GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES ENCOURAGE MIGRATION OF JAVAKHETI ARMENIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.01.2009 19:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Georgian authorities encourage migration of
Javakheti Armenians, said Vahagn Chakhalyan, chairman of United
Javakhk Democratic Alliance.

"Ethnic Georgians make 70 percent of students of the only state
university in Akhalkalaki. Armenians are deprived of possibility to use
native language," he said in a statement obtained by PanARMENIAN.Net.

"The murder of Gevorg Gevorgyan in Tsalka in 2006 aroused a wave of
indignation among ethnic Armenians. United Javakhk headed the national
movement after which the Georgian leadership once again repeatedly
promised to address the problems of Javakheti Armenians," he said.

"Now, after 6 months in prison, I am tried for organization of protest
actions," Chakhalyan said.

He urged the Georgian authorities to drop all criminal cases initiated
against members of United Javakhk, stop programs aimed at artificial
change the population statistics, address social problems, register
the AAC and return the churches confiscated during the soviet era.

Chakhalyan and his family members were arrested on July 20,
2008. Observers fixed grave violations of human rights during three
hearings of his case. On December 3, the prosecution produced new
accusations and the trial was postponed.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress