VZCZCXYZ0241
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKB #1412 3320827
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280827Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4332
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0756
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA SZ NOV ANKARA 2478

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