Attack against Armenians in Tsalka Result of Incorrect Ethnic Policy of Georgian Authorities

PanARMENIAN.Net - March 11 thousands took part in a protest rally in Akhalkalaki against murder of Gevorg Gevorgyan, 23, in Tsalka town. Participants of the rally in the administrative center of Georgian Samtskhe-Javakheti region, mostly populated by Armenians, censured the murder and noted it is a direct outcome of incorrect ethnic policy of Georgian authorities. Those present adopted a statement addressed to Georgian authorities, Armenians living in that country and the international community, urging the authorities to stop policy of pressure upon Armenians.



«Analyzing latest occurrences in Georgian regions populated by Armenians, specifically provocative actions in Tsalka on March 9 and being concerned over security of the Armenian population and sustaining stability, we urge Georgian authorities to stop settling regions populated by Armenians with other ethnic groups, which results in tension, solve problems in Javakheti by means of democratic tools, ensure actual security for local Armenians, review law on state language, for Armenian to be a state language in Samtskhe-Javakheti equal to Georgian,» the statement says.



At that authors urge all peoples living in Georgia to «recognize that inter-ethnic tension does not fit anyone's interests.» They also urge Europe and the international community not to let democracy and human rights be defied in Georgia. According to A-Info agency, after the meeting a number of young persons headed for the regional court building in Akhalkalaki and the branch of Tbilisi State University (TSU). This was due to the dismissal of ethnic Armenian judges and the TSU not admitting Armenian students. In the words of representative of the Union of Armenian NGOs Khachatur Stepanyan, the youth procession was not planned by the organizers of the rally and had nothing to do with them.