“But ideological risks know no borders, especially in today’s world, the world of the internet, the world of cyberattacks, the world of artificial intelligence. Therefore, we must protect ourselves from ideological provocations. How? First and foremost, of course, through education” – President Ilham Aliyev voiced these words at the VIII Congress of the New Azerbaijan Party on October 2. Unfortunately, just a few days after the Congress, we witnessed firsthand the potential for our educational institutions to become a nest and tool for ideological provocations.
Undoubtedly, the fact that the head of state touched upon such a topic within the framework of the ruling party’s Congress is not a coincidence. The President’s aforementioned words are a clear warning message directed at provocative forces: “your malicious intentions and plans are known to us.” We must state without hesitation and without avoiding biased criticism that the threats coming from all thorny paths that lead to ideological provocations on the statehood level must be immediately stopped. In such matters, it is unacceptable to use soft rhetoric that creates hope for political bargaining and negotiations with provocateurs. The inviolability of national interests and the stability of stability, which have been the target of enemies at all times, demand this.
Yes, it is a fact that in the rapidly developing modern era of internet technologies, ideological provocations know no borders. In a situation dominated by the internet, which makes the borders between real life and the virtual world seem invisible, it is impossible to build a defense fortress against ideological provocations. The recurrence of such provocations must be prevented through strict, and sometimes even unpopular, methods. Populism can lead to the branching of events and the worsening of the wound. If ideological provocations are a barrel full of gunpowder, then irresponsible demagoguery is a matchbox that can explode that barrel. It is precisely for this reason that social networks resemble wild jungles more due to the “strange” behavior of some. Let’s not forget that even the slightest carelessness in the ideological sphere can lead to great consequences.
Citizens of our homeland, who have witnessed various provocations many times, know well that there are several main qualities inherent in all ideological provocations: speculative reference to national customs and traditions; presenting the rules established by relevant laws to society as a system of restrictions; presenting an alternative position; distortion of truth; playing with people’s nationalist feelings; dividing society into different camps; creating emotional tension by touching upon sensitive topics, etc. All of this has only one name: manipulation.
Undoubtedly, the above are traditional methods of classic manipulation. The main factor that impulses and activates them is artificially created emotional tension. To clarify the real causes and goals of some of the scenes we witness, it is enough to know this simple political truth. Let’s also recall other words of President Ilham Aliyev, voiced at the Congress, in the development of the current context: “Therefore, the time has come to properly organize ideological work, to abandon templates, to abandon formal events. That is, new, modern ideological work must be carried out. Our advantage is that, unlike some countries, we do not need to create a myth.” Avoiding the implementation of this directive from the head of state is itself a provocation.
If we comprehensively consider the ordered events aimed at creating a political scandal and hype regarding school uniforms, we can see that these events also have passive participants. Although they do not openly associate themselves with the provocateurs, they want to take advantage of the situation. Therefore, the events that have occurred have also served to expose passive provocateurs. Thus, Azerbaijani society, through the lens of the events that have taken place, is witnessing the process of taking away the last tool of manipulation from the hands of provocateurs who are enemies of stability and sovereignty.
A nation with a beautiful tradition of addressing elders as “teacher” should have science, not naked emotion, as its object of admiration. If knowledge is wealth, then the most benevolent profession in the world is teaching. If knowledge is light, then the teacher is the lamp of this light. If youth is entrusted to us, then the teacher is the guardian of this trust. If we agree with the above, then the auditorium is a sanctuary, and reading and teaching are worship. Our well-mannered youth should follow this worship.
Those who drag Azerbaijan into some ideological choice through emotional games are greatly mistaken. The state’s specific decision is not a manifestation of ideological and religious choice. All steps taken in the current direction are a manifestation of the principled stance shown against ideological provocations. We must distinguish between religious attributes used for pressure and control and the individual feelings of faith that constitute people’s pure and sublime feelings. Emotions used for political games have nothing to do with people’s sublime love for the Creator. Using people’s sublime and selfless feelings to create emotional tension and using them as tools in “dirty” games – this is true immorality, and there can be no justification for such attempts. Such people have nothing to do with true Islam, which glorifies science and mercy.
If we look at the political experience of world states, we can see that the main factor provoking any country into ideological provocations is the weakness of its information policy. Gaps created in the existing direction of state policy are filled with ideological “waste” in a short period. It is precisely for this reason that the President emphasized in his aforementioned speech that new, modern ideological work must be carried out.
It is gratifying that the vast majority of political parties operating in the country, despite the efforts of some forces, did not participate in provocations. The current situation is gratifying because parties are one of the main political institutions that unite society and ensure solidarity. The aforementioned factor indicates the prospect of solidarity in our country. It cannot be ruled out that one of the strategic goals in confronting provocations was precisely to incite political parties to ideological demagoguery. It did not succeed and will not succeed, because the Azerbaijani citizen, who shed blood and sacrificed for it, loves and is loyal to his state and homeland. In this sense, President Ilham Aliyev’s phrase “We are strong together!” should not just be a slogan, but a prayer of the civic position of every responsible individual.
Political scientist Asif Adil