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The Russian Foreign Minister has urged Georgia to restore normal relations with ethnic minorities living in Georgia. It sounds as if there were no other problems in Russo-Georgian relations than this. As if everything else between Russia and Georgia were fine.
Maybe Russia thinks that making such a statement will help it gain the support of at least a little part of Georgian population. Just like the Georgian government does when it appeals to minorities in the run-up to elections. The difference though it that the minority living in regions do actually support current government for number of reasons, I know that from my experience of working there and an opportunity to monitor elections in one of the regions, having chance to talk to people. People there support government because it was the Rose Revolution that improved their living conditions, it was the Rose Revolution as a result of which peasants now can drive on normal roads to sell their goods and don't have to pay to corrupt police on the road. Life for them has changed. Now they also have the water supply and electricity. And they are afraid to loose it all again, to go back to Zviad Gamsakhurdia times under the "Georgia for Georgians" regime which excluded ethnic minority, or Eduard Shevardnadze's period of darkness and corruption. Building infrastructure was the tool for the Georgian government that guaranteed the support of these people, and these people don't care about world politics.
In contrast to the Georgian government the Russians are offering the Georgian ethnic minorities nothing. All they can offer is another instability, another conflict, but already inside of Georgia, to make it weaker. Complaining that the Council of Europe ignores or keeps silence over those violations as if they would ever care what Europeans thought or said.
What about the situation concerning ethnic minority issue in Russia itself?
Russia, the country where a dark skinned person can't walk the streets in the evening because he can easily be beaten or even killed by group of Russian nationalists, the country where they don't care what nationality you are as far as you are from the Caucasus, you'll anyway be called "black assed", would you be from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Chechnya, Georgia, Tajikistan etc, and at same time they let other representative of ethnic minority hold high positions in government, show business or other spheres probably due to some other specific credits. And while the Russian government pontificates about the condition of ethnic minorities in Georgia, they do nothing to prevent violence against people of different ethnic origins in Russia. The Foreign Minister of this country accuses Georgian in committing “big enough violations in the sphere of ethnic minority rights in the country".
I wouldn't deny problems that exist in our country would that be ethnic minority issues or other internal problems, just he who lives in a glass house shouldn't throw stones!
Russian government is the architect of the minority and ethnic problems in the region. Georgian New Government is perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteNothing is perfect, everything is good or bad in comparison to something else. In Georgian case with new government I see advantages as well as disadvantages. There is still much to do. One change can not fit every bodies interest, it can be good for one and bad for another at the same time. There is something we got used to, and don't want to give up, while others may be annoyed by the same thing as it does not fit their interests. It of course can always be better than it is, but lets not forget where we are coming from, and what was happening just another ten years ago. Whenever and whoever would be the leader of the country, he will never fulfill the interest of his every single citizen and will always have opponents which is also normal. As competition is what improves things. I hope that disadvantages will decrease and advantages increase in internal as well as external politics of our country.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Russia, I'm one those who supports good relations between this two countries, as it is ages of friendship between this two nations that unites us, but is separated by personal problematic relation of our leaders. It is really a pity that Russian Language that was the main tool in helping people from different countries of Soviet Union to communicate, fades away in every of them after declaring independence. The reason to which, is politics that affects people misinforming them using all kinds of mass media starting from a newspaper to the internet. I do support good relation with our big neighbor, but don't want it to interfere in our business would that be internal problem or other issues.
Unfortunately, still very very minor group in Georgian society have some strange opinions. They can easily judge a person who's origin comes from selcuks, iranians or any other prehistoric tribes who had a war with Georgia for example in 12th century. If you are not European and visited Georgia for 4 days as a tourist, most probably during your visit you will face with a strange racist person reprimanding you because you do not speak Georgian language. However, Georgian border officers, govern officers are very friendly and helpful to all visitors.
ReplyDeleteI like this blog and I like your opinion about Georgia and Russia relations. In case you are interested in details of these relations "A little war that shook the world" by Ronald Asmus, is a good book about it, so if you haven't read that already you can do it.
ReplyDeleteThanks KoKo, I've heard about the book before, but did not have chance to read it yet. Good luck!!!
ReplyDelete