Originally posted on The South Caucasus Diary.

Recently there has been a growing number of people discussing the role of social networks in conflict resolution between Armenia and Azerbaijan over disputed territories of Nagorno-Karabakh. This quest brought me on YouTube website. After entering keywords “Azerbaijan”, “Armenia”, and “Nagorno-Karabakh” into the search box I have started surfing various videos – an emotionally challenging journey that took me about seven hours to complete. In this post I would like to share my findings and analyze how the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is presented on the world’s largest video-sharing website.

All search results can be divided into three groups:

A. Those that promote and support a propagandistic and one-sided story of the conflict i.e. “prove” aggressive image of either Armenia or Azerbaijan depending on the nationality of video uploaders. These videos are usually full of violent and sad images that I don’t recommend anyone who is sensitive and emotional to watch;

B. Those that underline might and glory of the Armenian or Azerbaijani military. These videos demonstrate surface, air and naval (in the case of Azerbaijan) forces ready to strike and tear apart the enemy. An interesting fact, though, is both sides tend to exaggerate reality and use images of military equipment and weaponry that is not in actual possession but rather stolen from the Internet;

C. Those few that promote peaceful resolution of the conflict between the two nations.

It wasn’t only important to study the media content but also reflections/comments that users can leave under each video. If you want to spoil your lexicon, these comments are must-read. Surprisingly, YouTube has turned out to be a space for virtual war between the two – full of profanity, trolling, verbal abuse, threats, and bullying.

For the purpose of this article, I will avoid posting here videos from categories “A” and “B” (except two of them discussed below), which are, in my opinion, part of propaganda machines (informational war) that work on both sides and aim to strengthen mutual hatred. Based on the number of views and comments, unfortunately, these videos are more popular than those from category “C”, which demonstrates mental immaturity, poor communicational culture and lack of critical thinking among the majority of Internet users in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

After watching those videos and reading those comments, one leaves with a hopeless impression that peace is not possible between the conflict sides and the “go-and-kill” supporters are the majority among us.

However, it’s not only young Internet users from Armenia and Azerbaijan who fall short under the influence of propaganda and promote biased stories of the conflict, but also international media organizations that support this dangerous trend.

Two videos posted below will draw further on how each side’s claim may sound and look realistic and credible based on the nationality of a person who watches it. So where is the truth?

Azerbaijan point of view:

Armenian point of view:

The following video with title “Azeri and Armenian – the dance on the blood” will further illustrate how YouTube users from both countries perceive those attempting to bring peace on the agenda. The short comment under the video left by the author reads, “Two enemies – two traitors” and slides in video images of massacred Azerbaijanis in the village of Khojali during the war.

Original video is attached here:

Inspired by these two young people, a second video appears on YouTube. What can be better than dancing for peace? If our parents who died on the battlefields of the Nagorno-Karabakh and massacred each other had concentrated more on common values we historically shared with each other, then the war would never have happened. Unfortunately, there were people in both Yerevan and Baku who fuelled the conflict with nationalism, separatism and hatred.

But again, happily, there are young people who demonstrate adult attitudes while justifying their points of view. Even though I disagree with some arguments used in the following piece of video, I post it to set an example of how both sides should use online tools in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution.

Another piece of video I appreciate and post here is called “The Passenger” and shot in both Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is available with both English and Russian subtitles.

While on an emotional level retaliation seems to be more appealing, I think it is time now to advocate for peace between the two nations. The traditional question “Peace or war?” shall be excluded from our minds and replaced with a more challenging and yet the most effective one “Peace: how and when?”

I would like to finish this post with a wonderful video that I found on my former intern’s page on Facebook that shares the vision of young men and women about the South Caucasus. Watch it and imagine our future without violence and hatred.

Participate in short survey and answer the question on Facebook.

—
Geysar Gurbanov is a blogger and youth activist from Azerbaijan Republic. He advocates for the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Currently he continues his academic and professional development in Seattle, Washington. His research work focuses on the South Caucasus countries.

Also read: Nagorno-Karabakh — the Golden Apple of Discord or a Toy that Two Failed to Share; Can the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict be Resolved on Facebook?