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GEORGIA: THE JAVAKHETI REGION'S INTEGRATION CHALLENGES
Europe Briefing N°6323 May 2011
OVERVIEW
The mostly Armenian-populated Javakheti region, along the southern
border with Armenia and Turkey, has been a potential flashpoint since
Georgia's 1991 independence, when a paramilitary group practically ran
it, and physical links with the rest of the country were weak. After
the 2008 Georgia-Russia war, many outside observers, recalling that
there had been violent demonstrations in Javakheti in 2005 and 2006,
predicted it would be the next to seek autonomy - or more. But the
situation has stabilised. Tbilisi has successfully implemented programs
to increase the region's ties to the rest of the country, stopped
projects that were seen as discriminatory and reduced the influence
of the few remaining radical groups. It should maintain this momentum
and take additional steps to guarantee that Javakheti and its 95,000
mainly Armenian speakers feel fully integrated in Georgia and provide
an example of respect for minority rights in a region where minorities
who feel discriminated against have all too often been attracted to
secession, such as in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Lack of knowledge of the state language (Georgian) and poverty
encourages migration from the region to Armenia and Russia. A paucity
of media reporting on the isolated area helps reinforce feelings of
marginalisation. Many Javakheti residents do not feel like full-fledged
citizens, so prefer to become involved in the political and cultural
life of neighbouring Armenia, whose nationalist groups are quick
to argue that they are the victims of ethnic discrimination due
to Georgian government policies and to amplify their grievances
over poverty, unemployment, education and the lack of formal laws
recognising Armenian as a "regional language" in Javakheti.
However, the current Yerevan authorities are playing a stabilising
role in decreasing tensions and have arrested alleged Javakheti
radicals in Armenia.
Georgia was concerned about Moscow's intentions in the region,
especially as a major Russian military base - a left-over from the
Soviet era - was located there. Some Russian commentators speculated
that the Kremlin could use its influence in Javakheti to cause
Georgia to renounce its NATO membership aspirations. But the base
was closed in 2007, and Moscow lost more of its ability to manipulate
local grievances the next year, when it committed to Abkhaz and South
Ossetian independence. Nevertheless, in Tbilisi fear that Russia could
use the region to destabilise Georgia has increased since the war,
even though this presently seems highly unlikely.
Although Javakheti poses no immediate threat to Georgia's territorial
integrity, Tbilisi needs to continue to increase its focus on the
region, so as to build confidence with local leaders and engender
a sense of loyalty towards the state. This would help to avoid
interpretations that the local aspects of nationwide problems, such
as the economy, reflect ethnic discrimination.
To ensure the political stability and sustainable development of
Javakheti and improve regional integration, thereby reducing the
region's vulnerability to destabilisation, the Georgian government,
with the support of international partners, should:
* provide the public with comprehensive information in Armenian on
its policies and facilitate public discussions on issues, such as
integration, language and human rights; * build the capacities of
educated and motivated local officials, further training them in
public administration while creating an open and restriction-free
environment for local business; * provide long-term budgetary
resources to make educational projects such as multilingual schools,
teacher training, translation of Georgian textbooks into Armenian
and Georgian-as-a-second-language courses more systematised and
sustainable; do more to attract Georgian language teachers to
Javakheti; and give scholarships for higher education to Javakheti
Armenians on condition that they return to teach; * codify current
language and education practices for the minority population in
national legislation; honour the spirit of the European Charter for
Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML) while working toward its
ratification; * encourage more private investment, with a view to
bringing the Javakheti economic ultimately to the national level; and
* offer to fund local television stations' translations of nationwide
programs, including talk shows, and encourage the public broadcaster
(TV Channels 1 and 2) and other national television stations to
improve coverage of Javakheti.
Nationalist groups and media in Armenia should fully acknowledge
that Javakheti's residents are Georgian citizens and refrain from
over-politicising sensitive issues by labelling them cases of ethnic
discrimination. Many of Javakheti's problems are shared by other
isolated regions in Georgia. The donor community and international
organisations should continue to work with Tbilisi to further develop
democratic institutions, judicial independence, rule of law and free
media, with a view to improving stability in Javakheti as in the rest
of Georgia.
Tbilisi/Yerevan/Brussels, 23 May 2011
International Crisis Group © 2010
Europe Briefing N°6323 May 2011
OVERVIEW
The mostly Armenian-populated Javakheti region, along the southern
border with Armenia and Turkey, has been a potential flashpoint since
Georgia's 1991 independence, when a paramilitary group practically ran
it, and physical links with the rest of the country were weak. After
the 2008 Georgia-Russia war, many outside observers, recalling that
there had been violent demonstrations in Javakheti in 2005 and 2006,
predicted it would be the next to seek autonomy - or more. But the
situation has stabilised. Tbilisi has successfully implemented programs
to increase the region's ties to the rest of the country, stopped
projects that were seen as discriminatory and reduced the influence
of the few remaining radical groups. It should maintain this momentum
and take additional steps to guarantee that Javakheti and its 95,000
mainly Armenian speakers feel fully integrated in Georgia and provide
an example of respect for minority rights in a region where minorities
who feel discriminated against have all too often been attracted to
secession, such as in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Lack of knowledge of the state language (Georgian) and poverty
encourages migration from the region to Armenia and Russia. A paucity
of media reporting on the isolated area helps reinforce feelings of
marginalisation. Many Javakheti residents do not feel like full-fledged
citizens, so prefer to become involved in the political and cultural
life of neighbouring Armenia, whose nationalist groups are quick
to argue that they are the victims of ethnic discrimination due
to Georgian government policies and to amplify their grievances
over poverty, unemployment, education and the lack of formal laws
recognising Armenian as a "regional language" in Javakheti.
However, the current Yerevan authorities are playing a stabilising
role in decreasing tensions and have arrested alleged Javakheti
radicals in Armenia.
Georgia was concerned about Moscow's intentions in the region,
especially as a major Russian military base - a left-over from the
Soviet era - was located there. Some Russian commentators speculated
that the Kremlin could use its influence in Javakheti to cause
Georgia to renounce its NATO membership aspirations. But the base
was closed in 2007, and Moscow lost more of its ability to manipulate
local grievances the next year, when it committed to Abkhaz and South
Ossetian independence. Nevertheless, in Tbilisi fear that Russia could
use the region to destabilise Georgia has increased since the war,
even though this presently seems highly unlikely.
Although Javakheti poses no immediate threat to Georgia's territorial
integrity, Tbilisi needs to continue to increase its focus on the
region, so as to build confidence with local leaders and engender
a sense of loyalty towards the state. This would help to avoid
interpretations that the local aspects of nationwide problems, such
as the economy, reflect ethnic discrimination.
To ensure the political stability and sustainable development of
Javakheti and improve regional integration, thereby reducing the
region's vulnerability to destabilisation, the Georgian government,
with the support of international partners, should:
* provide the public with comprehensive information in Armenian on
its policies and facilitate public discussions on issues, such as
integration, language and human rights; * build the capacities of
educated and motivated local officials, further training them in
public administration while creating an open and restriction-free
environment for local business; * provide long-term budgetary
resources to make educational projects such as multilingual schools,
teacher training, translation of Georgian textbooks into Armenian
and Georgian-as-a-second-language courses more systematised and
sustainable; do more to attract Georgian language teachers to
Javakheti; and give scholarships for higher education to Javakheti
Armenians on condition that they return to teach; * codify current
language and education practices for the minority population in
national legislation; honour the spirit of the European Charter for
Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML) while working toward its
ratification; * encourage more private investment, with a view to
bringing the Javakheti economic ultimately to the national level; and
* offer to fund local television stations' translations of nationwide
programs, including talk shows, and encourage the public broadcaster
(TV Channels 1 and 2) and other national television stations to
improve coverage of Javakheti.
Nationalist groups and media in Armenia should fully acknowledge
that Javakheti's residents are Georgian citizens and refrain from
over-politicising sensitive issues by labelling them cases of ethnic
discrimination. Many of Javakheti's problems are shared by other
isolated regions in Georgia. The donor community and international
organisations should continue to work with Tbilisi to further develop
democratic institutions, judicial independence, rule of law and free
media, with a view to improving stability in Javakheti as in the rest
of Georgia.
Tbilisi/Yerevan/Brussels, 23 May 2011
International Crisis Group © 2010