The amount of provocative publications in the Armenian mass media on the south Georgian region of Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti (Dzhavakhk) resembles the popular Internet meme nicknamed “Armenian Internet brigade.” Several years ago a person, who was posting almost 24 hours a day, appeared in one of the most popular forums on the Russian Internet. He was wrote on various topics, argued with several opponents simultaneously, and so on. However, it appeared that a whole brigade (20 people) “was working” under one nickname and password.
The truth appeared to be amazing: 20 Armenian publicists were writing as one person not only considering the form, but also the idea, without any differences in views. It seemed they were employees of one institute and were controlled by a single center. The result of their activity caused sending of viruses to computers of opponents of the brigade. The recent wave of publications on Dzhavakhk resembles the story about the Armenian brigade of bloggers.
The affluent resource PanARMENIAN.Net publishes essays by Karine Ter-Saakyan under the alarmist and threatening headline “Dzhavakhk – a time-delay bomb.” “The situation in the Armenian residential region of Georgia Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti has never been calm, but in recent times Georgia’s intention to enter the NATO and tension in relations with Russia have caused concern of the Armenian population,” the author says admitting that the situation in Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti has been uneasy and separatist tendencies appeared there long ago, when Georgia didn’t want to join the NATO and was a member of the CSTO. Then the president of Georgia initialed the agreement with Russia on location of Russian military bases in Georgia and appointed people, who were recommended directly by Moscow, to the positions of ministers of internal affairs, defense and state security.
Mrs. Ter-Petrosyan admitted falseness of the thesis that the main factor in all conflicts are not separatists, but Moscow, which is said to be rule everyone and everything. In fact the problem is more complicated and it doesn’t concentrate around Moscow’s influence. It is more reasonable to deal with your own separatists, than to bargain with Russia and think it could settle any problems.
“The Dzhavakhk diaspora of Russia states that if Georgia joins the NATO, Dzhavakhk will demand independence,” the author threatens. “Dzhavakhk’s concern is understandable: if Georgia becomes the NATO member, a military base will appear in the territory of Dzhavakhk and it will include Turkish troops.” The point is not that Georgia is hardly to become the NATO member in the nearest future. But presentation of the problem is interesting: “If Georgia becomes the NATO member, Turkish troops will be located in Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti and they will drive the Armenian population out of there.” In this case Mrs. Ter-Saakyan should criticize the authorities of Armenia, which cooperate with the NATO within the program “Partnership for peace” and send soldiers to Afghanistan, i.e. hide truth from people that the NATO is an enemy of the Armenian people. Just imagine: if Georgia joins the NATO, Turkish troops will appear in Dzhavakhk immediately and commit genocide.
Then the well known separatist melody is played: “Armenia is not a good ally in this case because the Karabakh conflict is not solved. Therefore, Yerevan cannot be involved into another conflict, even though residents of Dzhavakhk blame the authorities of Armenia for indifference to their troubles.” Thus, Armenia won’t be involved, but residents of Dzhavakhk will continue their activity without Armenia’s support.
After this, Ter-Saakyan accuses the authorities of Georgia of ethnic nationalism and providing the policy “Georgia for Georgians.” But what if Georgia fulfills its promise to the Council of Europe and returns Turks-Meskhetins, who dream about returning to birthplace after deportation by Stalin in 1944? In this case, “nationalist hysteria” will find authors. They will be not Georgian politicians, but those who set fire of conflicts in a peaceful region.
Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to VK
