Caucasus FYI

I would like to take a moment to debunk.

Many people have asked me if the recent conflict in Georgia will affect my Peace Corps assignment in Azerbaijan. The answer that I keep attempting to give with little success, is no. I have been told that I don't know what I'm talking about, that I can't predict the future, that I don't understand what it's like to live in a country in a "war zone" region, and that ultimately my desire to help makes me naive to the nature of good and evil in the world.

First of all, I actually have done quite a bit of research on Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region since I received my Peace Corps assignment, as is expected of me as a volunteer. (Many of my friends and family had never heard of Azerbaijan until I announced I was going there.) Secondly, I lived in Sri Lanka for 5 months last year, where the national army is still in the midst of a guerilla civil war with the Tamil Tigers in the northeast part of the country. In my time in Sri Lanka I realized it is possible to live in a country which is considered to be 'at war' without being affected by the conflict or in danger of being caught up in any violence because the fighting was occurring in a region far away from where I was living.

However, these points aside, there is no reason to consider Azerbaijan unsafe. The fact that the Peace Corps does not work in Sri Lanka because of the security issue further illustrates my point. The Peace Corps does not work in any countries currently in a state of political unrest.
The most common crime against foreigners in Azerbaijan is theft; physical and sexual assaults are rare. Yes, Azerbaijan and Georgia are geographic neighbors. But the region of South Ossetia in Georgia where the conflict is centered is very small and many hundreds of miles from the Azerbaijan border. Also, the Caucasus Range, one of the tallest mountain ranges in the world with peaks over 15,000 feet, separates the two countries. Furthermore, there are no separatist regions in Azerbaijan who want to be part of Russia. Furthermore, Azerbaijan is a secular Islamic country with little cultural similarities to Georgia and Russia. Furthermore, Azerbaijan is currently at peace with all of its neighbors and an important supplier of resources to the region.

Finally, I would like to point out that within two days after the conflict began in Georgia, the Peace Corps/Georgia had already evacuated and relocated all of its volunteers and trainees to Armenia. All Peace Corps/Georgia volunteers and trainees are currently safe and accounted for. I think that it is important to keep in mind that all the Peace Corps staff and volunteers like me are essentially employees of a very well-known and powerful U.S. government agency. As such, I am virtually guaranteed to receive top priority as a foreign national should any conflict arise during my service.

From the Peace Corps press release following the relocation of its volunteers in Georgia:

"The safety and security of Volunteers and Volunteer-trainees is the number one priority of the Peace Corps. Each Peace Corps program has an Emergency Action Plan specific to that country and developed in cooperation with Peace Corps Washington and the local U.S. Embassy. The plans are evaluated and tested frequently and information is updated constantly. Volunteers are thoroughly trained in their roles and responsibilities, and posts are prepared for all emergencies."

I am touched by and very much appreciate the concern some of my friends and family have expressed about my safety in Azerbaijan. But it seems to me that we as Americans have made a lot of mistakes by allowing fear and prejudice to alter our judgement. I hope that eventually everyone will come to accept and support me in my decision to accept what will likely be a challenging but ultimately rewarding assignment teaching English in Azerbaijan.