Thousands of “Meskhetian Turks” to be Repatriated to Kakheti

Thousands of “Meskhetian Turks” to be Repatriated to Kakheti

Last week, the Council of Europe reminded the Georgian government about its obligations in relation to the repatriation of "Meskhetian Turks". The information about the repatriation of thousands of Turkish-Meskhs to Kakheti caused concern with the inhabitants.

More then 100 thousand Georgian Muslims were displaced from the South of Georgia to the Central Asia on November 15, 1944. Sixty-two years have passed since then and the young generations have been brought up without Georgian traditions and customs. Some Meskhs managed to move back to the Samtskhe-Javakheti region but some were refused the entrance to Georgia. International organizations have frequently addressed issues concerning the repatriation of people. The Georgian government has taken up quite some responsibilities in this field in front of the international community.

Information about the repatriation of so called "Meskhetian Turks" that has recently been spread raised concerns with the inhabitants. Mass migration of "Meskhetian Turks" might worsen the situation and cause new ethnic-conflict in the region. Dedoplistskaro is the place where concerns and fears of the population are high because, as we were told in Tsiteltskaro, there is a high rate of migration away from the territory; therefore the possibility that "Meskhetian Turks" might be redirected there is high. “In comparison to other regions of Kakheti, there is a high rate of emigration from Dedoplistskaro due to the unbearable nature of the social situation. This makes inhabitants seek their fortune abroad. This tendency has peaked in several villages. The price of estates on the territory is very low; consequently, we are frightened of mass-placement of "Meskhetian Turks" to the territory. This might complicate the situation even more and cause conflict”, states local inhabitant Naira Mchedlishvli. 

According to Gela Iakobashvili, the governor of the Dedoplistskaro region, there is no reason for concern and irritation. “I do not possess this information. I am not informed about such placements. If what you say is true then at least I should have information about it”, says the governor.

The Kakhetian regional administration does not confirm the fact of repatriation of the "Meskhetian Turks" to Kakheti. Mari Shashviashvili, head of the press service of the Kakhetian regional administration, says that the administration is not informed about this.

Unlike the officials, the Club of Kakhetian NGOs does have information on this repatriation.  “Inhabitants ask to provide them with detailed information about the possibility of repatriation of "Meskhetian Turks" to Kakheti. We tried to get information from the local government and regional administration, but the above-mentioned fact was not confirmed. Later, we tried to talk to representatives from the Ministry of Refugees and Housing. According to the information the Ministry provided us with, the project on the rehabilitation of the deported people is being worked out. Therefore, the spread information is not without grounds.” - the club of Kakhetian NGOs states.

People are still worried and ask the government and the relevant structures to explain the situation.

Gela Mtivlishvili from Kakheti