Dokument #1150177
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
In telephone interviews on 27 April and 2
May 1995, a history professor, who specializes in Azerbaijan, at
the University of Massachusetts in Amherst provided the following
information. The professor interviewed Iskandar Hamidov, the
founder and leader of the Grey Wolves twice while it was still an
organization and before it became a political party: in Baku in
late November 1992, and in Washington in late January 1993. During
those interviews, Mr. Hamidov told the professor that the Grey
Wolves of Azerbaijan are not subordinate to the Turkish group, the
Grey Wolves, and characterized the Azerbaijani group as a
nationalistic and anti-communist organization.
The professor stated that the Azerbaijani
and Turkish Grey Wolves have a number of common themes and goals,
but that there does not appear to be any direct organizational
link. The Azerbaijani Grey Wolves possess a vague political
ideology and are not as well organized politically as the Turkish
group. The Azerbaijani group stresses Turkic national
consciousness, and attempts to promote a Turkic cultural revival.
The cultural affinities between the two groups are more pronounced
than the political interests.
The professor added that the Grey Wolves of
Azerbaijan have never participated in an election; consequently, it
is difficult to gauge their strength and support. Their support
tends to be concentrated in Baku and in Mr. Hamidov's birthplace,
the town of Terter. The professor added that the role of the Grey
Wolves in the 17 March 1995 attempted mutiny in Baku is
unclear.
For additional information on the Grey
Wolves in Azerbaijan, please consult the attachments.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Professor, Department of History,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst. 2 May 1995. Telephone
interview.
_____. 27 April 1995. Telephone
interview.
Agence France Press (AFP). 25 March
1995. "Ultra-Nationalist Movement Dissolved, Leader Arrested."
(NEXIS)
ANI News Agency. 10 June 1994.
"Proceedings Begin Against Independent Editor." (Monitor
[Washington, DC]. 8 July 1994. Vol. 5, No. 14, p. 13)
Associated Press (AP). 29 March 1995.
"Media Protest Against Censorship." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 28
March 1995. "Chechnya; Situation in Chechnya Remains Tense: Support
for Militants Dwindles." (NEXIS)
_____. 24 March 1995. "Former
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Detained After Coup." (NEXIS)
_____. 22 March 1995. "Former Interior
Minister Faces Prosecution." (NEXIS)
_____. 6 February 1995. "Military
Situation; Russia Says 3,000 Foreign Muslim Mercenaries Fighting
for Dudayev." (NEXIS)
_____. 7 January 1995. "Other Reaction:
Azerbaijan Denies More than 30 Volunteers Killed in Chechnya."
(NEXIS)
Current Digest of the Post Soviet
Press. 12 April 1995. Aidyn Mekhtiyev. "Diplomacy: Moscow and
Baku are Displeased with Each Other." (NEXIS)
Za Vilnu Ukrayinu [Lvov, in
Ukrainian]. 22 March 1995. "Anti-Bolshevik Bloc Protests 'Political
Terror'." (FBIS-SOV-95-061 30 Mar. 1995, p. 67)
Segodnya [Moscow, in Russian]. 1
September 1994. "Nationalist Group Sends Volunteers to Chechnya."
(FBIS-SOV-94-171 2 Sept. 1994, p. 56)
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
(TASS). 31 March 1995. Sevinj Abdullayeva and Viktor Shulman.
"Azerbaijan Outlaws 'Grey Wolves'." (NEXIS)
The Moscow Times. 21 October
1994. Arkady Popov. "The Threat of Chechnya." (NEXIS)
Turan [Baku, in English]. 9 April
1994. "New 'Boz Gurd' Political Party Registered." (FBIS-SOV-94-069
11 Apr. 1994, p. 58)
_____. 24 March 1995. "Justice Ministry
Decides to Liquidate 'Boz Gurd'." (FBIS-SOV-95-058 27 Mar. 1995,
pp. 82-83)
_____. 27 December 1993. "'Boz Gurd'
Party Holds First Conference." (FBIS-SOV-93-247 28 Dec. 1993, p.
49)
_____. 22 March 1995. "Boz Gurd Party
Protests Arrest of Leader." (FBIS-SOV-95-056 23 Mar. 1995, p.
66)