We, the Armenians of Javakh, apply to leaders of Orthodox Church outside Georgia for help in danger of the aggravation of Georgian internal situation, caused by recent adoption of a bill about the repatriation of Meskhetians (Meskhs).
We believe that the Orthodox Church of Georgia realizes that the return of the Meskhetian Turks to Georgia threatens, first of all, security of those Christians, who are living on the territory of Meskhs’ historical land now. It is the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Adigeni, Akhaltsikhe and Aspindza. Although the speaker of the Georgian Parliament assures that the repatriates will be settled around the whole territory of Georgia, it is clear for everyone here that the largest part of them will be returned to their historical lands that are the regions bordering on Turkey. It will allow Ankara to hold the power over these regions soon. And, we hope, all of orthodox Christians are well-aware of what it may lead to in the end. We hope Orthodoz Christian Churches in other countries will help Georgian Orthodox Church, their brothers and sisters in Georgia to oppose the threat.
The number of Meskhetian Turks, who are willing to return to Georgia, is rather large. 80% of them are descendant of ethnic Turks and the rest 20%, being descendants of native Georgians and Armenians, have adopted Islam in XYII-XYIII centuries and have changed their language. So their return becomes a real problem, threatening not only our territorial integrity, but safety of our national culture and preservation of Christianity in general.
The repatriation of the Meskhs is a reasonable threat for the demographic situation, which will change very soon, moving up in growing Muslim population in Georgia and in forcing away Christian population.
This is of great interest to neighboring Muslim Turkey. Perhaps, when Saakashvili leaves, the situation will change. But at this moment Armenian minority of Georgia asks the Orthodox Church leaders abroad to help their sisters and brothers in faith to resist those political forces in Georgian Republic, who try to disrupt ethnic and religious balance, existing in this country now, till the blood ran.