Armenian community in the context of Georgian democratisation

Abstract

Notwithstanding the progress that Georgia has made in the field of democratisation, issues pertinent to persons belonging to national minorities remain among the most topical issues in this country’s political agenda. Due to the separation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the nationalism of significant segments of the ethnically Georgian population, the lack of civil cohesion in the society, and the consideration of minorities through the prism of state security, persons belonging to national minorities have been unable to secure their legitimate stake in the process of Georgian nation-building and democratic consolidation. Moreover, minorities are being discriminated against by the State institutions, and the authorities of the independent Georgia have proved unwilling to accommodate legitimate concerns of persons belonging to national minorities. The vast majority of persons belonging to the Armenian community in Georgia can be characterised as persons belonging to a national, linguistic and religious minority. Instances of discrimination against Georgian citizens of Armenian origin are multifaceted and include both direct and indirect discrimination. International human and minority rights monitoring bodies perpetually mention shortcomings in the Georgian authorities’ approach towards national minorities in Georgia, and the fact of repetitive mentioning of the same problems by various monitors makes it evident that the authorities lack the political will to adopt and implement appropriate policies vis-à-vis Georgian citizens belonging to national minorities. KEYWORDS Armenian community in Georgia, Armenian Church in Georgia, national minority, democratisation, human rights, direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, Samtskhe-Javakhet