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Javakhk Armenians Eagerly Await Their Piece of the Georgian Dream
By Varant Meguerditchian on January 7, 2015
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/01/07/javakhk-armenians-eagerly-await-piece-georgian-dream/
The Georgian Dream Party (GDP) dramatically came to power in 2012 on
the back of a popular message. The GDP claimed that Mikhail
Saakashvili's United National Movement (UNM) had become authoritarian
and lost touch with the people. The message was strong: The government
will deliver for the people of Georgia. This was the "Georgian Dream."
The Armenian Youth Center of Akhalkalak
The dramatic takeover of the government started with the election of
Georgia Dream's Bidzina Ivanishvili as prime minister in October 2012.
A year later, Ivanishvili's former education minister, Giorgi
Margvelashvili, replaced Saakashvili in the largely ceremonial role of
president. Soon after, Ivanishvili fulfilled his election promise to
voluntarily step aside, naming his long-time Georgia Dream associate
Irakli Garibashvili as the new prime minister of Georgia.
The GDP's hold on all major Georgian government posts was complete by
December 2013. Twelve months on, the Armenians of Javakhk are still
eagerly awaiting their piece of the Georgian Dream.
Challenging economic conditions encountered by Javakhk Armenians over
the course of a number of years led many to attain Armenian
citizenship and travel to Russia to seek employment. As Georgia's
legislation restricts dual citizenship, these Javakhk Armenians were
not permitted to retain their Georgian citizenship.
Now, due to new Georgian government visa laws, these natives of
Javakhk must attain a visa to return home for stays over 90 days. The
visa process is cumbersome and the need to "verify possessing of
sufficient funds," as outlined in the visa requirements, has proven to
be difficult for many. For fathers and brothers who have been forced
to leave for work, the visa requirements are posing a serious
impediment to reuniting with their families in Javakhk.
In October 2014, an Armenian parliamentary delegation led by National
Assembly Speaker Galust Sahakyan made representations to the Georgian
government on behalf of the Armenians of Javakhk concerning these
travel impediments. Upon its return, the delegation noted that
promises had been made by the Georgian government to address the
issue. Despite these promises, a timely resolution has not been
forthcoming, and Javakhk Armenians are still being kept away from
their families.
Promises made by President Margvelashvili while serving as education
minister to improve education conditions for Javakhk Armenians are
also still pending. Despite numerous requests from teachers and
students to educate in and learn their native language, the government
remains determined to make Georgian the principal language of
instruction in schools.
Acceptance of Armenian as an official regional language would
ultimately resolve the issue of learning rights and allow for more
effective interaction between Javakhk Armenians and regional
government institutions. But there seems to be little hope that
Armenian will be elevated to an official language of Javakhk in the
near future.
Ivanishvili's pledge to fund a historical commission to resolve
disputes of church ownership between the Armenian Apostolic Church and
Georgian Orthodox Church has also not materialized. During his first
visit to the Republic of Armenia, the former prime minister and leader
of the GDP had committed to funding the research, but the
investigation has not yet commenced. As a result, a number of these
churches still remain in the possession of Georgian Orthodox Church
authorities.
In the absence of good governance for the Armenians of Javakhk, a
number of NGOs have been filling the void. These NGOs have been doing
their best to serve the cultural, educational, and at times economic
needs of Javakhk Armenians.
Earlier this year, the Support to Javakhk Fund was founded by seven
prominent Javakhk Armenians with the aim of implementing projects
devoted to the socioeconomic development of the Armenian-populated
regions of Javakhk and Tsalka.
The fund supports families with multiple children, providing one-off
grants of 1,000 GEL (approximately 550 USD) for the birth of a third
child, 1,500 GEL (approximately 830 USD) for a fourth, and 2,000 GEL
(approximately 1,100 USD) for a fifth. According to the program
coordinators, more than 40,000 USD has already been disbursed to
Javakhk families under this program.
Another program implemented by the fund includes gifting a cow to
Javakhk villagers with the expectation that the cow will bare a calf
that is later returned to the fund and accepted as payment for the
cow. The program has been effective in improving the conditions of
many villagers in Javakhk.
The website www.jah.am details the social, health-related, cultural,
and community programs currently run by the Support to Javakhk Fund.
The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) is also undertaking important work
in Javakhk. The organization recently celebrated the seventh
anniversary of the establishment of its youth center in Akhalkalak.
Some 400 young Armenian youth participated in programs run by the
Akhalkalak youth center.
The ARS has established a number of such youth centers throughout
Javakhk. The most recently established center was officially opened in
the border town of Ninotzminda in September 2014. The ARS centers
serve to strengthen and enrich the knowledge of the youth of Javakhk,
providing locals with the opportunity to learn Armenian history and
become immersed in Armenian culture.
Just as with every new government, the GDP government of Prime
Minister Irakli Garibashvili is entitled to a grace period--time to
settle into government, prioritize objectives, and implement policies
to deliver for the people. For the GDP government, that grace period
is nearing its end.
Where the needs of the people of Javakhk sit on the GDP's list of
political priorities is uncertain. But many remain hopeful that the
GDP's open and honest communication and promises will deliver better
conditions for the people of Javakhk.
While NGOs and their supporters work tirelessly to deliver their
programs, the people of Javakhk wait patiently with the expectation
that in the new year, the Georgian government will finally give them
their piece of the "Georgian Dream."
By Varant Meguerditchian on January 7, 2015
http://armenianweekly.com/2015/01/07/javakhk-armenians-eagerly-await-piece-georgian-dream/
The Georgian Dream Party (GDP) dramatically came to power in 2012 on
the back of a popular message. The GDP claimed that Mikhail
Saakashvili's United National Movement (UNM) had become authoritarian
and lost touch with the people. The message was strong: The government
will deliver for the people of Georgia. This was the "Georgian Dream."
The Armenian Youth Center of Akhalkalak
The dramatic takeover of the government started with the election of
Georgia Dream's Bidzina Ivanishvili as prime minister in October 2012.
A year later, Ivanishvili's former education minister, Giorgi
Margvelashvili, replaced Saakashvili in the largely ceremonial role of
president. Soon after, Ivanishvili fulfilled his election promise to
voluntarily step aside, naming his long-time Georgia Dream associate
Irakli Garibashvili as the new prime minister of Georgia.
The GDP's hold on all major Georgian government posts was complete by
December 2013. Twelve months on, the Armenians of Javakhk are still
eagerly awaiting their piece of the Georgian Dream.
Challenging economic conditions encountered by Javakhk Armenians over
the course of a number of years led many to attain Armenian
citizenship and travel to Russia to seek employment. As Georgia's
legislation restricts dual citizenship, these Javakhk Armenians were
not permitted to retain their Georgian citizenship.
Now, due to new Georgian government visa laws, these natives of
Javakhk must attain a visa to return home for stays over 90 days. The
visa process is cumbersome and the need to "verify possessing of
sufficient funds," as outlined in the visa requirements, has proven to
be difficult for many. For fathers and brothers who have been forced
to leave for work, the visa requirements are posing a serious
impediment to reuniting with their families in Javakhk.
In October 2014, an Armenian parliamentary delegation led by National
Assembly Speaker Galust Sahakyan made representations to the Georgian
government on behalf of the Armenians of Javakhk concerning these
travel impediments. Upon its return, the delegation noted that
promises had been made by the Georgian government to address the
issue. Despite these promises, a timely resolution has not been
forthcoming, and Javakhk Armenians are still being kept away from
their families.
Promises made by President Margvelashvili while serving as education
minister to improve education conditions for Javakhk Armenians are
also still pending. Despite numerous requests from teachers and
students to educate in and learn their native language, the government
remains determined to make Georgian the principal language of
instruction in schools.
Acceptance of Armenian as an official regional language would
ultimately resolve the issue of learning rights and allow for more
effective interaction between Javakhk Armenians and regional
government institutions. But there seems to be little hope that
Armenian will be elevated to an official language of Javakhk in the
near future.
Ivanishvili's pledge to fund a historical commission to resolve
disputes of church ownership between the Armenian Apostolic Church and
Georgian Orthodox Church has also not materialized. During his first
visit to the Republic of Armenia, the former prime minister and leader
of the GDP had committed to funding the research, but the
investigation has not yet commenced. As a result, a number of these
churches still remain in the possession of Georgian Orthodox Church
authorities.
In the absence of good governance for the Armenians of Javakhk, a
number of NGOs have been filling the void. These NGOs have been doing
their best to serve the cultural, educational, and at times economic
needs of Javakhk Armenians.
Earlier this year, the Support to Javakhk Fund was founded by seven
prominent Javakhk Armenians with the aim of implementing projects
devoted to the socioeconomic development of the Armenian-populated
regions of Javakhk and Tsalka.
The fund supports families with multiple children, providing one-off
grants of 1,000 GEL (approximately 550 USD) for the birth of a third
child, 1,500 GEL (approximately 830 USD) for a fourth, and 2,000 GEL
(approximately 1,100 USD) for a fifth. According to the program
coordinators, more than 40,000 USD has already been disbursed to
Javakhk families under this program.
Another program implemented by the fund includes gifting a cow to
Javakhk villagers with the expectation that the cow will bare a calf
that is later returned to the fund and accepted as payment for the
cow. The program has been effective in improving the conditions of
many villagers in Javakhk.
The website www.jah.am details the social, health-related, cultural,
and community programs currently run by the Support to Javakhk Fund.
The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) is also undertaking important work
in Javakhk. The organization recently celebrated the seventh
anniversary of the establishment of its youth center in Akhalkalak.
Some 400 young Armenian youth participated in programs run by the
Akhalkalak youth center.
The ARS has established a number of such youth centers throughout
Javakhk. The most recently established center was officially opened in
the border town of Ninotzminda in September 2014. The ARS centers
serve to strengthen and enrich the knowledge of the youth of Javakhk,
providing locals with the opportunity to learn Armenian history and
become immersed in Armenian culture.
Just as with every new government, the GDP government of Prime
Minister Irakli Garibashvili is entitled to a grace period--time to
settle into government, prioritize objectives, and implement policies
to deliver for the people. For the GDP government, that grace period
is nearing its end.
Where the needs of the people of Javakhk sit on the GDP's list of
political priorities is uncertain. But many remain hopeful that the
GDP's open and honest communication and promises will deliver better
conditions for the people of Javakhk.
While NGOs and their supporters work tirelessly to deliver their
programs, the people of Javakhk wait patiently with the expectation
that in the new year, the Georgian government will finally give them
their piece of the "Georgian Dream."