Tahire Rzayeva has a café in Sovetsky district called, “Come and See.”
On the 18th of June, arriving at her café, she saw that her building had been demolished. Her home was located in the same building as the cafe.
”Look, Mr. President, I wasn’t at home when this all happened, so I didn’t see it. But Mr. Ibrahim (local district authority), whom you just awarded a metal for his service to the people, look what he’s done?! Look, they’ve wrecked the place. I can’t lie down in here nor stand.
From the stench coming inside, it’s impossible to stay here.
Tomorrow this could all crumble down. And what a shame: the roof was pretty old, and now it’s humid and crumbling. This building was 180 years old. What if a stone falls on my head and I die, what then?”
Rzayeva has been running this cafe for 23 years. After demolitions in the area recently started, some people started coming to the cafe – house and measuring its dimensions, and offered to buy the property from her. But they couldn’t come to an agreement about the price. Then they came to the house and cut off the gas, heat and water lines. Tahire believes that these were methods to try and put pressure on her to leave the house.
“They offered just enough money for the building so that I might buy a piece of bread. Two or three other families in the area have been subjected to the same insulting treatment. How can such oppression and cruelty go unnoticed?”
An antenna and window frames attached to the house were removed. Tahire Rzayeva was barely able to replace the frames and put the windows back in their place.
We went to the Relocation Committee of Yasamal District. Those leaving the commission looked as if their problems had remained unsolved.
“The people are sent off unsatisfied. They don’t want to listen to anyone.”
Though Tahire Rzayeva was allowed into the building, we were not. Committee members told her that local authorities would send someone to repair the roof and will pick up the rubble in front of the building. Tahire is doubtful.
Aides of representative of Yasamal district authority, Samad Islamov, acted aggressively with Meydan TV reporters away while they tried asking questions to him and his staff.
