IT WAS STATED IN BAKU OF GEORGIA’S POLICY OF OUSTING OF AZERBAIJANIANS FROM NATIVE PLACES OF THEIR RESIDENCE IN GEORGIA
Azerbaijan Business Center
Jan 15 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Problems of Azerbaijanians residing in Georgia
have been brought to attention of the media at a press conference
organized in the Baku-based Azerbaijan Media Centre by representatives
of the "Geyrat" popular movement.
Geyrat board member Zumrud Gurbanov said that he and some
representatives of the movement being in Baku conducted negotiations
in Azerbaijani governmental agencies to inform them about situation
of Azerbaijanians living in Georgia. One of the problems caused
discontent o our compatriots in Georgia is new Law on Education passed
in Georgia, according to which education in this country’s secondary
schools should be conducted only in Georgian.
"We understand that Georgian language is state language in Georgia
and to know it is our civil debt. But education should bear compulsory
character," movement’s chairman Alibala Askerov claimed.
He informed of availability of the right of non-Georgian nationalities
residing in Georgia to educate in their native language, but at the
same time there is a proviso that education can be conducted only
within the framework of the National Education Concept of Georgia.
"According to this Concept, all leading educational disciplines are
taught in Georgian. Georgian authorities appealing constantly to
standards and norms of the Council of Europe, nevertheless, follow
policy of double standards. Some Azerbaijani regions of Georgia –
Marneuli, Dmanisi, Gardabani and others in which 60-70% of the
population are Azerbaijanians, due to their geographical location
adjoin to one another quite closely and make a whole region. Taking
into account that Azerbaijanians by their quantity rank second place
after Georgians in Georgia, why Azerbaijani language could not receive
status of regional language?" Askerov said.
The movement’s members have already conducted talks in the Ministry
of Education and the State Committee for Work with Diaspora. In both
agencies the Geyrat members were given moral support.
"Both bodies agreed with us that in the issue of education there should
be taken desire of Azerbaijanians themselves in Georgia," Askerov said.
The Geyrat members also focused on economic problems of our
compatriots in Georgia, lack of jobs for them, conditions for sale
of farm products, delay of privatization of land plots – this is
not a full list of problems with which Azerbaijanians residing in
Georgia encounter.
"As a result, Azerbaijanians in Georgia, especially youth are forced to
migrate to neighboring countries for earnings and work in an illegal
way. That, in its turn, causes a great deal of difficulties. Illegal
migrants are often returned back and they have to seek money for
living again," Askerov said.
Gurbanov warned of another such negative tendency as a result of all
troubles of our compatriots in Georgia – "there appears the matter
of perspective of permanent residence of Azerbaijanians in Georgia".
"There is factor of Borchali. The Azerbaijani people suffer from its
loss," Gurbanli said.
Replying journalists’ questions the Geyrat members conducted an
analogy with situation of Armenians in Javakheti. According to their
information, Georgian laws are mainly ignored y Armenians, but the
Georgian media prefer to pass over in silence about that.
"The cause of that is in separatist aspirations of Javakheti Armenians
who need only a ground for realization of their aspirations," the
movement members consider.