The Struggle in Javakhk

[Federate]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

Things are going to start picking up soon and it's not going to be pretty. Guess who's back.
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Meskhetian Turks leave Azerbaijan


“Vatan” – Meskhetian Turks’ Society in Azerbaijan, intends to terminate its activity in Azerbaijan and continue it already on their historical motherland — Georgia, Azeri Zerkalo daily reports.

According to Ibragim Burkhanov, Vatan’s Chairman, the Society united more than 17 000 Meskhetian Turks who intend to leave Azerbaijan in the beginning of 2010 and return to Georgia. By then Meshketian Turks’ bids for repatriate status will be considered.

On the whole there are 70 000 Meskhetian Turk residents in Azerbaijan. In the beginning of 1990s many of them settled in Azerbaijani regions (Saatli and Sabirabad) after they had been deported from Georgia in 1944 under Joseph Stalin’s decree.

http://news.am/en/news/3340.html

[jgk3]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

they're going to be settled in Armenian majority areas?

[Federate]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

they're going to be settled in Armenian majority areas?

In Javakhk, mostly in Akhaltsikhe.

[Mukuch]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

Can we aford second Karabakh in Javakhk?

[Javakhk]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

In Javakhk, mostly in Akhaltsikhe.

Yes, the Ahiska Turklar (= the Maekhetian Turks) earlier lived not in Upper Javakhk, that is, in Akhalkalak-Bogdanovka-Tsalka areas ("rayons" in soviet notation) of Javakhk, but Lower Javakhk, that is, in Akhaltskha-Aspindza-Adigen areas (there were only a few very small villages of them in Akhalkalak and Bogdanovka areas).

However, in Turkish terminology the whole region is "Ahiska". They, so to say, count the land based on Ahiska pashalik which included all the areas listed above (see the maps from Turkish sites below).

Also, for Turks it is vital to control the Akhalkalak-Bogdanovka-Tsalka areas as well because this creates a connection of "Ahiska" region to the "Borchali" region in Georgia, which already is Turkish-populated. This crates "corridor" from Turkey to Azerbaijan.

Here are some maps:

http://sozluk.turkbirlik.gen.tr/lang-tr/Makale/96-feyzullah-budak/624-ahiska-turkleri.html

[Javakhk]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

... posting error.

[Javakhk]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

Can we aford second Karabakh in Javakhk?

Can we afford a second Nakhichevan “on the head” of Armenia? Can we afford a connection of Turkey and Azerbaijan via Javakhk+Borchali?

Also, it is not assumed that to protect Armenians of Javakhk we need necessarily start a second Karabakh war there.

[Mukuch]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

Can we afford a second Nakhichevan “on the head” of Armenia? Can we afford a connection of Turkey and Azerbaijan via Javakhk+Borchali?

Also, it is not assumed that to protect Armenians of Javakhk we need necessarily start a second Karabakh war there.

Well of course we must protect Armenians in Javakhk, and if there will be question of ethnical cleansing like it happened in Karabakh we may even enter in the war with Georgia (thanks God they proofed to be worthless in combat).
But we must be very careful of Russian provocations; the only one interested in this war right now is Russia. And I heard some calls to force-major the situation in Javakhk, that why I ask can we afford it?

[Javakhk]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

Well of course we must protect Armenians in Javakhk, and if there will be question of ethnical cleansing like it happened in Karabakh we may even enter in the war with Georgia (thanks God they proofed to be worthless in combat).
But we must be very careful of Russian provocations; the only one interested in this war right now is Russia. And I heard some calls to force-major the situation in Javakhk, that why I ask can we afford it?

Mukuch jan, the Russian-Georgian confrontation is very sharp indeed. I, too, have seen Russian propaganda material targeting Armenians, or Azeris, or even some of the Georgian sub-ethnic groups (such as Mengrels or Svans) convincing to struggle against Saakashvili government in Tbilisi. So, yes, the problem you mentioned does exist.

You mentioned the word "afford". Mukuch jan, the first thing we can afford is that we can afford to distinguish the Russian agitation from real facts. Awareness and information is our main tools to overcome Russian agitation, as well as Turkish agitation, Georgian agitation, etc…

[Federate]

Re: The Struggle in Javakhk

Sarkisian Proposes Measures to ‘Alleviate’ Plight of Javakhk Armenians


YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Addressing a gathering of senior Armenian diplomats on September 1, President Serzh Sarkisian outlined measures he considers necessary to help the large Armenian community in the southern Georgian region of Javakhk integrate more successfully into Georgian society without losing their Armenian identity.

The announcement came ahead of a scheduled visit to Armenia by Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze, who will arrive in Yerevan on Friday for talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on bilateral relations between the two countries. Also on the agenda are the measures Sarkisian discussed in his statement.

Those measures include granting Armenian the formal status of a regional language, registering the Armenian Apostolic Church, and preserving Armenian historic monuments on Georgian territory.

Granting Armenian the status of an official regional language was one of the issues NGOs in the predominantly Armenian-populated Javakhk region had asked Sarkisian to raise with his Georgian counterpart, Mikheil Saakashvili, during his official visit to Tbilisi in late June.

Many Armenians in Javakhk have only a rudimentary knowledge of Georgian, which limits their career prospects.

They also require the restoration to Armenian control a number of churches and other historic monuments which the Georgia government has seized, and, crucially, local self-government for the region.

The various Javakhk-based organizations have said it is of vital interest to the community that political stability and economic prosperity in the region be preserved and that democratic development in Georgia continues. But they also warn of “imminent dangers” that may result from “illegal actions” by local Georgian officials that have exacerbated tensions in the region.

Among the other issues the Georgian NGOs are calling on Sarkisian to raise with his Georgian counterpart is the immediate release of Vahagn Chakhalian, a young Armenian community leader who was arrested 11 months ago and sentenced in April to 10 years in prison, Chakhalian was arrested on unsubstantiated charges for the illegal possession of weapons, participating in mass disorders, resisting arrest, and “hooliganism.”

The organizations are also calling for the reopening of the Verkhinii Lars border and customs post on the Russian-Georgian border. The gateway, if opened, would enable Armenians to travel overland to Russia. Georgia signaled its readiness late last month to begin talks with Moscow on reopening Verkhnii Lars. But talks have yet to begin.

Dual Armenian-Georgian citizenship for the Armenians of Javakhk–a right provided by both countries’ constitutions–as well as the establishment of a local branch of the Tbilisi State University in the region are also issues Sarkisian is being asked to bring up during his talks with Saakashvili.

http://www.asbarez.com/2009/09/02/sarkisian-proposes-measures-to-%E2%80%98alleviate%E2%80%99-plight-of-javakhk-armenians/