Ethnic Armenians in southern Georgia plan new rally

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
20 Mar 05

A large rally is being planned on 31 March in Georgia’s Akhalkalaki
District, which is populated almost exclusively by ethnic Armenians,
in protest at the government’s perceived failure to tackle the
district’s economic and social problems. It will be the second rally
in Akhalkalaki in as many weeks. The first one, staged on 20 March and
attended by thousands of people, was against plans to close the Russian
military base in the area. Both rallies have been organized by the
newly founded One Javakhk movement. Unlike some other local parties,
One Javakhk is not demanding autonomous status for Akhalkalaki. It
does, however, want the Armenian language to be used more widely and
Armenian history to be taught in local schools. The following is an
excerpt from a report by Imedi TV on 20 March; subheadings inserted
editorially:

Opposition to Russian base closure

[Presenter] Last week was marked by two very different events
concerning the Russian bases in Georgia. While protesters in Batumi
were over-enthusiastic in pressing their demands for the closure of the
12th military base, several thousand ethnic Armenians in Akhalkalaki
demonstrated in support of the 62nd military base.

It is worth mentioning that the rally, organized by the newly founded
One Javakhk organization, was mainly dominated by social, rather than
political, demands. However, the main demand is still the preservation
of the Russian military base.

At a time when none of the social or economic projects planned for
Javakheti has yet been implemented and the region is effectively cut
off from the rest of Georgia, it is hardly surprising that the majority
of the population sees the Russian base as the main guarantor of its
economic and political security.

One Javakhk has issued a 10-point ultimatum, dubbed the Akhalkalaki
declaration, which expires at the end of this month. Another rally is
planned in the centre of Akhalkalaki on 31 March. One Javakhk says
that this rally will take place if the Georgian government is not
seen to be heeding the demands of the people. [Passage omitted]

[Correspondent] Last week a large rally was staged in Akhalkalaki’s
main square in support of the continuing presence of the 62nd
Russian base.

[Artur Pogosyan, captioned as One Javakhk activist, addressing the
rally in Russian] This is an appeal to the president, government and
parliament of the republic of Georgia and to the president, government
and State Duma of the Russian Federation. We, One Javakhk, on behalf
of the population of Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts, ask you,
for the sake of maintaining stability and guaranteeing security
in our Javakheti region, to allow Russian military base No 62 to
remain at its permanent location in the town of Akhalkalaki in the
republic of Georgia. [Applause] We are not satisfied that once the
62nd Russian base has been removed, the government of our country,
the republic of Georgia, will be able to guarantee the security of its
citizens in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts and maintain absolute
stability in our region. We appeal to the Russian Federation president,
parliament chairman and government chairman, who are familiar with our
region’s history at the beginning of the 20th century [reference to the
mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman empire] not to abandon our
people, who were, are and will remain your staunch allies. [Applause]

[Passage omitted]

Armenian language and history

[Correspondent] Participants in the rally, which was observed by the
head of the Akhalkalaki District administration through his office
windows, made several other political demands. The most important
one concerned the holding of direct local government elections. There
was a lot of support for calls for the teaching of Armenian history
and for the status of the Armenian language to be elevated to that
of state language.

[Pogosyan, addressing the rally in Russian] Ninety-five per cent of
the population of Javakheti are ethnic Armenians. Therefore, in line
with international law, they have a right to be taught at secondary
schools the history of the Armenian people on a par with the history
of the Georgian people. [Applause] Since many people in this region
do not speak or write in Georgian, it is very important that their
right to use the Armenian and Russian languages to deal with and
obtain information from the authorities should be protected and
reinforced. There is demand for Georgian laws to be made available
in the Russian language.

[Passage omitted]

Newly founded party behind demonstrations

[Correspondent] The rally in Akhalkalaki was also interesting because
it was not organized by political groups familiar to the Georgian
public, such as Virk or Old Javakhk, which up until now have been
demanding autonomous status for Javakheti. The main players in the
newly founded One Javakhk organization are completely unknown young
people. They have already been dubbed Javakheti’s Kmara [student
movement that spearheaded the 2003 revolt again former Georgian
President Shevardnadze].

Their underground [as heard] base is this building in Javakhishvili
Street where they have been active since 2000 under the name of the
(Jemi) cultural and sporting society. Without state assistance, they
managed to set up a multi-discipline sports centre, which is now used
by up to 2,000 children.

The leader of Akhalkalaki’s Kmara is Vahagn Chakhanyan, a former
arm-wrestler who does not like to speak in Russian.

[Chakhanyan, captioned as one of the leaders of One Javakhk,
interviewed in Russian] We do not know Russian. Why speak Russian
when we have our own Armenian language? [Interview continues in
Armenian, with Georgian translation superimposed] The Armenians of
Georgia have always lived and worked for the benefit of Georgia.
Armenians took part in the building of Tbilisi, Akhaltsikhe and
Akhalkalaki. We want to do the same. However, we need more attention,
more local self-government and more rights. Social conditions should
change Roads should be repaired. First, jobs should be created, and
only then can=. discussions start about the base. We want a special
commission dealing with= these issues to be set up under the prime
minister, and we want to get invo= lved in it. [Passage omitted]

List of economic and social demands

[Correspondent] Residents of Akhalkalaki are ready to soften their
political= demands if the district’s social problems are tackled
quickly. There are fi= ve such problems:

They want passports to be issued in Akhalkalaki. So far residents
of Akhalka= laki have had to travel to Akhaltsikhe to get their
Georgian passports.

Customs clearance for imports from Armenia should take place locally.
At pre= sent, the procedure involves a trip to the village of
Chitakhevi in Borjomi=20= District.

Land tax should be paid in Akhalkalaki. Akhalkalaki residents currently
have= to travel to Akhaltsikhe to pay it.

Major repairs should be made to the road between Akhalkalaki and
Ninotsminda= . A long-term contract should be signed with Armenia
on electricity supply.

[Passage omitted]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress