ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHK DESERT THEIR MOTHERLAND
- Norashen is only a manifestation of a whole process that started since the independence of Georgia and becomes more dangerous. All three Presidents of Georgia - Gamsakhurdia, Shevardnadze and today Saakashvili - were guided by the same scenario against the ethnic minorities of the country and led by the same principles not giving political status to ethnic minorities in Georgia; creating unbearable living and development conditions and forcing them to immigrate and become an alien. Norashen is not the first and the only manifestation of that policy. Since the independence of Georgia, a number of churches were blown up and cemeteries destroyed (Khojivank cemetery or Shamkhoretsots church in Havlabar). The Catholic Church has similar problems as well. The latter ineffectually struggles to return the temples belonging to it.
However, it is not right to say that the phenomenon has not provoked discussions. In October 2007, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights called on the Georgian authorities to return the expropriated churches to their legal owners.
The Georgian diocese of the Armenian Church and the Embassy of Vatican periodically filed appeals and protests to different countries' diplomatic representatives in Georgia, mainly the Embassy of France. The issue of the churches is on the agendas of their discussions with the Georgian authorities. The Georgian Ombudsman, the US Department of State and others also raise the issue in their statements and reports.
However, until today the Georgian authorities treat all those appeals, mediations and recommendations with absolute contempt. - What is going on in today?
- The Armenians of desert their motherland. The Georgian authorities consistently carry out the policy on alienation of the Armenians here. Elements of that policy are: a/compulsion of the Georgian language in all spheres of public life, including courts, official correspondence with administrative bodies, in all types of contacts with the residents and government bodies, b/ weakening of political, social-economic, educational and cultural relations between Armenia and , c/passing of some new laws on compulsion of the Georgian language, d/ prohibition on establishment of political parties based on national principles to protect the rights of ethnic minorities, e/ actual prohibition on foundation of higher educational institutions based on Armenian language, etc.
At present, some of the Armenians in endowed with talent for leadership are imprisoned or emigrated, as they principally refused to bargain. On the contrary, people without scruples that only think of becoming rich, who are defamed and refused by the people, being time-servers are ready to take obediently the orders of the Georgian authorities, break the people's spirit and serve as a tool of the Georgian policy on alienation of the Armenians. - When speaking of the imprisoned political figures do you bear in mind Vahagn Chakhalian?
- Yes, first of all him. The incidents (July 17-21, 2008) that happened under extremely suspicious and strange circumstances - the explosion near the house of the local chief of police and the assassination of two Armenian policemen - were used as a pretext by the Georgian authorities to settle a score with the "United " democratic alliance and its leader Vahagn Chakhalian - a famous activist struggling for protection of rights of the Armenians in .
After those incidents Vahagn Chakhalian, his father and juvenile brother were arrested. Legal proceedings were brought against them for "acquisition of weapons and armament". Later Vahagn Chakhalian was charged with some other crimes, based on his political activities in 2005-2006, mainly organization of mass demonstrations. - What is the real reason for arresting Vahagn Chakhalian?
- The "United " movement and its leader Vahagn Chakhalian deprived the Georgian authorities of an opportunity to speculate about the so-called separation, as they took the separation, revolutionary and similar adventurous approaches out of the political process.
Vahagn Chakhalian suggested that the Armenians of should struggle for their rights in a practicable way acceptable by the international community.
Consequently, the Georgian authorities are really afraid of this alternative and not the virtual calls for autonomy. - Does it mean that the Georgian authorities are not ready for a dialogue?
- They were not ready until today. But the latest developments in the region may lead to change of situation.
Naturally, Georgia will continue to clutch at Ankara-Tbilisi-Baku axis, but at the same time, it will have to take serious steps towards EU integration. The rights of the Armenians in as a national minority should be involved in that process as a precondition. In this sense, "Yerkir" Union of Public Organizations on Repatriation and Settlement has carried out a sufficient work for years.
Mainly, in October 2007, with the efforts of "Yerkir" Union the recommendations of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to the Georgian authorities embraced the issues of registration of the Armenian Apostolic Church and return of Norashen and other expropriated churches.
Underlining the low level of political representation of the ethnic minorities, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights bound Georgia:
- to view the opportunity to let the ethnic minorities use their languages in the local self-governing bodies' administrative works,
- to take all appropriate measures to provide adequate political representation and participation for the ethnic minorities abolishing language discrimination,
- to organize a dialogue between the groups showing interest in the issues of the ethnic minorities and the civil society institutions.
It's worth to mention that "Yerkir" Union has created the necessary prerequisites for the visit of the experts (European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities) to in the mid of December. - What initiatives are and will be taken by "Yerkir" Union to overcome the crisis that the Armenians of face?
- On July 21, 2008, the next day of the arrest, Vahagn and Armen Chakhalians' mother Gayane Chakhalian told us that Vahagn asked "Yerkir" Union to systematize his advocacy case.
In spite of the Georgian authorities' evident resistance, we have succeeded in:
- splitting the informational vacuum of Vahagn Chakhalian's case and making it well-known by carrying out fact-finding missions in Akhalkalaki, issuing press releases and holding press conferences to show that in the person of Vahagn Chakhalian and others we have political prisoners,
- involving in the investigation of the case and compelling the Georgian authorities to register an advocate from Armenia to defend the interests of Vahagn Chakhalian and his family,
- involving in the investigation of the case the French attorney Patrick Arapian well-known in the sphere of human rights,
- drawing the international institutions (following the democratization processes in Georgia (OSCE, EC)) and human rights organizations' attention to the case (some of them promised to follow the trial through their observers).
At the previous court sitting of Chakhalians' case the attorneys succeeded in showing proofs that Vahagn Chakhalian's juvenile brother's arrest was illegal and as a result of it he was released on bail.
Even today, we consider our mission as partially accomplished. Actually, the Georgian authorities' desire to condemn Vahagn Chakhalian as a criminal failed. His father and brother were released. The prosecutor's office and the judge continuously adjourn the trial trying to concoct new criminal charges. And with this scandalous trial the Akhaltskha court has become a platform of condemnation of the Georgian policy on violation of the rights of Armenians in . What is happening today in is in the focus of international organizations' attention and will not be futile.
This counteraction has strengthened the Georgian authorities' persecutions; they terrorize not only the activists and co-thinkers of the "United " but also everyone who dares to complain of the present situation. They also carry out economic terrorism, the last example is 10.000 US dollars bail for Armen Chakhalian, in spite of the attorney's proofs that Armen's arrest was illegal.
Thus, a political procedure has started in Akhaltskha. And what is happening and will happen is of secondary importance. The most important thing is that from the first moment of the court sitting the struggle of the Armenians in will come onto political platform and after that none of the Georgian statesmen can announce that "The Armenians of Georgia don't have problems".
Thus, we call on everybody not to be disoriented and provoked and to be guided by the norms of the international law and Georgian legislation and in , Armenia and Diaspora continue demanding from the Georgian authorities the following:
- to release Armenian political prisoners
- to organize a dialogue between the groups showing interest in the issues of the ethnic minorities and the civil society institutions,
- to give a legal status to the Armenian Apostolic Church and other traditional churches in Georgia,
- to return the temples of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Roman Catholic Church expropriated in the Soviet period
- to give a status to the Armenian language as an internal clerical and court language in ,
- to establish an Armenian-Georgian bilingual university in Akhalkalaki based on corresponding educational program,
- to involve in all regional economic projects.
- By Aghavni Haroutiunian, translated by L.H.
ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHK DESERT THEIR MOTHERLAND
By Aghavni Haroutiunian, translated by L.H.- Norashen is only a manifestation of a whole process that started since the independence of Georgia and becomes more dangerous. All three Presidents of Georgia - Gamsakhurdia, Shevardnadze and today ...
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Translated by L.H.
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Translated by L.H.ADL TORONTO CHAPTER ELECTS NEW BOARD
ADL District Committee of US and Canada
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