The Problem of Muslim Meskhs Remains Unsolved

Irina Chochua

Based on the obligation obtained by the state of Georgia in front of European Union repatriation of so called “Turkish Meskhs” should have started in 2002 and ended in 2011. Only 2 years remain till the official term expires but neither money nor economic and political climate exists in the country for repatriating Muslim Meskhs. Meanwhile, Muslim Georgians that were deported from Meskheti, a region in South Georgia demand their return to their homeland fairly. Large scaled and brutal violation of rights of Muslim Meskhs occurs many years now. Deported Meskhs have only legal basis for returning to their motherland.

In 1999 when Georgia became a member of Council of European the Government of Georgia took responsibility in front of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe to prepare legal basis for rehabilitation, repatriation and integration of Georgian Muslims that were deported from Meskheti in 1944. However, after Georgia became a member of Council of Europe the adoption of repatriation law was not propriety any more. This obligation in front of the Council of Europe has become pressing issue for a number of reasons after the Rose Revolution. In 2007 Georgian Parliament adopted a law on repatriation but the law is not comprehensive. The law gives only legal basis for repatriation but does not say anything about the process of repatriation and funding of rehabilitation centers. Besides, the law also creates bureaucratic obstacles to the process of repatriation.

Repatriation of deported Meskhs had been the issue for political speculations and anti-meskh campaign for many years. There are a number of factors that affect repatriation negatively: current difficult economic and political situation in the country, risk that demographic balance will the infringed, possible conflict between Armenians and Muslim Meskhs (many Armenians live in South Georgia) and most importantly - 300 000 IDPs in the country. There is a feeling that the Georgian Government does not take actual steps for the solution of problems of Muslim Meskhs.

Definition of Meskhs is a serious problem as well. A part of Georgian society identifies them as “Turkish Meskhs” which is incorrect. This term stems from the historic developments we will discuss later.

According to the International Fund for Support of Repatriation  data of 2005 Muslim Meskhs live in 9 countries: in all three countries in Central Asia, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia and the USA. About 40 000 Muslim Meskhs out of 70 000 living in Azerbaijan have already applied for repatriation. 30 000 people have applied from Russia. According to the official data of Repatriation Division of the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation of Georgia the ministry received only 2 200 application so far. According to a Georgian law the application which must include 13 documents must be presented in Georgian or in English. Most of Meskhs do not know any of these languages. Therefore, they have to have the documents translated and endorsed by notary public and all this takes money. The deadline for submission of applications has been canceled twice. The discussion of applications will start on January 1, 2010.

A Few Words about the History

In 1944 Lavrenti Beria, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR requested Stalin to order eviction of all Muslims from the South Georgia “for the purpose of improving protection of state border in Georgia.” In the request Beria calls them Turks while these people had been called Azeris for several years before that. Most of Muslims that were deported from Samtskhe-Javakheti (South Georgia) are ethnically Georgians and indigenous population of Meskheti.

Meskhs are one of the oldest Georgian tribes which make the core of Georgian ethnos.  Christianity was spread in Meskheti in the First Century. Ottoman Empirse seized Meskheti in the XVI century and called it Vilayet of Gurjistan. Most of Meskhs became Muslims due to the politics of Ottoman administration realized through violence and economic pressure. Mesks forgot Georgian because spoken language was considered to be Turkish. Meskheti lost autonomy in 1744. The term “Turkish Meskhs” was introduced and spread by Soviet media outlets in 1970s. A term “Georgian Muslim” emerged when Adjara became a part of Georgian culture again. Despite a huge pressure from Ottoman administration Adjarians managed to maintain Georgian traditions and family names. They adopted Islam but they still considered themselves Georgians.

The situation worsened when Georgia became a part of Russian Empire. The Russian Empire was spreading Turkish language and Islam, opened Turkish civil and religious schools, Georgian Muslims were evicted to Turkey, Armenians were settling in their places. It is noteworthy that Muslim Meskhs were trying to maintain Georgian traditions and Georgian family named despite coercion.

Segregation of Meskhs based on their religious affilitation continued in the first decades of Soviet governance. Muslim Meskhs were considered as Azeris at that time. Clerical work on Azeri language, Azeri newspapers were published, Azeri schools and theater were opened. The staff arrived from Baku. Georgian family names were changed into Azeri massively.

In 1944 105 000 so called “Turks” were deported together with Kurds, Khemshields and Yezidis. Deported Meskhs settled in Central Asia and Kazakistan under administrative supervision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Under the resolution of presidium of Supreme Council of USSR dating April 28, 1956 the registration of movement of inhabitants of settlements of Meskhs was abolished and they were freed from the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“Georgia Needs Meskhs more than Meskhs Need Georgia”

65 years have passed after the exile. Muslim Meskhs have not stopped thinking and caring about their motherland during these years. We have spoken to Temur Lomsadze, Deputy Chairperson of International Fund for Support of Repatriation about the problems of Muslim Meskhs.

-Mr. Temur, how do you think how complete is the law on repatriation that was adopted in 2007?

-The best Georgian lawyers, representative of various international organizations, refugee council of the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation and so on worked on a draft law for two years. The bill was twice sent to international experts. Then Terry Davis, the Secretary General of Council of Europe invited us to Strasbourg for probation of the bill. This would be a good law to begin with. The bill dealt with social security, granting of pensions, funding, and establishment of rehabilitation centers for repatriated population. First of all the bill was oriented on human rights and their freedom, the bill prescribed that the rights of Meskhs were not violated, it was created by taking into account many aspects that are prescribed by international legal norms and also those documents that exist in Europe about human rights and about refugees and persons with no citizenship. Action plan was enclosed to the bill. We made quota system. It is necessary that Meskhs are not settled densely together. This would create integration problems to them. Repatriation is not a simple process. A special strategy should be created. Detailed weekly action plans, prognosis, calculations should be made on how many families shall be settled in certain dates.   Nothing has been done so far. It will be very difficult for the country to discuss 40 000 applications at the same time. The bill was later changed. The law that was adopted in 2007 was far from being perfect. This is not only my opinion but also the opinion of international and Georgian experts. However, this is the one of the most important laws that was adopted in recent times in Georgia first of all because Georgia fulfilled its obligations that it had taken in front of Council of Europe.

-Are there any funds for funding repatriation and why the Parliament of Georgia did no allot money for repatriation from the budget?

Funding is one of the most important issues. Repatriation costs very much. Georgian government and Georgian people are not obliged to spend money on this. It has been defined with international community that Georgia did not pay any role in the deportation of Meskhs and therefore, it is not obliged to finance their repatriation. Georgian Government might pay some amount from the budget as a expression of good will. According to Terry Davis, Europe will take some steps for funding repatriation. Secretary General was planned to hold a conference of donors to mobilize large sum of money but this process was hampered by world economic crisis. However, one year ago Terry Davis said to Suleiman Barbakadze, the Chairperson of International Fund for Support of Repatriation during their meeting that he would find funds when the application submission was over. We meet representatives of international organizations and hope that they will allot some money but unfortunately, not as much as it had been anticipated.

-What are the living conditions of Muslim Meskhs?

They live in bad conditions. Meskhs go in for agriculture. They are hardworking people and obedient to law as well. Their personalities were shaped by the difficulties they faced during deportation. According to last year figures about 12 Muslim Meskhs live in the USA. The rights of Meskhs have been seriously violated in Krasnodar Oblast in recent times. They faced difficulties with receiving Russian citizenship, besides various movements and groups are particularly aggressive towards them.  Therefore, the USA, International Organization for Migration and several other international organizations made a project. According to this project persecuted Meskhs were settled in various states of the USA.  Americans did not do this out tolerance only. Since Meskhs are very hardworking people the US administration employed them in agriculture field in villages. Nowadays about 12 Meskhs serve the USA. There are many abandoned villages in Georgia. Therefore, Georgia needs Meskhs more than Meskhs need Georgia nowadays. Hence, the state must take care of brining them back. They (Meskhs) are interested in self-identification as well. At the same time compete, well-thought-of state policy is needed. In this case, I can assure you that they will integrate into the society very fast.

-Did the repatriation applicants decreased in number after the August war?

Russian propaganda affected Meskhs a lot and they also fear that there will be another attack from Russia. However, Vatan, an international organization of Meskhs and our fund is trying their best to urge Meskhs to apply for repatriation. They can come to Georgia whenever they want when they have a status. Of course, no one can say when repatriation is over. If the process is not over in the prescribed time, the issue of prolonging repatriation will be raised in the Council of Europe.

There are more than 300 000 IDPs are in the country. This problem is not solved yet. Amid this how important is repatriation of Meskhs?

If Council of Europe and international community fulfils its obligation and funds the repatriation, this will benefit IDPs as well because new villages will be built and Meskhs and IDPs will be settled there.

Is it possible that the funds might be embezzled by private or state institutions?

It is a very serious issue. I think that chances are not very high that this will happen. It has become very difficult to obtain funds and if money is allotted the spending will be very strictly monitored. Therefore, embezzlement is less possible.