Lose Their Housing Because of The Singing Contest

 
In the month of May next March will host the State of Azerbaijan - a former Soviet republic - Competition ”Alaorovizion” world music for the first time. Authorities are busy preparingequipment necessary to do so in the capital Baku, including a major concert hall music. Butresidents of a building located near the site of the project say they were forced to leave their homes to make way for the establishment of a garden will surround the Hall of the celebrations.

Despite freezing temperatures and recent heavy snow Azerbaijan’s authorities have taken the roof off the apartment block and cut off water and phone lines, forcing residents of the building’s upper floors to leave, whether they like it or not.

Pensioner Natalya Allibiakova is one of the few home owners still left. She says the compensation offered by the government is not enough to buy a similar property elsewhere.

She told the BBC that Eurovision will now for her always be a painful reminder of how she lost her home.

Azerbaijan’s authorities argue that the compensation is adequate and Eurovision’s organisers say the evictions are nothing to do with the contest.

But human rights organisation Human Rights Watch says the eviction risk overshadowing the song contest.

Azerbaijan sees Eurovision as a chance to attract international attention, but that spotlight is proving less welcome, as it’s also revealing alleged human rights abuses.

Source: BBC Arabic