The Russia Journal
First case of human anthrax reported in Armenia
WORLD/CIS » :: Apr 29, 2004 Posted: 19:49 Moscow time (15:49 GMT)
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YEREVAN – The first case of human anthrax has been registered in a village
in the Shirakskaya region of Armenia. As reported to a Rosbalt correspondent
by the Armenian Health Ministry, the infection originated in cattle, and
health workers do not exclude the possibility that the case will not be the
only one.
As of April 17, tens of cases of anthrax in cattle have been reported in the
region. The cause of the epidemic has been attributed to substandard
vaccine. The area has been quarantined, and health workers have reported
that the epicenter of the contamination has been localized. /Rosbalt/

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
ARMENIAN CAUCUS MEMBERSHIP GROWS TO 131
Major Pan-Armenian Conference Yields Four New Members
Washington, DC – A major pan-Armenian advocacy conference in Washington
earlier this month has resulted in the addition of four new House Members to
the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, bringing the total to 131
members.
Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Darrell Issa
(R-CA) and Candice Miller (R-MI) officially joined the Caucus, following
meetings April 20 with representatives of the Armenian Assembly of America,
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and Eastern and Western Diocese of
the Armenian Church. The organizations each rallied their respective
constituencies for a joint conference, April 18-20, to communicate a message
of non-partisan unity to the Washington public policy community.
“We’re pleased that Representatives Davis, Diaz-Balart, Issa and Miller have
agreed to join the Armenian Caucus as a result of direct meetings with our
Conference participants,” Assembly Executive Director Ross Vartian said.
“They bring experience, enthusiasm and commitment to the Caucus and we’re
delighted they will be part of this very important body.”
“Also, we applaud the extraordinary work of our activists for helping to
increase the Caucus membership,” Vartian continued. “Their efforts are
exactly what this Conference is all about – advocating on behalf of
Armenia’s and Nagorno Karabakh’s issues from an American national interest.”

Assembly Board of Directors Vice Chair Lisa Esayian, together with Assembly
Fellow Trustee E. James Keledjian, both from the Chicago area, met with
Congressman Davis during the Washington Conference. During their nearly
hour-long meeting, the group discussed several key community concerns and
urged Davis to sign-on to the Caucus and thanked him for his support of the
Armenian Genocide resolution.
During an impromptu meeting on the Hill, Assembly Western Office Chairman
Richard Mushegain and Fellow Trustee Jim Melikian met with a staff member
for Congressman Issa. Mushegain and Melikian, joined by other activists,
spoke about the importance of Issa’s Caucus membership and expressed thanks
for his co-sponsorship of the U.S.-Armenia trade bill, H.R. 528.
Congresswoman Miller, who also supports the trade bill, was approached to
join the Caucus by Assembly Detroit Regional Council Co-Chair and Fellow
Trustee Edgar Hagopian of Michigan. Assembly Life Trustees and Florida
residents James and Marta Batmasian, for their part, encouraged
Diaz-Balart’s membership.
The Armenian Caucus has focused on strengthening the U.S.-Armenia and
U.S.-Karabakh relationships, searching for a peaceful solution to the
Karabakh conflict, ending the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades of Armenia
and NKR and reaffirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide. Most
recently, 191 Members of Congress signed a letter calling on President Bush
to properly acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in his April 24 statement.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-047

Milliyet, Turkey
April 29 2004
TRUMP CARD OF ”WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS”
Europe closely follows steps that Turkey will take on ”its relations
with Greek Cypriot side” and ”its military existence in Cyprus”
while Ankara discusses the timing of two important decisions.
European diplomats agree with Turkish opinion that Turkish Cypriots
should not be punished after referendums. A European diplomat who
said that Greece and Greek Cypriots were expected to bind their votes
on Turkey in December on the condition of ”decrease in Turkish
military existence in Cyprus” noted, ”we know that also withdrawal
of Turkish and Greek troops was rejected in the referendum. However,
you have a powerful hand if you announce now that some number of
troops would be withdrawn in next six months or one year
symbolically.”
Meanwhile, alternatives of ”withdrawal of troops” discussed in
Ankara are as follows:
1- Whole world stands by us if we immediately announce that symbolic
number of troops like five thousand would be withdrawn. Getting a
date from the EU becomes definite. (especially advisors to Prime
Minister Erdogan and diplomats who defend that solution in Cyprus
would come onto agenda again)
2- It can be considered in October-December period which is the final
stage of Turkey-EU bargaining. (Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his
ministry’s departments for EU have this opinion)
3- Signal of ”withdrawal of troops” while we are the absolute
winner of referendum shows that we are ready to make more
concessions. Instead of it, if the EU decides to open entry talks
with Turkey, we can withdraw troops as a positive reaction. (Foreign
Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and the ministry’s departments for
EU) If pressure of ”recognize Greek Cypriots” from the EU
increases, relations with Greek Cypriots will be carried out in a
similar way as the relations with Armenia. According to it, Turkey
will recognize Greek Cypriot side but they won’t be allowed to open
embassy and representation in Turkey.

turkishnewsline, Turkey
April 29 2004
US’ Armenia move

The US is determined to improve its influence on Caucasus; so it has
some movements that have not been realized.
Under this framework, US’ signing a military deal with Armenia could
be evaluated as last, silent but an important move. Press reported a
little on the issue when the agreement was signed in Yerivan on April
25. Armenia Chief of General Staff declared the deal on April 26.
With this deal, for the first time US is signing a military agreement
with Armenia.
According to information on the deal, this is a military logistic
deal. The US will able to come to Armenia and it will able to remain
in the Armenian bases and he will able to benefit from the facilities
of the bases. The same conditions will be valid for the US military
forces; of course it is a detail because the Armenian forces will not
go to the US. And why should they go?
There are some special clauses that the US will pay for the services
that it benefited from in Armenia and the US will compensate the
Armenian forces, which would be deployed in Iraq. We discover that
Armenia is ready to send a military unit to Iraq to get closer to the
US. The aim is not only to be closer to the US, but also Armenia
wants to balance Azerbaijan and Georgia in Iraq, which sent troops to
the country.
This agreement that the US signed with Armenia is the last move of
the US against the Caucasus. Aiming to break Russian and Iran
influence in the Caucasus, the US had signed a very comprehensive
deal with Georgia.

The Express Times, PA
April 29 2004
Witness: Problems started in Russia
Adopted boy suffered from mental issues, psychologist says.
By BILL BRAY
The Express-Times
FLEMINGTON — A Russian-born psychologist Wednesday described Viktor
Matthey as a severely mentally disabled boy with problems rooted in
his mother’s alcoholism — problems that manifested themselves until
his death at age 7.
Viktor died of heart failure 10 months after he was adopted by Robert
and Brenda Matthey of Union Township.
Anait Azarian, a child psychologist who specializes in post-traumatic
stress disorder, said Viktor Matthey likely suffered from numerous
mental problems including fetal alcohol effect that was brought on by
his biological mother’s heavy drinking during pregnancy.
Azarian, who grew up in the Soviet Union and once ran a clinic for
children suffering from post-traumatic stress associated with
earthquakes in Armenia and the Chernobyl nuclear accident, said
Viktor’s early life of neglect and abuse saddled him with problems
that could not be cured by a good home and loving parents.
“He was a very complex child with lots of problems,” said Azarian, a
defense witness.
The Mattheys are on trial in Superior Court in Hunterdon County for
manslaughter, aggravated manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a
child and witness tampering in connection with Viktor’s death. He
died Oct. 31, 2000, in a New Brunswick, N.J., hospital three days
after he was rushed to Hunterdon Medical Center.
The defense could rest its case today.
Prosecutors allege the Mattheys abused Viktor by using excessive
corporal punishment such as hitting him with a bat and a whip,
forcing him to eat uncooked beans, taping his mouth shut and making
him sleep in an unheated basement pump room.
The prosecution contends Viktor’s exposure to the cold inside the
pump room before he died led to hypothermia and eventual heart
failure. Viktor had a body temperature of 83 degrees when he arrived
Oct. 29, 2000, at Hunterdon Medical Center.
The defense claims the abuse and neglect Viktor endured in Russia
caused him to suffer from a nutritional disorder that prevented his
body from absorbing proteins and that eventually led to hypothermia
and heart failure. The defense also claims Viktor’s mental problems
resulted in self-mutilating behavior such as picking at his skin
until it bled and throwing himself into walls or down a short flight
of stairs in the Matthey home.
During her testimony Wednesday, Azarian said Viktor’s mother drank
almost every day for the two years prior to his birth in 1993. Viktor
showed several signs of fetal alcohol effect such as small teeth,
thin hair, a big head, developmental delays and speech problems,
Azarian said.
When Viktor was born, his parents — both alcoholics, according to
Azarian — paid no attention to him.
“She was giving birth only for income,” Azarian said of the boy’s
natural mother. Viktor’s parents received food aid based on the
number of children they had and in turn used the money to buy vodka.
Their lack of love and attention was the first in a chain of abuses
that led Viktor to also develop reactive attachment disorder and
post-traumatic stress disorder, Azarian said.
“They never built a fundamental base of trust,” Azarian said of
children like Viktor.
His lack of trust spurred Viktor to want to be in control at all
times.
“They want to be in control; they need to know what’s going on,”
Azarian said of children such as Viktor.
Viktor’s bed-wetting and habit of soiling himself were ways to show
he was in control, Azarian said. His lack of sleep was directly
related to his need to know what was going on around him at all
times, Azarian said.
“These children can be awake for days and days at a time,” Azarian
said. Robert and Brenda Matthey testified earlier that they gave
Viktor a sedative the night before his collapse after he failed to
sleep for several days.
Under cross-examination, Azarian said fetal alcohol effect,
post-traumatic stress disorder and reactive attachment disorder are
not fatal problems. Azarian said the Mattheys should have taken
Viktor to a medical professional for care.
Under questioning by Assistant Prosecutor Harvey Lester, Azarian
acknowledged the Mattheys agreed to adopt a mentally or physically
abused child or a child that suffered abuse. Azarian also agreed the
Mattheys’ alleged abuse of Viktor could have contributed to his
mental problems.
Azarian said she was amazed by how quickly Viktor learned English and
said he was obviously a bright boy. Lester suggested that Viktor’s
ability to learn English is contrary to Azarian’s claim he had fetal
alcohol effect.
The jury Wednesday also heard a tape of the 911 call made by Brenda
Matthey on Oct. 28, 2000.
Matthey, who sounded worried and upset, was heard taking
cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions from a 911 operator and
pleading with Viktor not to die.
“Oh my God, come on (Viktor), come on,” Matthey is heard saying in
the background on the tape as she tried to give the boy rescue
breathing. Within minutes of her call, the first rescue workers
arrived and took over CPR. Viktor, who had stopped breathing and had
no pulse, was resuscitated at Hunterdon Medical Center 80 minutes
later.
“Oh, he’s so lifeless, please,” Matthey said to the operator as she
unsuccessfully attempted to get Viktor to breathe. Near the end of
the tape, Matthey sounds like she begins to cry, prompting the
operator to encourage her to continue.
“You are doing everything that anybody could possibly do for him
right now,” the operator said. “Just do what you’re doing. So you’re,
you’re doing great, OK,” the operator said.
Testimony will continue today with Boris Skurkovich, a pediatrician.
Reporter Bill Bray can be reached at 908-475-1596 or by e-mail at
[email protected].

ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 29 2004
Aliyev calls for gradual settlement of conflict with Armenia

STRASBOURG, April 29 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijani President Ilkham
Aliyev favoured the settlement of the conflict with Armenia on a
gradual basis.
The first step is `to withdraw Armenian troops from the seven
districts of Azerbaijan’ that are not part of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Aliyev said.
Speaking at the PACE spring session on Thursday, the Azerbaijani
president said this initiative has become an important step towards
strengthening trust. This idea has been discussed by Europarliament
and other European structures and supported by them, he added.
`It is inadmissible when one of the Council of Europe countries is
occupying part of another country, which is also a CE member. Armenia
will win nothing neither in an economic nor moral aspect. This only
can infringe upon Armenia’s prestige at the international arena. I
believe that Armenian leaders are beginning to understand this,’ the
Azerbaijani leader stressed.
At the same time, Aliyev pointed out that Azerbaijan will never agree
to develop economic cooperation with Armenia till Armenian troops are
not withdrawn from these districts. `Azerbaijan cannot cooperate with
a country that occupies part of its territories,’ Aliyev emphasised.

Central Asian and Southern Caucasus Freedom of Expression Network
(CASCFEN), Azerbaijan
April 29 2004
Assembly calls for peaceful dialogue without preconditions
CoE – The Armenian authorities should allow peaceful demonstrations
to take place, release those detained during recent demonstrations,
immediately investigate any reported human rights abuses that took
place and create fair conditions for the media, the Assembly said on
Wednesday, 28 April 2004 following an urgent debate on the situation
in the country.
If no progress is made on these demands by the opening of the
September session, the parliamentarians resolved to reconsider the
credentials of the Armenian delegation.
However, they also called on the opposition to achieve its goals
within the constitutional framework. Both sides should engage in a
peaceful dialogue without preconditions, they stressed.
Honouring of obligations and commitments by Armenia
Resolution 1374 (2004)[1]
1. Since the end of March 2004, a series of protests were organised
by the opposition forces in Armenia, calling for the holding of a
`referendum of confidence’ in President Kocharian. The possibility of
such a referendum was first mentioned by the Armenian Constitutional
Court following the presidential elections in February and March last
year. The Constitutional Court later clarified its proposal and the
authorities qualify the opposition demands and protests as an attempt
to seize power by force.
2. The demonstrations, while announced, have not been authorised by
the authorities who threatened their organisers with criminal
prosecution. Following the demonstrations on 5 April, the prosecutor
general opened criminal investigations in connection with the rally
of the opposition parties against several members of the opposition
and many more were arrested. On the same occasion, several
journalists and politicians were beaten up by unknown persons while
the police were standing by taking no action.
3. New demonstrations took place on 9, 10 and 12 April in Yerevan. In
the early morning of 13 April, the security forces violently
dispersed some 2000-3000 protesters who were attempting to march
towards the presidential palace, calling for President Kocharian’s
resignation. The police reportedly used truncheons, water cannons and
tear gas, causing dozens of injuries. A number of protesters were
arrested, including members of parliament, some of whom are members
of the Assembly, and some were allegedly mistreated during their
custody by the police. The security forces also assaulted and
arrested several journalists who were covering the opposition rally.
4. The tensions in Armenia continue to run high; new protests are
planned for the week of 26 April. For the time being, there seems to
be little room for dialogue between the authorities and the
opposition, even if some offers have been made and some members of
the ruling majority – and notably the Speaker of the Armenian
parliament – have begun criticising the heavy-handed crackdown on
demonstrators.
5. With regard to the conduct of the authorities, the Parliamentary
Assembly recalls that its actions are contrary to the letter and the
spirit of the recommendations formulated in its Resolution 1361
(2004) adopted last January. It is particularly concerned with the
fact that:
i. arrests, including on the basis of the Administrative Code,
ignored the demand to immediately end the practice of administrative
detention and change the Administrative Code used as a legal basis
for this practice;
ii. the authorities refused to authorise opposition rallies for
reasons not permitted under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Moreover the new draft law on the procedure of conducting gatherings,
meetings, rallies and demonstrations, currently in the parliamentary
procedure, was evaluated as excessively restrictive by experts of the
Venice Commission;
iii. persons detained during the recent events were reportedly
subjected to ill-treatment by police and security forces, in spite of
Assembly’s demands to take resolute and more active steps to remedy
misconduct by law enforcement officials;
iv. freedom of expression continues to be seriously curtailed and
several acts of violence against journalists, which took place during
the recent events, were carried out or were allowed to happen by the
police and security forces.
6. With regard to the conduct of the opposition, the Assembly
stresses that they should do their utmost to avoid any future
violence.
7. As to their demands for the holding of a `referendum of
confidence’ and the resignation of President Kocharian, the Assembly
stresses that:
i. both the presidential, and the parliamentary elections which
followed in May last year were severely criticised by the
international community, including by the Assembly delegations. The
electoral process as a whole had not complied with international
standards and the irregularities observed notably included biased
media coverage, detention of opposition proxies and campaign staff,
falsification of results, intimidation of observers as well as
generally inadequate performance of the elections administration.
ii. although the fraud, in spite of its magnitude, did not decisively
change the outcome of the elections nor invalidate their final
results, in its report on the honouring of obligations and
commitments by Armenia, adopted in January 2004 (Resolution 1361),
the Assembly expressed profound disappointment at the conduct of the
elections and called for a thorough investigation into electoral
fraud and an end to the judicial impunity for those responsible for
it.
8. While insisting that the Armenian authorities must fully comply
with its recommendations concerning last year’s flawed elections, the
Assembly considers that the opposition, while entitled fully to enjoy
its constitutional right to peaceful assembly, should strive to
achieve its goals within the constitutional framework.
9. The Assembly calls upon the Armenian authorities to:
i. allow peaceful demonstrations and refrain from any further action
which would legally, or in practice, lead to unjustified restrictions
to the freedom of assembly guaranteed by the European Convention on
human rights;
ii. guarantee freedom of movement within Armenia;
iii. immediately investigate – in a transparent and credible manner –
the incidents and human rights abuses reported during the recent
events, including assaults of journalists and human rights activists,
and inform the Assembly of their findings and possible legal actions
against persons responsible;
iv. immediately release the persons detained for their participation
in the demonstrations and immediately end the practice of
administrative detention and amend the Administrative Code to this
effect;
v. take note of the fact that the immunities of PACE members are
valid during the whole year (PACE Resolution 1325 (2003) and
Recommendation 1602 (2003)); accordingly it invites the competent
Armenian authorities to henceforth inform as soon as possible the
President of the PACE when Armenian members of that Assembly are
prosecuted or detained;
vi. create fair conditions for the normal functioning of the media,
notably as regards the issuing of broadcasting licences to television
companies, particularly to television channel A1+;
vii. send a written report to the Assembly, before the opening of the
June 2004 part-session, on the steps it has taken with regard to
sub-paragraphs 9.i to 9.vi.
10. The Assembly calls upon the authorities and the opposition to
refrain from any action which may lead to further violence and to
engage in a dialogue without preconditions, with a view to resolving
the present conflict in accordance with Council of Europe standards
and European democratic practice.
11. The Assembly believes that the recent events have added a measure
of urgency to its demands for Armenia’s full and unconditional
compliance with their obligations and commitments. It resolves to
instruct the Monitoring Committee to send its rapporteurs to Armenia
to present a report on the situation, particularly on the follow-up
of the recommendations set out in sub-paragraphs 9.i to 9.vi, as soon
as appropriate, and well before the opening of the September 2004
part-session. If no progress with regard to sub-paragraphs 9.i to
9.vi is made by the opening of the September 2004 part-session, it
resolves to reconsider the credentials of the Armenian delegation in
accordance with Rule 9 of the Rules of Procedure.
[1] Assembly debate on 28 April 2004 (13th Sitting) (see Doc. 10163,
report of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and
Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring
Committee), Co-Rapporteurs: MM André and Jaskiernia). Text adopted by
the Assembly on 28 April 2004 (13th Sitting).

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
April 29 2004
PACE GAVE TIME TO ARMENIA
[April 29, 2004, 19:05:45]
At the session of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on
28 April, discussed was the question “Situation in Armenia”,
correspondent of AzerTAj reported from Strasbourg
French deputy Rene Andre and Polish deputy Zherzi Zhaskiernia have
informed on the events, which have occurred in Armenia recently. .
Both lecturers have condemned the violent measures applied concerning
peace meetings on which the opposition expressed mistrust to
President Robert Kocharyan, have stated that in the country did not
carry out democratic reforms, human rights are violated, freedom of
press is strangled, and have demanded from authorities written
explanation in connection with the latest developments. The report
reflects gross infringements during the presidential elections in
Armenia, ignoring by authorities of protests of the Council of Europe
in this occasion, the requirement to the Country’s management about
realization of serious steps on the way of stabilization of
situation.
Ten deputies have spoken in discussions on the report. They have
especially noted the arbitrariness of police during dispersal of
peace meetings, having emphasized, that thus did not spare even
women, have stressed importance to start dialogue between authority
and opposition. It was stressed the necessity of direction to Armenia
special expert group for check of performance of resolution of the
January session the PACE concerning Armenia, even is recommended to
follow example the neighboring Georgia (“velvet revolution”), make
amendments to the Constitution of the country connected with
presidential and parliamentary elections. If before the last events
it was informed, that in Armenia there are no political prisoners,
now the situation changed, hundreds people are arrested. In
statements, has found reflection extremely heavy political situation
in the country. And some statements contain requirements about
introduction of sanctions concerning the country, which have applied
force over the citizens.
Some deputies demanded dialogue between authority and opposition,
have noted importance of sending to Armenia a monitoring group, and
special representative to study situation, have made offer on giving
to Armenia time until September session for settlement of the
question
Amendments to the resolution made by session in connection with the
events which has occurred in Armenia, also have caused rough
discussions among deputies. Despite of diligence and protests of the
Armenian deputies, in the draft resolution have found reflection many
amendments, including about carrying out in the country of mass
arrests, giving to authorities of Armenia time till September for
stabilization of situation by peace way (otherwise, the delegation of
Armenia in the PACE will be deprived all powers). During voting, the
majority of deputies supported these amendments. Thus, time for
normalization of situation developed in the country is given to
Armenia.

Minneapolis Star Tribune , MN
April 29 2004
Movie spotlight: Borderlands festival explores the eastern
Mediterranean
The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival might be over,
but world cinema is still going on strong at the University of
Minnesota. This week’s Borderlands Festival showcases work by
directors of Turkish, Armenian and Greek descent. Its theme of
co-existence despite a thorny history is exemplified by its
best-known film, “Ararat,” starring Charles Aznavour and Arsinée
Khanjian (pictured), Atom Egoyan’s meditation on the Turkish
slaughter of Armenians in 1915. (7:45 p.m. Sat.) The mini-fest also
includes a documentary on the massacre and rare period footage. It
opens tonight with the Turkish film “Mrs. Salkim’s Diamonds” and a
lecture by its screenwriter, journalist Etyen Mahçupyan. (7 p.m.
today, Bell Auditorium, 17th & University Avs. SE., Mpls.
612-331-3134. See “Special screenings” below for a full list of
events.)

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
April 29 2004
Russia: IOM Expects Up To 10,000 Meskhetians To Apply For U.S.
Refugee Status
By Jean-Christophe Peuch

The United States says it is ready to extend refugee status to
thousands of Meskhetians from Russia’s Krasnodar region, an area that
human rights groups have long been denouncing as being a hotbed of
ethnic discrimination. Although they would rather remain in the
region or return to their historic homeland of Georgia, many
Meskhetians are likely to accept the offer for want of viable
alternatives.
Prague, 29 April 2004 (RFE/RL) — The International Organization for
Migration (IOM) has initiated a program designed to help Meskhetians
from Russia’s southern Krasnodar region migrate to the United States.
The program was officially launched on 16 February on behalf of the
U.S. government. Applications will be received by the IOM
headquarters in Moscow, which will in turn hand them over to the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security for clearance.
“We have — since the opening [of the program] on the 16th of
February — [received], I would say, upwards of 1,700 [family]
applications. Normally there [are] about three persons per
application, so it is more than 5,000 individuals who have applied so
far.”Selected applicants will then be allowed to enter American soil
under the U.S. Refugee Program, which grants asylum to individuals it
deems have been persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality,
or for political reasons.
Under U.S. rules, eligibility for refugee status is decided on a
case-by-case basis.
Upon arrival, immigrants will be assigned to private voluntary
agencies that will provide initial resettlement services, such as
housing, food, clothing, and other basic necessities.
The IOM will help arrange for the transportation of immigrants, who
in turn will be expected to repay the cost of their transfer.
Meskhetians will be eligible for permanent resident status one year
after their arrival and, after another four years, for American
citizenship.
Mark Getchell is the head of the IOM mission in Russia. He tells
RFE/RL many Krasnodar Meskhetians seem willing to apply for refugee
status in the United States.
“We have — since the opening [of the program] on the 16th of
February — [received], I would say, upwards of 1,700 [family]
applications. Normally there [are] about three persons per
application, so it is more than 5,000 individuals who have applied so
far,” Getchell says.
Getchell says the IOM expects up to 10,000 individuals to volunteer
for resettlement by the program’s mid-August application deadline —
which may be extended if deemed necessary.
Only those Meskhetians who have no legal status are eligible for the
refugee program. Unless they are married to an individual who has no
legal status, U.S. authorities will not consider the case of those
Meskhetians who enjoy civil rights under Russian laws.
Russian authorities claim they have granted citizenship to some 4,000
Meskhetians and are currently in the process of reviewing a few
hundred more cases.
“The problem of the Meskhetians is closed and no longer exists,” says
Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Chekalin, referring last January
to a newly effective law that reportedly makes it easier for former
Soviet citizens to obtain Russian citizenship.
Chekalin’s remarks are symptomatic of the attitude of many
post-Soviet governments towards Meskhetians.
Today’s Meskhetians — also known as Meskhis — are the survivors or
the descendants of a roughly 100,000-strong rural Muslim population
of southern Georgia that Soviet leader Josef Stalin ordered deported
on 15 November 1944.
Although Meskhetians themselves disagree on whether they descend from
ethnic Turks sent to Georgia under Ottoman rule or Islamicized
Georgians, they are generally described as “Turks” and perceived as
such in most of the former Soviet Union.
The Meskhetians have been uprooted twice over the past six decades.
In 1989, after bloody pogroms that claimed dozens of lives in Central
Asia’s Ferghana Valley, tens of thousands of Meskhetians were forced
to leave Uzbekistan and resettle in other areas, mainly in Azerbaijan
and Russia’s Krasnodar region.
Estimates put the number of Meskhetians living in CIS countries at
somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000.
Sixty years after their deportation, the Meskhetians are the only
ethnic group among World War II-era “punished peoples” — as the late
historian Alexander Nekrich once described them — that is still
awaiting an official pronouncement that their deportation for alleged
collaboration with German occupation forces was unjustified.
Under a commitment made upon its entry into the Council of Europe in
1999, Georgia is expected to provide a legal basis for the return of
Meskhetians with a view to organizing their collective repatriation.
Yet, very little has been done so far and the number of Meskhetians
who have returned individually to Georgia does not exceed a few
dozen.
Some 15,000 Meskhetians are believed to live in Russia’s Krasnodar
region.
Like other non-Slav refugees and displaced persons, most Krasnodar
Meskhetians have been denied civic rights and suffer from isolation
and xenophobic attitudes fueled by the local administration.
Krasnodar Governor Aleksander Tkachev maintains that his tough stance
on refugees and immigrants has the backing of Russian President
Vladimir Putin. Although the Kremlin denies the claim, rights groups
blame Putin for failing to publicly disavow Krasnodar authorities.
Marat Baratashvili is the chairman of the Tbilisi-based Union of
Georgian Repatriates, a nongovernmental group that advocates the
return of Meskhetians to their original homeland. Baratashvili,
himself an ethnic Meskhetian, tells our correspondent he has
reservations about the U.S. resettlement program.
“I view this program with circumspection,” he says. “In itself, this
idea is not bad. But it would have been better for the Meskhetians if
their rights in Russia had been respected and if their rights in
Georgia had been restored. In that case, the [U.S.] program would
have been a wonderful thing. But under the present conditions it has
nothing to do with respect of human rights. Apparently, it is a
political decision made by the United States and Russia. The aim is
to take this problematic issue away from the [Krasnodar] region and
make things easier for Georgia too.”
Two years ago, after dozens of Krasnodar Meskhetians went on a hunger
strike to protest discrimination from local authorities, Putin
pledged to set up a special commission to examine their claims.
But during a visit to the region in October 2003, the Russian
president did not signal any apparent willingness to address the
Meskhetian issue.
Talking before an assembly of Kuban Cossacks, Putin urged Georgian
authorities to take their responsibilities and provide for a quick
return of the Meskhetian population.
Yet, the Georgian leadership in turn gave no indication it would take
immediate action.
Then President Eduard Shevardnadze said Georgia could not face
another influx of migrants until it finds a solution to the many
problems posed by tens of thousands of displaced persons from the
separatist republic of Abkhazia.
Georgian authorities also say they fear Meskhetians might claim
ownership of lands and houses located in their home region of
Samtskhe-Javakheti and create problems with the local Armenian
population.
The new government that took over from the Shevardnadze
administration last November has carefully avoided raising the
Meskhetian issue.
In the words of Levan Berdzenishvili, a civil rights campaigner close
to Georgia’s current leaders, the Meskhetian problem is so
controversial that “any government that would try to solve it must be
ready to leave power.”
Georgia’s Prime news agency quoted Berdzenishvili as saying last
October, “This issue must be settled. However, no one would ever
forgive any government for trying to solve it.”
IOM mission head Getchell, however, believes the U.S. government
hopes that by taking a few thousands refugees it would help improve
the fate of the majority of the Meskhetian population.
“It is just hoped by the government of the U.S., I think, that taking
[an] initial group might relieve some of the pressure in the
[Krasnodar] region to the point where for local authorities — and
perhaps for Georgia — the numbers [of Meskhetians remaining in the
region] will be smaller and the solutions may be more easily
attainable,” Getchell said.
Most Krasnodar Meskhetians reportedly see the U.S. refugee program as
a painful opportunity to temporarily escape harassment from regional
authorities.
The Caucasian Knot information website quoted community leader Sarvar
Tedorov as saying (27 Feb), “Our people [have been uprooted twice] in
60 years and we do not want to [be uprooted] a third [time]. But if
the Russian government and the administration of the Krasnodar
[region] continue [with their policy toward the Meskhetians], we will
have to leave, no matter where, to the U.S. or elsewhere.”
Baratashvili believes most of his ethnic kin would prefer remaining
in the Krasnodar region with all rights due to Russian citizens, or
return to Georgia.
“My impression is that for them it is a temporary measure, a forced
step. They are like a penned flock of sheep, which see that a gate
has just opened in the fence. They rush toward that gate to escape
the custody they live under in Krasnodar. They have the choice
between dying there or going out toward freedom, even if this is a
relative freedom because they still cannot return to Georgia,”
Baratashvili says.
Getchell of the IOM confirms that during talks with Krasnodar
Meskhetians, he had the impression many saw the U.S. refugee program
as a last-resort solution.
Yet, unlike Baratashvili, he does not believe the resettlement
initiative is an attempt at postponing the settlement of the
Meskhetian issue.
“What the U.S. is hoping is that this resettlement option is going to
be part of a grander solution,” he says.