AZG Armenian Daily #103, 07/06/2005

Neighbors

ETHNIC MINORITIES IN GEORGIA

Publication of an international fact-finding mission Report

Paris, 2 June 2005 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
publishes a report entitled “Ethnic Minorities in Georgia” following an
international fact-finding mission into the rights and freedoms of the
ethnic minorities.

This mission was set up in the context of a huge influx into Western Europe
of asylum seekers from Georgia who complained of discrimination. The mission
took place in Tbilisi and in the provinces (Tsalka, Akhalkalaki,
Akhaltsikhe). The mission mainly focused on cases relating to the Yezidi
Kurds, and the minorities in the regions of Tsalka and Samtskhe-Javakhetia.

The publication comes just when Georgia has committed itself, at the
beginning of the year, to ratifying the European Framework Convention on
National Minorities by September 2005.

The problem of minorities in Georgia is historical, ideological, political,
legal and economic. It is made all the more complex as it involves an
attempt to reconcile protecting the identity of minorities with ensuring
their social integration. If the system for protecting minorities fails,
minority groups will become isolated and, as a result, socially excluded, or
else, they are assimilated and disappear.

Decisions and policies regarding the question of minorities is also either
the cause or the effect of the State’s nationalism which is reflected in
minority groups. Bilateral relations between Georgia and the countries of
origin of these groups, or between Russia, the minority groups and their
country of origin often determine the policies relating to minorities.

Inequalities are heightened by the economic and social situation in the
country, the effect of which is all the more evident amongst minority
groups. In addition, all the spheres where human rights apply are affected
by corruption, as are the minorities, and especially, the most vulnerable
members of society, who often belong to the minority groups.

The FIDH asks the Georgian government to conform in all respects to the
international treaties and conventions to which the State of Georgia is
party in order to ensure the rule of law; to make sure that the cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment and any form of discrimination inflicted by
the law enforcement agencies on Georgian citizens, particularly those from
minority groups, because of their ethnic, religious and/or national origins
(Yezidi Kurds, Azeris, Armenians etc) is ended; investigate these
violations, identify their perpetrators and punish them in accordance with
the relevant regional and international laws so as to put an end to their
impunity; combat corruption which is ruining at the country and hindering
observance of the economic, social and political rights of all citizens and
especially of those belonging to minority groups.

The FIDH asks the Georgian government to ratify the European Framework
Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as soon as possible.