proclaimed “Talysh Mugan Autonomous Republic” existed. Mr. Zeynalov considers the passiveness of Talyshes themselves to be negative. Nobody would object to re-printing the textbooks, and the businessmen from this rich agricultural region (Lenkaran zone) could help with that. Also, there is a numerous Talysh Diaspora in many countries, which in principle could deal with financial support of publications, sponsorship of cultural events, etc. However, they prefer to wait for assistance from the state that is weakened by war, economic stagnation and corruption.

RUSSIANS

According to 1989 Census, there were 392,300 ethnic Russians living in Azerbaijan, or 5.3% of the Republic's population. The latest Census (1999) showed that over the past 10 years the number of Russians in Azerbaijan has dropped to 141,700 or 1.8% of the population.

The Russian exodus from Azerbaijan peaked between 1990-1995 in a “period of political and economic instability in the republic.” On the other hand, restored stability and power centralization and its concentration in the hands of President Geidar Aliyev followed by consistent improvement of macroeconomic indicators brought the “migration process in Azerbaijan in line with the standards characteristic for civilized states.” By early 1996 stability in the country was restored and the exodus of ethnic Russians from Azerbaijan had effectively stopped.

According to the Azerbaijan's Constitution all citizens have equal rights and obligations. This means that the rights of ethnic minorities to work, education, medical care, pension, military service, etc., are not in any way infringed. However, it is increasingly obvious that there are no special state programs to support ethnic minorities in the Republic.

Ethnic Russians in Azerbaijan have no problem to be educated at secondary or higher level in their native language and to get information from the Russian-language mass media. The mainstream Russian TV channel program is broadcast in Azerbaijan; there are about 20 local newspapers and magazines in Russian while any periodicals published in Moscow are available through subscription.

So, if an ethnic Russian living in Azerbaijan has a stable income, there is no reason to leave the Republic. Admittedly, things are very different when there is no income. It is extremely difficult to get a new job. The Azerbaijan society is very clannish and it is, therefore, hardly surprising that Russians are the first to be sacked and the last to be employed.

It is noteworthy that there is not a single ethnic Russian holding the position of department chief in the Presidential Staff or the Cabinet of Ministers. Likewise nearly all state company managers represent the indigenous nationality. A few Russians heading private companies are rather an exception to the general rule.

Furthermore, even if an ethnic Russian in Azerbaijan does have a job, this does not always mean that he has no financial problems. Thus, in 2000 the average monthly wage in the republic was a mere 205,700 manat (approximately $ 45) as compared to 2,400 rubles ($ 85) in Russia. It will be appropriate in this context to recall that economic reasons forced more than 1 million Azerbaijanis to leave their country and seek employment in Russia. Obviously, this is the only option open to ethnic Russians who find themselves out of work in Azerbaijan.

Unlike the exodus of Russians in 1990-1995, this actually fits the definition of “migration processes characteristic of civilized states.” These processes, however, are affected by a number of factors that are not directly related to the economic situation in the country. One is a possible aggravation (including a civil war) of the internal political situation in Azerbaijan, resulting from the power struggle. Another one can be a rise in anti-Russian sentiments during a period of possible political instability. There is a strong belief in Azerbaijan that the war in Nagorny Karabakh was lost because Russia had been helping Armenia with weapons and even troops. In other words, the loss of Karabakh is blamed not so much on the Armenians themselves as on the Russians.

A combination of these two factors could produce a result similar to that brought about by migration in the first half of the 1990's. But even without that, the number of ethnic Russians in Azerbaijan will continue to decline steadily. Young people link their future with Russia, meanwhile, middle-aged Russians have to choose between following their children who have settled in Russia or sharing the fate of the older generation in Azerbaijan (the average pension is 72,000 manat, or $ 15 a month).

As a result of this evolution, in 10 to 20 years, whatever ethnic Russians will be left in Azerbaijan may be either at the Russian Embassy in Baku or in mixed Russian-Azeri families.

Source: By Vladimir Mishin, Moscow News, April 18, 2001

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Updated (August 2002)

MEDIA

In Azerbaijan radio and television broadcast, books, magazines and newspapers are published in the languages of the various national minorities living in the country. Thus the Republic radio regularly broadcasts in the Kurdish, Lezgin, Talysh, Georgian and Russian languages, which are financed from the state budget. The local radio station in the Belokan district organizes broadcasts in the Avar language, while in the Khachmas district they broadcast in the Lezgin and Tat languages. In the Gusar and Khachmas districts local television broadcasts in the Lezgin language.

In the city of Baky over dozens newspapers are published in Russian, and there are daily radio and television broadcasts in this language. The Russian programs of ORT, RTR and NTV are relayed in full content. Newspapers are also published in the Kurdish, Lezgin, Talysh and Georgian languages receiving financial assistance from the state. In particular, the newspapers “Samur“ and “Dengi Kurd” are published in the Lezgin and in Kurdish languages respectively, while in the Gusar district the newspaper “Gusar” is published in Lezgin. The Jewish society “Sokhnut” publishes the newspaper “Aziz.”

EDUCATION

According to Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Education from October 7, 1992 and Article 3 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the State language, education may be carried out also in languages of national minorities.

In thirteen districts of Azerbaijan (Gusar, Balakan, Masalli, Samuh, Lenkoran, Lerik, Ismayilli, Astara, Oguz, Khachmas, Gabala, Zagatala, Guba), in which national minorities live compactly, necessary conditions have been created to study their mother tongue, national customs, traditions and culture. In 398 secondary schools of general education 57,649 children belonging to national minorities study their mother tongue as a separate subject. More than 6,000 children belonging to national minorities attend preparatory classes of 385 schools of general education of the above-mentioned districts. In 245 schools of Lerik, Lenkoran, Astara, Masalli districts 28,949 Talysh pupils study; 23,468 Lezgin pupils attend 113 schools of Guba, Gusar, Khachmaz, Gabala, Ismayilli, Oguz districts and 5,232 pupils in 40 schools of Balakan, Gabala, Khachmaz, Zagatala, Guba and Samuh districts study in elementary classes Avar, Udin, Tat, Tsakhur, Kurdish, Khynalyg and Hebrew languages.

The State's attitude to the language of the people dwelling in the mountain village of Khynalyg is worth noting. Despite the fact the language is spoken only by these villagers and does not fit into any language group, books are published in the Khynalyg language, and a Khynalyg cultural centre operates in the Republic.

In conformation with curriculum, the languages of national minorities are studied 2 hours a week in grades 1 to 4. For studying mother tongue additionally one hour is allotted for Lazgin pupils.

During the last years altogether 17 textbook and books in Lezgin, Talysh, Tat, Kurd, Sakhur and Khynalyg and other teaching aids in languages of national minorities were published and sent to schools. Textbooks “For studying Talysh language,” “Talysh – Azerbaijani school dictionary,” “Georgian–Azerbaijani–Russian dictionary,” and the great deal of methodical literature were prepared to assist in studying languages of national minorities.

The Russian pupils at schools of general education in the country use 116 textbooks, 41 of which were published in 2001. Russians and Russian-speaking population of Azerbaijan have an opportunity to study in mother tongue in full measure and at all stages.

Source: State Reports, June 4, 2002, Council of Europe,

http://www.humanrights.coe.int/Minorities/Eng/FrameworkConvention/StateReports/Toc.htm

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Updated (October 2003)

MOSCOW SEEKS THE OFFICIAL STATUS FOR THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE

MOSCOW'S POINT OF VIEW

According to government officials in Moscow, after several years of decline following the breakup of the Soviet Union, at present the Russian language is making a comeback throughout the CIS.

Russian is a state language in Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, while in Kazakhstan it is an official language.¹ In most former Soviet republics; however, Russian is considered to be a foreign language and it is taught as such in schools and universities.

Ethnic Russians living in the CIS have long initiated campaigns to put Russian on an equal footing with other state languages. After years of a covert support, Moscow now openly backs their efforts.

On June 10, 2003 the State Duma (the Lower Chamber of Russia's legislature) debated a law that would pave the way to make Russian the official language in twelve of the fifteen former Soviet republics. The Moscow-based newspaper “Gazeta” reported that the proposed bill would allow CIS residents to file official documents using either Russian or the national language of their country.

Eleanora Mitrofanova, a former Russian lawmaker from the far-right Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, was appointed by the Duma as a first deputy foreign minister in charge of around 30 million Russians living abroad.

AZERBAIJAN'S POINT OF VIEW

Azerbaijan is one of the CIS countries where Ms. Mitrofanova started discussions about the issue of the Russian language.

The 1995 Constitution cites Azeri as the country's only official language; however, it also guarantees free use and development of all other languages.

Russian is widely spoken by the older generation, as a hangover from the Soviet Union when it was the state language. Although Azeri is the country's sole official language for ten years, some ethnic Azerbaijanis still experience difficulties with it. The change of an alphabet to the Latin one² also caused many problems.

Many scientific domains and the most available reference books are written in Russian and have not been translated into Azeri yet. Most students do not have an access to foreign literature and those Azeri translations, which are available, are of poor quality. In addition, the translation process from foreign languages has been slowed because of assimilation to the Latin alphabet.

Unless the Azerbaijani government urgently allocates funds to translate Western textbooks into Azeri, Russian will remain the reference language in higher scientific and technical education.

In addition to estimated 142,000 Russians, there are other ethnic minorities in Azerbaijan (Lezgins, Avars, Kurds, Talyshs, Tats, Belorussians and Ukrainians) for whom Russian is a lingua franca.

There are no official statistics on the use of Russian in Azerbaijan but experts generally believe that between 50 and 70 percent of citizens are familiar with the language, although not all of them use it on a daily basis. Many factors (free access to Russian schools; retransmission of Russia's main public television channels; broadcasting of Russian-language programs on the national media and a relatively large number of Russian-language newspapers) contribute to keeping it alive.

Except students, Russian is inevitable also for those who work in Russia. According to the official figures of the last census, there were some 2.16 million Azerbaijanis in Russia in 2002.³ The actual figures are probably much higher, therefore, one can reasonably say that a third or a quarter of the Azerbaijanis use Russian actively.

Today English and Turkish are competing with Russian to be a vehicle for social promotion.

According to Azerbaijani Education Minister, Misir Mardanov, 355 students graduated this year from schools operated by Cag Ogretim Islemetleri, a privately owned Turkish network of religious schools that is expanding throughout the Caucasus and Central Asia.

English is rapidly gaining ground especially among youth, yet there is still a long way to go before it will supplant Russian.

Source: Minelres News Archive, EurasiaNet, (http://www.rferl.org/), by Jean-Christophe Peuch, September 23, 2003, http://lists.delfi.lv/pipermail/minelres/2003-October/002971.html

1 The distinction is largely symbolic.

2 The Cyrillic alphabet was in use since the late 1930s, the Latin alphabet replaced it in August 2001

3 This figure does not cover only ethnic Azerbaijanis who are Russian citizens, because all people who were then in Russia had to answer a questionnaire.

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Updated (November 2003)

After Azerbaijan achieved independence in 1991, a Presidential Decree on the State Assistance for the Protection of Rights and Freedoms, Development of Languages and Cultures of National Minorities and Ethnic Groups Living in the Azerbaijan Republic (1992) was issued. About five months later, on January 1, 1993, Azerbaijan State Radio started broadcasting programs in the languages of national minorities (Lezghins, Talishes, Kurds Georgians, and Armenians).

AIRTIME DEDICATED BY THE AZERBAIJAN STATE RADIO TO PROGRAMS IN MINORITY LANGUAGES

The State Television does not air programs in the minority languages.

In addition, several local radio and television stations broadcast in minority languages:

• In the Belokan district the local radio station in the Avar language
• In the Khachmas district the local radio station in the Lezgin and Tat languages
• In the Gusar and Khachmas districts the local television in the Lezgin language (however this broadcasting have been already cancelled for unknown reasons since 2001)
• In the Lankaran, Lerik and Astara districts the local private television company “Janub” broadcasts in the Talish language
• In the city of Baku there are daily radio and television programs in Russian. The Russian programs ORT, RTR, and NTV (though the broadcasting of NTV was cancelled recently) are rebroadcast in full.

Source: Minority-language Related Broadcasting and Legislation in the OSCE, Program in Comparative Media Law and Policy (PCMLP), Center for Socio-Legal Studies, Wolfson College, Oxford University & Institute for Information Law (IViR) (http://www.ivir.nl/index-english.html), Universiteit van Amsterdam (Study commissioned by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities), April 2003, edited by T. McGonagle (IViR), B. Davis Noll & M. Price (PCMLP), http://www.ivir.nl/publications/mcgonagle/Minority-language%20broadcasting.pdf

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