Dear Members of the European Parliament

We are a group of South Azarbaijan Human Rights who live in Europe. We are in contact with our fellow countrymen in Azarbaijan, therefore we have important informations about the strained relations between Azarbaijan and Armenia. It is our belief that it is of the utmost importance that EU or UN do interfere in the area now, before it is too late to prevent another war to break out.
During summer 2004 we visited different refugee camps in Azarbaijan. The people in the camps had fled from their homes when the Armenians had occupied their country. More than 1 million people are living under very bad conditions. They are in need of the most necessary  means to lead a decent life. Many of them are women and children who have lost their husband/father during the war. They are totally dependent of what help they can get from other people or organisations. They are also a heavy burden for Azarbaijan.
People thought they were able to return to their homes after the war stopped. But they were very wrong. Their hope of returning is weakening as time goes by.  Every day they receive bad news from their homeland. The Armenians have sacked their homes and sold their belongings. The churchyards, historical and cultural monuments have been destroyed. People feel that the western world don’t care much about them. Nobody has spoken their cause in UN, and they are close to loose faith in peace in the area. They are living a life as a social bomb which can detonate any time now.
Il is a huge tragedy to which the western countries close their eyes. More than 20 % of Azarbaijan is under Armenian occupation, and there are no signs of them withdrawing. The Azarbaijan fugitives have completely lost their faith in a peaceful solution. They now believe that the only way to have their homes back is another war.
This is a disasterous development, because a new war in the area will not be of any good for any side in the conflict. On the contrary, it is likely that a war will spread to more groups in the area. Therefore it is necessary to prevent it and stop it before it starts.
That is why it is so important that democratic organisations in the western world – especially the EU interfere in the conflict very actively. Representatives from the EU ought to go to Azarbaijan themselves to look into the conditions of the refugees on the very spot. Pressure should be laid on Armenia to withdraw from the occupied areas. And the problems between Armenia and Azarbaijan should be solved in a peaceful way.
The western world can do a lot to install peace right now, but it can not do much, if another  war breaks out in the area.

South Azarbaijan Human Rights
Yours sincerely
Shahin Ostajloo
Spokesman for S.A.H.R
17-12-2004