ARMENIANS INCLUDE GEORGIAN TERRITORIES IN THEIR POSSESSION:

Trend
Nov 19 2009
Azerbaijan

Trend News interview with the representative of the Commissioner for
Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Georgia in Kvemo Kartli, Elbrus Mammadov.

Q: How many complaints have been received from the Azerbaijanis by
the Office of the Ombudsman of Georgia in Kvemo-Kartli region since
its establishment, and what problems are mostly complained?

A: The representation was established in December last year,
but started functioning in February this year. During a year of
our activities, the office has received about 600 appeals from
the Azerbaijanis. The complaints relate to the problems of issuing
pensions, registration of land plots, as well as illegal actions of
the police. However, most of them relate to the self-will of the
Armenians in the Sadakhli village. In this village the Armenians
illegally arrest Azerbaijanis, take their livestock. Armenians claim
that these lands belong to them. In this area, the border between
Georgia and Armenia has been de-militarized. And taking the advantage
of this, the Armenians themselves determine the border due to lands,
populated by the Azerbaijanis, and include Georgian territories in
their possession. In the villages of Tazakand and Burma the Armenians
invaded the homes of Azerbaijanis, intimidating with arms, asked to
leave "their land". And there are many such cases, we know only about
10-15. Complaints in this regard were sent to the government, the
Ombudsman’s office, the police. However, unfortunately, the special
reaction was not followed.

Our office has examined the complaint in connection with the self-will
of Armenians. We have been officially stated that in this area – near
the village of Sadakhli – the border between Georgia and Armenia has
not been de-militarized. Then a question arises: if the border has
not been defined, how the Armenians in the border area – the territory
of Georgia – build a military base?

Q: What work does the representation carry out in the legal
enlightenment of the Azerbaijanis of Georgia?

A: The level of legal enlightenment of Azerbaijanis living in Georgia
is very low. At present, several non-governmental organizations and
the Congress of Azerbaijanis of Georgia are dealing with this issue.

Free booklets in the Azeri language have been prepared and
distributed. However, we can not cover all Azerbaijanis, since this
requires money, which we do not have. Soon a legal clinic will start
functioning at our representation, where five or six lawyers will
provide free legal assistance.

Q: Opinions are expressed that the Azerbaijanis of Georgia are not
represented in state institutions because of lack of the state language
knowledge. Do you agree with this? What is the level of teaching the
Georgian language at Azerbaijani schools?

A: In Armenian-populated Samtskh-Javakheti, the Armenians, who do
not know the state language, are represented at each government
agency starting from the prosecutor’s office, judges, notary office,
police department. Until recently, the courts’ decisions in this
region were published in Russian. If such assignments are possible
in the region populated by the Armenians, why is it impossible in
the Azerbaijani-populated Kvemo Kartli?

On the other hand, the Azerbaijani MPs represented at the Parliament
of Georgia do not know Georgian language. For what reasons, these
concessions are not possible for other public officials?

Quite a lot of Georgian Azerbaijanis perfectly know the state
language. Of the 30 Azerbaijanis who finished the Administrative
School of Public Servants named after Zurab Zhvania in Kutaisi, only
three or four were provided with job. According to our knowledge,
there are only two Azerbaijanis at the office of the governor of
Kvemo Kartli. They have no authority, though they are advisers.

The quality of teaching the Georgian language at Azerbaijani schools
in Georgia recently increased. However, the benefits of this harvest
will be only after 10-20 years. And before that serious problems
can exist. At Azerbaijani schools the teachers of Georgian language
without much interest teach their subject.