People Born in Georgia Cannot Integrate in the Country

Kists have lived in Pankisi Valley for many centuries. Small part of them settled in Georgia after Russian-Chechen conflict. Although, many generations lived in Georgia; though integration of Kists into Georgian society still remains a problem.

The Human Rights Center held a three-day-training for Kists inhabitants in Pankisi Valley. The goal of the training was to integrate Georgian citizens with Kists speaking in Chechen  language. Nearly 15 villages of the valley are settled by Kists. Approximately 1000 Chechen refugees live there too. Soso Papuashvili the lawyer for the Center said that Pankisi Valley is isolated from     the rest Georgian population.

“One Kist person told me that although he was born and brought up here he feels himself a guest. The government has not worked out policy and programs to support the integration of these people in Georgia.

The Human Rights Center implements the project for the first time. The main goal of the training is to support local community initiatives. We decided to discuss some legal issues that should be foreseen while establishing none governmental organizations”.  

The first question raised by local residents was establishment of the internet center. It was found out that local government is interested in getting internet. Target group mainly was young people. The second project is teaching Chechen language at school.

Soso Papuashvili: “One of the complaints of local Kists is poor knowledge of  Chechen language. They can speak Chechen language but they use Georgian alphabet while writing. Children are taught in Georgian and Russian languages in Pankisi Valley. The locals are eager to establish a Chechen Language Center which will be established at school and local children will have opportunity to study writing of Chechen”. 

The lawyer for the center does not exclude possibility that projects initiated during the training might be financed by donor organizations.

Nona Suvariani, Tbilisi