Georgian refugees in Dagestan ask Russian authorities to address their problems

On June 16, in Makhachkala, a rally was held of resettlers from Georgia who had earlier lived in Tivi village of the Kvarel District of the republic. Participants of the rally prepared an appeal to President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President of Dagestan Mukhu Aliev with a request for help; otherwise the migrants want to raise the issue of their return to Georgia.

Magomedzagid Magomedov, former director of the Tivi secondary school, said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the pretext for the rally was the fact that many migrants have no roof over their head, no jobs and no Russian passports.

"Avars have been long living in the territory of Georgia. Some 30 years ago their population was close to 20,000 persons; then, as a result of the state policy of 'Georgianization' they are less than 5000 remaining, living mainly in the Kvarel and Lagodekh Districts of Georgia," said Mr Magomedov and continued"Problems appeared in early 1990s, when radical nationalist Zviad Gamsakhurdia took power in Georgia with his slogan 'Georgia - for Georgians'. His armed supporters blocked all the Avarian settlements. Skirmishes burst out, local clean-ups started, and first casualties appeared."

According to Magomedov, Avars were to get resettled to the city of Yuzhno-Sukhokumsk in the north of Dagestan. "Georgia had undertaken to compensate all the financial expenses, which was never done, although the overwhelming majority of Avars have already moved to Dagestan," he said, having emphasized that Russia and Dagestan proved to be unprepared to receive forced migrants: houses were not built, the state failed to pay the long-promised compensations, and the overwhelming majority of resettlers failed to receive Russian passports.

The resume of the appeal consists of 5 points, which, in the opinion of the participants of the rally, could solve the migrants' problems: 1. Form a compact settlement to the north of Makhachkala, in the vicinity of Shamkhal-Termen, where the cemetery of "Georgian" Avars is located; 2. Employment of migrants at winery plantations, their habitual business; 3. Awarding them with Russian citizenship; 4. Opening of frontier check points in Dagestan; 5. Meeting with high-ranking officials.

Barudin Ibragimov said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the planned protest actions assume rallies and erection of a tent camp near Makhachkala. "If they give nothing, we'll raise the issue of return to Georgia," he said. 

According to Shamil Rasulov, head of the Municipal Formation "Tlyaratinskiy District", now his district has over 500 natives of the Kvarel District of Georgia. He has confirmed that many migrants have problems with reception of documents.

"Some people wish to have double citizenship; they refuse to give away their Georgian passports. There are people who have no documents on them at all," said Rasulov.

: "Azerbaijani Avars ask Ilham Aliev to tackle their problems," "New conflicts among Avars and Kumyks expected in Dagestan," "Sources in Dagestan think that special operation in Khasavyurt could be ethnically motivated."