MINELRES: Fwd: Press-release of VATAN - Association of Akhiskian turks in
Azerbaijan
MINELRES moderator
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Fri Nov 28 19:58:21 2003
Original sender: Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan <[email protected]>
---------------Forwarded message-------------
From: Chingiz Neymanzadeh <[email protected]>
Press-release
"VATAN"
Association of Akhiskian turks in Azerbaijan
Koroglu Ragimov str., 874, Baku - AZ 1110
Baku, 15 November 2003
_____________________________________________
TRAGEDY 59 YEARS LONG
In November 15, 1944, one of the ethnic nations of Georgia - Akhiskian (
Meskhetian )Turks were deported by the Soviet regime from historical
land. From 11 nations, repressed in USSR, only Akhiskian Turks could not
return home till today...
4 years passed since when Georgia was admitted to the Council of Europe
and entering into the CoE, undertook famous obligations according to
which the Parliament of Georgia within 2 years had to adopt the Law on
rehabilitation and repatriation of Akhiskian Turks and then within the
next 10 years to provide stepwise repatriation of those who was wishing
to return to the historical homeland of Turks.
However, authorities of Georgia have not only non-executed their
obligations, but also made many efforts for torpedoing the process of
acceptance of the Law and even revise of obligations.
Political forces interested in it, state their positions with
unfavorable public opinion on the occasion of our return to historical
homeland and complications of political-economic character.
It would be desirable to mark that any state owns huge resources in
public opinion formation.
Unfortunately, during last time persons spreading and going on with
spread of deceitful, absurd concoctions and aspersions, spoiling public
perception with venom of racist prejudices acted more successfully and
with impurity.
Today, we consider it necessary to state once more about our principal
and plain position in respect of repatriation, which is reflected, in
authorized documents and resolutions of congresses of the society
"VATAN":
- we sincerely convince of our approaches related repatriation problem
solution are constructive and in full measure reflect interests or
anxiety of those who could touch the return of Akhiskian Turks to
historical Homeland;
- in no circumstances we do not pretend to those houses or estates,
which were settled after
our deportation;
- we consider that remoteness more than 50 years gives right for this
real estate to its actual owners. At this we remind that ruins of 82
villages in Meskhetia have been stayed devoid of inhabitants so far!
- we do not have pretensions of any compensation for left by us property
during deportation from Georgian government understanding its economic
opportunities will be insufficient for a long time;
- we wish to return to Homeland in order jointly with all citizens of
Georgia populating Meskhetia to rehabilitate our region and build new
life;
- we state that interests of Georgia are existing and evidently will be
very significant for Akhiskian Turks;
- we suppose it natural and undoubted that submission the opportunity to
us on the return to the region of our deported, traditional residence as
valuable and responsible citizens of Georgia will be rehabilitation of
historical justice in respect of our nation. All dead had been wishing
about it and nowadays live, innocent victims of state criminal of 1944
are desiring it;
- we state that any restriction to freedom of residence under
repatriation realization will be interpreted by us as continuation of
repression politics which is lasting already for 59 years regarding our
nation.
We express sincere hope that the political crisis which has arisen in
Georgia resulted by November 2, in an election, will discover the
solution within the framework of the constitution, operational in
republic, and that the winner in the created situation becomes only and
only Georgian people. We call again selected Georgian parliament to show
will and to accept at last Law on repatriation, and also to execute the
Resolution �1257 of CoE dated 25.09.2001.
We urge the UNO, Council of Europe, OSCE and European Union to render to
Georgia political and economic assistance in the defense of its
integrity and independence, further strengthening of political and
economic sovereignty and development of democratic values.
We urge the Council of Europe to show principality in the issue of
performance of obligation undertaken by Georgia in the front of CoE
which is regarding to the return to historical, ethnic homeland of one
of the native nations of Georgia who were criminally deported by
communist regime of the USSR in 1944.
Chingiz Neyman-Zadeh,
Deputy of Chairman of "VATAN" Association
Of Akhiskian Turks in Azerbaijan
Tel./FAX: +994 12 64 52 63
Tel: +994 12 92 86 48
Cell Phone: +994 50 22130 40
E-mail: [email protected]
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