JEWISH LEADER CONFIRMS CEMETERY DESTRUCTION NOT TARGETED

UNCLAS BAKU 001412

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KIRF AJ
SUBJECT: JEWISH LEADER CONFIRMS CEMETERY DESTRUCTION NOT TARGETED
AT PARTICULAR RELIGIOUS GROUPS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.


1. (U) Since August, the Azerbaijani press has carried periodic
reports on the Baku municipality's plans to destroy a cemetery in
the city's Narimanov district, as part of a new road construction
project. The GOAJ is engaged in a massive road and infrastructure
construction effort, and has been tearing down buildings and other
structures throughout Baku as part of this effort. Based on local
press reports, some religious groups in the U.S. have raised
concerns that the cemetery destruction is targeted against
Azerbaijan's Jewish community.


2. (SBU) In a November 21 meeting, Semen Ihilov, head of
Azerbaijan's "Mountain Jewish" community (Azerbaijan's indigenous
Jewish population),confirmed that the Narimanov district cemetery
contains graves of Jews, Christians and Muslims and said that the
destruction of the cemetery is not targeted against particular
religious groups. He added that the Narimanov cemetery historically
has not been considered as a predominantly Jewish cemetery and that
there are only eight or nine Jewish graves in the site. According
to Ihilov, the Mountain Jewish Community has a separate cemetery in
Baku.


3. (SBU) Ihilov believes that the Baku municipal authorities have
not kept citizens adequately informed of the road construction work,
thereby creating rumor and misinformation about the cemetery's
destruction. According to Ihilov, Baku municipal authorities have
created a formal process for citizens with relatives buried at the
cemetery to receive compensation to move their relatives' graves.
However, in Ihilov's view, this information was disseminated
somewhat late in the process. Ihilov stressed that any problems
related to the cemetery were not targeted at the Jewish community
but, in his view, were due to the GOAJ's still-emerging efforts to
work with concerned citizens on municipal construction projects.


4. (SBU) In a sign that the GOAJ recognizes that it may have
mismanaged this issue, Baku municipal authorities announced on
November 20 the creation of a special commission "on cleaning and
setting order in the city's cemeteries." The commission consists of
19 prominent political, cultural and religious leaders, including
the Mayor of Baku and leaders from the Muslim, Russian Orthodox,
Gregorian (Armenian) and Jewish religious communities, including
Ihilov. The commission is charged with adopting the measures
necessary to bring Baku's cemeteries into proper conditions and to
develop an electronic registry for all graves.


5. (SBU) Comment: Baku is in the midst of a building boom, with
extensive private and public construction underway throughout the
city, fueled by Azerbaijan's projected USD 200 billion in energy
revenue. The GOAJ's handling of this building boom -- particularly
problems with forced evictions and closure of small commercial
enterprises -- is resulting in small, ad hoc protests by citizens
who feel that they were ill-informed or that their property rights
have been violated. Public grumbling over the destruction of the
Narimanov cemetery appears to be yet another example of ordinary
citizens' concern over the manner by which the GOAJ is implementing
new construction projects. GOAJ destruction of the cemetery does
not appear in any way to be targeted against particular religious
groups.

LU