Re: Inquiry: National claim in Mingrelia and Lazistan?
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Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2001 08:25:16 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: Re: Inquiry: National claim in Mingrelia and Lazistan?
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Ruediger Benninghaus <[email protected]>
Re: Inquiry: National claim in Mingrelia and Lazistan?
I cannot say much about the situation of the Mingrelians, though I
know that there were/ are (?) Georgian efforts to show them just as a
"variety" of Georgians.
The number of Laz is rather insignificant in Georgia and Russia. To
some extent they are getting more and more assimilized to the Adjarian
(Muslim-Georgian) and at bit even to the Christian Georgian culture
and language. The only nearly 100 % Laz village in Georgia, Sarpi, is
an exception, though even there, where the Lazuri language is still
spoken by everybody, some assimilation tendencies are observable, too.
Coming to Turkey, where the majority of the Laz is living, the
situation cannot be explained fully in a few words. I'm about to edit
a handbook on the Laz for a series called "Peoples of the Caucasus and
the Black Sea", which will be published this year, I hope. In the book
two chapters will be: "The cultural awakening of the Laz" and "Laz and
Turks" which will cover somehow the question concerning "national
claims".
Here just a few remarks. If you want to understand "national claims"
in terms of separatism, than there are no "national claims" of the Laz
in Turkey. Most of the Laz there are "more Turkish" than the Turks
(whoever they are). Many would say that they are Laz a n d Turks,
thus mixing up citizenship and ethnic origin.
In general it is denied in Turkey that "ethnic minorities" exist
except for Armenians, Greeks and Jews which were granted minority
rights according to the Lausanne treaty. Kurds, Laz, Georgians and all
other ethnic groups are not seen as minorities by the authorities and,
as a result, by large parts of the public either.
Years ago the Turkish translation of a book (Istanbul 1992) on the
history of the Laz, written by two Laz from the Georgian side (Sarpi),
Muhammed Vanilishi and Ali Tandilava, is said to have been banned in
Turkey (it's now sold freely).
In November 1993 the first issue of a journal on Laz culture and
language ("Ogni") was published by some intellectuals in Istanbul (not
in Lazistan!). Shortly after, the responsible editor was charged
because of "separatist" activities, though the story ended with his
acquittal. Because of financial reasons only about six or seven issues
appeared. Last year another attempt was made with a new journal
("Mjora"); two issues appeared until now. This time no legal acts were
taken, though texts in Lazuri language were printed, too. Two
Lazuri-Turkish dictionaries, books with poems in Lazuri, and music
cassettes with Lazuri texts are sold freely in Turkey.
The authorities seem to have understood that there are no separatist
movements among the Laz and that the activities are mainly directed to
preserve the language and culture. "National claims" are of that sort
and even that is not yet farspread among the Laz population. Besides
that Laz are in rather influencial positions in the Turkish state.
That may be another reason, why no strong pressure on some activities
as reported above, is executed. The state cannot afford it to provoke
anti-Turkish sentiments among the Laz.
One may add that some nationalist Turkish circles still try to "prove"
that the Laz are nothing else than of Turkish origin. Several books
are published in the 1990s with that intention.
I hope these few lines could answer the query.
Ruediger Benninghaus
Koeln/ Germany
([email protected])
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