International Alert report on Lezgins
Date: Wed, 04 Jun 97 22:21:42 -0500
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Subject: International Alert report on Lezgins
From: MINELRES moderator \ Internet: ([email protected])
Original sender: Mikhala Stein \ Internet: (mstein@international-alert.
org)
IA Report on Lezgin people
We have just finished publishing a report on the situation of the Lezgin
people on the border of Azerbaijan and Republic of Dagestan (it has not been
placed on the WWW).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Terms of Reference
Preface
Part 1 Situation of the Lezgin Community
Historical Background
Current Political & Social Context
Language and Culture
The Issue of Division (The Border)
Interethnic Relations
External Relations
Lezgin Political Organisations
Public Opinion
Government Policy Since 1990
Part 2: Policy Responses
Policy Options in a Multiethnic State
Current Policy Towards Lezgins
Factors Affecting Policy-Making
Further Prospects and Potential Risks
The Challenge of Translating Lezgin Claims into Policy
Conclusions and Recommendations
Appendices
I Further Reading
II. Lists of Meetings
PREFACE
In 1994 International Alert commissioned an assessment report on ethnic
relations in Dagestan. The Lezgin people, one of the major ethnic groups in
the Republic of Dagestan (Russian Federation), also form a significant
minority in Azerbaijan. During the 1994 fact-finding mission, a number of
contacts in Dagestan expressed their concern over the situation of the
Lezgin people following the break-up of the Soviet Union. Since the border
between Dagestan and Azerbaijan became an international boundary in 1991,
Lezgins have been divided between two separate states. At the time of the
1994 mission, it was not possible to visit Azerbaijan in order to verify
this information or obtain the views of the Lezgin people and authorities in
Azerbaijan.
The main intention of the November 1996 fact-finding mission was to build
upon the 1994 mission. It was therefore not predicated on any assumptions,
either positive or negative, about the current situation. The mission spent
one week in Azerbaijan, five days of which were spent in Baku (the capital)
, and two visiting the predominantly Lezgin areas of Qusar and Khachmaz.
The mission met with journalists and representatives of the central
government, local rayon administrations, academic community, Lezgin
community, non-governmental organisations and political opposition. Due to
time constraints, the mission was unable at this time to conduct a survey of
the views of the general public or contact supporters of Sadval, allegedly
the most radical Lezgin political group. This report is therefore not a
comprehensive assessment of the situation of the Lezgin community.
Nevertheless, the mission was able to collect a great deal of information
about the concerns of public authorities and their policies, as well as the
views of Azeri opposition groups and the leadership of moderate Lezgins.
In March 1997 IA conducted a seminar in Makhachkala, Dagestan, in order to
discuss the implications of the division of peoples (including Lezgins,
Avars, Rutuls and Tabassarans) and explore options towards their possible
solutions. Many leaders of ethnic movements were present at the seminar,
which gave an opportunity for the IA Mission to assess the Dagestani side of
the Lezgin issue. A number of interviews were also conducted outside the
seminar framework on the situation of the Lezgins.
Thus this report provides a situation assessment and deals with attitudes
towards the Lezgin community, focusing on those within the wider community
of Azerbaijan and its government and providing reference to the situation in
Dagestan when appropriate. It also looks at the factors which influence
those attitudes and government policies. Part 1 begins with a historical
overview of the Lezgin people and then assembles the information gathered
during the mission into a number of themes which portray the current socio-
economic and political life of Lezgins in Azerbaijan, as well as Dagestan.
Part 2 provides a detailed analysis of policy options and policy-making in
Azerbaijan in regard to the Lezgin community, followed by conclusions and
recommendations. Appendix 1 provides a list of further reading materials on
Azerbaijan and the situation of the Lezgin people.
Appendix 2 provides the terms of reference of the fact-finding mission.
Appendix 3 includes a list of individuals and organisations with whom the
mission met during the course of its stay in Azerbaijan and Dagestan.
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