Tension with Georgia/Javakh...
Things in Javakh seem to be getting more and more tense after the murder of an Armenian there - and 3,000 people attended the funeral. Formal calls for autonomy have become louder... there is an excellent article from Agency WPS on Groong this week about the possible split of Georgia, specifically in reference to this region. Interesting enough, also on Groong, a widely publicized poll in Georgia shows that 28% of Georgians consider Armenia their enemy. That is truly messed up, but sadly, does not surprise me. I think the article is quite interesting so I'll paste it below. But meanwhile, two related stories are rather interesting as well, Armenia has a brand new Ambassador in Georgia as of yesterday, and also this week Georgia decided to set up a border demarcation commision which is bound to set off some issues...
GEORGIA IS ON THE VERGE OF SPLIT
by Irakly Gelashvili
Source: Rossiiskie Vesti, No. 11, March 23-29, 2006, p. 6
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 29, 2006 Wednesday
Tbilisi Plays The Dzhavakhetia Card; The Problem Of Dzhavakhetia Poses A Threat To Georgia'S Security; Dzhavakhetia is another potential hot spot on the Georgian map.
Residents of the region protest against the withdrawal of the Russian military base.
The problem of Dzhavakhetia, which is inhabited by Armenian, poses a serious geopolitical threat to Georgia. Incidents happen in this region from time to time. A conflict between Georgians and Armenians recently happened in Tsalka. One Armenian was killed.
Those who understand the mechanism and nature of ethnic conflicts in the South Caucasus know that the matter concerns a qualitative change of relations between residents of Dzhavakhetia and Tbilisi. Social organizations support the federative structure of Georgia.
Dzhavakhetia is a region in the south of Georgia, which borders Turkey and Armenia. Expert Alexei Vashenko said that the region plays a very important role in Georgia's geopolitical destiny. He noted: "Dzhavakhetia could become a hot spot in the late 1980s. Armenia established the Karabakh committee, which sought to restore Great Armenia. The committee made decisions concerning the armed struggle.
Ass a result of voting the committee decided to start in Karabakh; not Dzhavakhetia."
Georgia faced a lot of ethnic problems after 1991. Abkhazia and the South Ossetia became independent. Azerbaijanians defended their rights in the east of the republic.
Saakashvili understands the challenges of the time. What does he do?
Firstly, he appoints Georgian officials in this region and tried to merge Dzhavakhetia with neighboring regions inhabited by Georgians. A branch of the Georgian University opened in Akhalkalaki in order to integrate Armenian young people into Georgian society. All this irritates Armenians. A serious conflict happened in the region last year. Armenian customs officers were replaced with Georgian on the border between Georgia and Armenia. At present, Armenia social forces organize actions of protest against the withdrawal of the Russian military base from this region. They note that the base created almost 2,000 jobs. Georgia tries to convince residents of Dzhavakhetia that unemployment does not threaten them.
(...)
posted by Raffi K. at 2:25 PM
7 Comments:
"Armenia established the Karabakh committee, which sought to restore Great Armenia. The committee made decisions concerning the armed struggle.
As a result of voting the committee decided to start in Karabakh; not Dzhavakhetia."
This part just does not make sence. Armenians did not vote on what to start with. They NAMED THE ORGANIZATION KARABAKH COMMITTEE not DZAVHAKHETIA COMMITTEE. This makes it sound like Armenia is this, trouble free, rich, country who one day just decided that it needs its historic size back and so decided to vote on which neighbor to attack.
Karabakh conflict started because Armenian lives, and culture on Armenian lands were threatened. Not because we took a vote. HORRIBLE.
I think this whole Dzhavahk conflict is just a bad idea. We depend on Georgia for our supply transit, we cant have another conflict in our present situation. I think giving this problem too much of a media attention is not good for us. It might be beneficial to Russia to have another ethnic conflict in Georgia (thus making Georgia pretty much a city state with Tblisi, since Adzharia is autonomus), or even for Azeris to show the world that Armenians are aggressors. I dont think it is as bad as it is told.
Yes Georgia 100% acts like an enemy nation right now (bringing in Turks, taking over our churches etc.), they are being total assholes, but I dont think shit hit the fan yet, and there should be another workaround. I think the best right now is to use politics, have meetings with Georgian officals, peaceful protests, and most importantly NO CALLS OF AUTONOMY OR SEPERATION FROM ANY ONE.
I would certainly love to get Dzavahk back and even kick some Georgian ass for all their backstabbing, but we just cant afford it right now.
I totally agree with AKS's comments. Conflict with Georgia will be suicide for Armenia. Instead, I'm glad to see that Armenian and Georgian governments are trying to resolve this conflict which many believe is being stirred up by nationalist forces in Armenia, Georgia and Russia.
Two things, though.
The Church issue is real enough, for sure, but this issue of Meshketian Turks returning is actually a Council of Europe obligation and the pressure for that to happen is coming from there. Therefore, Armenian lobby groups would be best to try to explain to the CE why this is not such a good thing to do at present.
Separation from Georgia is insane, especially as only a minority of Armenians are believed to support such an idea. However, a federal state with autonomy for Armenian and Azeri regions? Why not?
Still, I'm glad that Georgia is going to pump most of its MCA money into rebuuilding the infrastructure in Javakheti. Of course, someone needs to make sure that there is enough accountability and monitoring in place as well. Here again, Armenian lobbying groups could play a role.
Basically, if Javakhk ignities, Armenia will suffer surrounded as it already is by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Iran. One more problem and in this region, it would probably lose Karabakh as well. The border issue, though, has long been on the cards and is a legacy from the Soviet era.
It has to be sorted and Armenians in Georgia must be integrated into the country, but with their minority linguistic and cultural rights protected.
I am happy and pleased that unanimous poster supported my view but I have to comment on the last part of his post.
"It has to be sorted and Armenians in Georgia must be integrated into the country, but with their minority linguistic and cultural rights protected."
My friend I dont know where are you from ( you sound like a diaspora Georgian?????), but beleive me Armenians of Georgia are more than integrated. They act nearly as much Georgian as they act Armenian. So its not like Armenians in Georgia are like the Russians in the Baltic states, in other words they know and use the local language, they do respect the local laws, and they dont want too much in return.
All Armenians want was the relation that we had during USSR, i.e. friendly competition. BUT Georgian government backs the cultural takeover and does nothing about it, just covers it up. There are no jobs in the region, and plus bringing in Turks (not only the Mzkhetsi TUrks but Turkish bases instead of the Russian ones), NOW THEN THE SHIT WILL HIT THE FAN (excuse my language please), as Turks and Armenians in the same area is not a good formula, and CE should (and I think they do) know that this move will create another hotspot in already voletile place, from where their sweet sweeet oil is gonana come from.
One more thing. If this conflict, GOD FORBID, turns into another local conflict not only Armenia will suffer, but with the horrible state of Georgian economy, state, and the Georgian military (if you can call it that), will surely send Georgia back to stone ages. Having a battalion (I think) of US trained spetsnaz (spec ops) troops is not going to save Georgia.
For both sides it will be BAAAAAD. We will loose what used to be our historical brother nation, and a transit route, and Georgia as said above will pretty much have to start over.
Akhalkalak region is on teh boarder to Turkey. Any high scale military movement will involve Turkey.
According to Treaty of Kars Turkey has some rights over the Georgia-Turkey boarder,mostly as a protector. This includes Ajaria, Black see as well Nakhichevan ( unrelated here).
This was the reason that in early 90s when Gamsakhourdia asked for help Armenia didn't provide military force even though that would have been a good chance to at least establish bases in Akhalkalk and near to Black Sea. The same applies to freeing Nakhichevan. At that times the Turkesh forces were built up near Armenian boarder , ready to invade. So take it out of your mind that Akhalkalak can be integrated into Armenia , at least not in the near future.
It is also hard to tell to whom the land belongs historically. If we go back to Bagratounis they were Armenian royal family however after the fall of Ani they became Georgian kings called Bagrationi. Therefore can we claim that Georgia is part of Armenia? Then if we go further we find out that Armenian Artashesian, Arshakuni families were Persians.
All I have seen from independent Georgia in the region of Javakhk is gerrymandering of borders to dilute the high percentage of Armenians, a seeming colonization policy, and attempts to Georgianize the Armenians. True, the Armenians there are Georgian citizens, but that is a twist of fate, and borders have been shifting there for thousands of years. If the Georgians would do the right thing, and give the Armenians their cultural autonomy, linguistic rights, and stop using the term "Armenian" as an insult, I am sure there would be no problem. Even the Millenium Challenge Account money to build better roads etc has me suspicious that it is merely an attempt to integrate the region into Georgia in a way to promote assimilation, rather than simply help the local economy.
Georgia had a great opportunity when the Soviet Union fell to form a very close alliance with Armenia, Armenia had nobody else to turn to. Instead it has (perhaps pragmatically, but to a level I find excessive and antagonistic) embraced Azeri oil and Turkey... it's a shame. That they are even discussing a Kars -> Akhalkalakh rail line is really disheartening.
Yeah, I am a diasporan Georgian and I even have Armenian cousins, I do not understand the tension between Georgians and Armenians, all I know is they often look down upon eachother. Strange considering we were bascially one nation throughout periods of history. I hope no one loses more land, and that peace remains in our countries. Jamteloba ikhos chventan
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