Prime News Agency, Georgia

September 22, 2007, 5:18 pm

Dukhobors Residing In Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
Leaving Georgia

Tbilisi. September 22 (Prime-News) – Dukhobors
(`Spirit Wrestlers’) residing in the South Georgia
leave Samtskhe-Javakheti region and depart for Russia
referring to language related problems, social
difficulties and oppression by the local Armenians.

About 400 Dukhobors live in Samtskhe-Javakheti region
today. Most of the Dukhobors live in the village
Spasovka, Samtskhe-Javakheti region.

The meeting with Dukhobors was held within the
framework of the program on "Negotiation of Existing
Information Vacuum in Relation to Samtskhe-Javakheti
Region" for Georgian, Armenian and Azeri journalists
implemented by NGO "Institute for War and Peace
Reporting" and OSCE mission to Georgia.

The journalists met with the teachers and pupils of
the Russian school located in the village Spasovka. 5
Georgian and 65 Russian pupils study in the Russian
school. The main problem of the school is
non-existence of central heating and low salaries.

Three Azeri, two Armenian and six Georgian journalists
participated in five-day program.

The participants of the program held meetings with
representatives of NGO and governmental forces.