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1. New and social media have the potential to transform the long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan by facilitating increased communication between citizens and alternative voices in both countries. 2. However, obstacles like civil society's ineffective outreach, political exploitation of the conflict, and media perpetuating negative stereotypes have hindered peace efforts. Increased online dialogue and fact-checking could help address these challenges. 3. While new media tools may help acquaint people across borders, they could also reinforce existing biases. A holistic approach combining online communication with offline meetings is needed to make meaningful progress toward resolving the conflict.

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NEW & SOCIAL MEDIA IN ARMENIA – AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION Onnik Krikorian Caucasus Regional Editor, Global Voices Online http://www.globalvoicesonline.org [email_address] [email_address]
What is Global Voices? Global Voices is a community of more than 300 bloggers and translators around the world who work together to bring you reports from blogs and citizen media everywhere, with emphasis on voices that are not ordinarily heard in international mainstream media. Global Voices is translated into more than 15 languages by volunteer translators, who have formed the Lingua project. Additionally, Global Voices has an Advocacy website and network to help people speak out online in places where their voices are censored. We also have an outreach project called Rising Voices to help marginalized communities use citizen media to be heard.
Global Voices Family Global Voices http://www.globalvoicesonline.org Rising Voices http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/ Global Voices Advocacy http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/
Background Armenia February 2008 presidential election left 10 dead Media censored during a 20-day state of emergency
Azerbaijan Foreign radio stations taken off the air in January 2009 Arrest and imprisoned of two video blogging youth activists
Georgia August 2008 war with Russia Internet fastest and cheapest in region
Regional Developments Growth in Internet penetration and mobile Internet
Emergence of progressive youth movements in Azerbaijan as well as alternative voices in Armenia and Georgia
Impressive use of new/social media by alternative voices in Azerbaijan as Internet penetration rapidly increases
$4 million USAID in Armenia for alternative resources in the media over the next four years
Obstacles to Peace Civil society ineffective in outreach
Mistaken notion that Armenians and Azeris are ethnically incompatible put into widespread circulation
Communicating with the 'enemy' discouraged
Political forces in Armenia and Azerbaijan exploit Nagorno Karabakh conflict for short-term domestic political gain
Media generally perpetuates negative stereotypes of the 'enemy'
Media practices self-censorship
Stereotyping the 'enemy' [A] negative context [is set] in the public consciousness, which hinders dialogue and mutual understanding […] Without more accurate and unbiased information […] free of negative rhetoric and stereotypes, Armenians and Azerbaijanis will continue to see themselves as enemies without any common ground. Report on media in Armenia and Azerbaijan , Caucasus Resource Research Center
Another Perspective Nowhere in the world can you find two groups of people closer to each other. That is why we often have these stupid disputes between Armenians and Azeris. "This house is Armenian" or "this house is Azeri." Or "this music is Armenian or Azeri." This is exactly because the two have so much in common. [...] I normally say, and people don't like this, that Armenians are just Christian Azeris and Azeris are just Muslim Armenians . That is how much they are alike. Azerbaijani journalist , Re-arming the Caucasus, Al Jazeera English
Digital media and conflict Throughout history, war has affected media, with conflict often creating an information void. In the 21st century, media has begun to affect war more than ever before. Digital media technologies [...] have increased communication and information dissemination in conflict settings [...]. These new tools can be used to foment violence or to foster peace , and it is possible to build communication systems that encourage dialogue and nonviolent political solutions. Ivan Sigal, Global Voices Online Executive Director, Digital media in conflict-prone societies, Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA)
Catalyst for change Increased use of Facebook, Twitter, and blogs such as Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines (http://www.flyingcarpetsandbrokenpipelines.blogspot.com)
Global Voices Online coverage
Arrest, detention and eventual imprisonment of Azeri video blogging youth activists, Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli