French MP Roland Blum addresses problems of Javakheti Armenians

April 26, 2010 - 12:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Member of the French parliament Roland Blum referred to violations of rights of Javakheti Armenians during his meetings with Georgian parliament and government members on the sidelines of a visit of French parliamentarians' delegation to Tbilisi on April 13-16, 2010.

During the meetings, Mr. Blum referred to the case of Javakheti politician Vahagn Chakhalyan, who was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment on fabricated charges. The French parliamentarian noted that the Georgian authorities pursue political goals by persecuting the Javakheti activist. The Georgian officials, however, objected, labeling Chakhalyan as an "ordinary hooligan," who is serving his "just sentence."

Briefing Yerkir Union on the results of his discussions with the Georgian authorities, Mr. Blum assured that he will continue his efforts aimed at protecting the rights of Javakheti Armenians, specifically, he will take steps to raise the issue of Vahagn Chakhalyan during the PACE session due April 26-30, 2010, press office of Yerkir Union reported.

Javakhk

Javakhk is first mentioned under this very name in "Armenian History" by the V c. historian Movses Khorenatsy in regard to the administrative reforms realized by king Vagharshak. Regardless of the different interpretations of the list of the kings of the pre-Christian period, all the researchers agree that the aforementioned events date as far back as the II c. BC. In the IV c. BC Javakhk was the summer residence of the Georgian king Parnavaz, "In autumn and spring he lived in the city of Mtskhet , in summer in Javakhet and in winter in Ganchenk". About 185 BC, Artashes I annexed the province to Metz Hayk Kingdom , while in 37 AD it became part of Georgia .

In the IV c. AD Javakhk is mentioned in the description of St. Nune's journey to Mtskhet,"... and in June I came to Mount Javakhet, and to the Parnava Sea, and when I came there I saw fishermen by the sea and shepherds on the seashore...". When Armenia was first divided between Byzantium and Sassanid Persia, Javakhk was annexed to the Georgian Province headed by the Marzpan (the governor) of the province, along with the other provinces of Gugark Region.

The Armenian-Georgian war for Javakhk started on December 5, 1918 and was stopped after British interference on December 31. An agreement signed in Tiflis in January 1919 stated that the northern part of Borchalinsky district passed on to Georgia, the southern part passed on to Armenia while the middle (Lori and Zangezur) was announced a "neutral zone" and was under control of British governor-general.

In 1921 Turkish troops intruded into Javakhk, meeting no resistance from the Georgian army. As result, half of the region's population died.

After establishment of the soviet rule in Georgia, Javakhk issue was raised again. Overwhelming majority of the province stood for joining Armenia. A final decision was taken at the plenary session of the Caucasus Bureau and was forwarded to consideration of the Georgian Communist Party's Central Committee, which decreed that "taking into account Akhalkalaki's political and economic ties with Tiflis, the proposals of our Armenian comrades is unacceptable."