Wednesday, August 17, 2022
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
NEWSLETTER
ՀԱՅ
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
ՀԱՅ
No Result
View All Result

Why Javakhk is Important

by Ara Khachatourian
March 4, 2011
in Armenia, Featured Story, News, Op-Ed, Opinon, Top Stories
14
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


A young Javakhk Armenian gazes at Armenia. Photo by Tamar Yardemian

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

Every day, the Armenians of the Samtskhe-Javakheti (Javakhk) region in Georgia face a harsh battle for survival. Yet through sheer will and determination, the community, which faces discrimination and insurmountable obstacles, is able to keep the Armenian identity alive, not for fear of assimilation but for the most basic of reasons: survival.
In the 20 years since Armenia’s independence and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the plight of the Armenians in Javakhk has not been center stage, simply because the life and death struggle to liberate Karabakh was, and continues to be at the fore, since it is so detrimental for the Armenian nation.
No one knows that better that the Armenians living in Javakhk, where vestiges of the Soviet regime are still very much part and parcel of daily life. Despite the unique position Georgia enjoys as a darling of the West, enough to prompt a Western-backed and orchestrated color revolution, official Tbilisi has not been willing to enact reforms and, through its arcane laws, discriminates against minorities living in Georgia by blocking their ability to enjoy basic and fundamental rights of practicing their religion and speaking their language. Armenians in Javakhk, who have lived there for centuries before being annexed to Georgia by Joseph Stalin, are being systematically persecuted and their right to life and liberty is being hampered on a daily basis.
This second-class citizen status is impeding Armenians from getting jobs, being represented in local and federal government structures and from teaching Armenian in schools. Furthermore, a state-sponsored campaign to crack down on the community has intensified, resulting in the arrest and incarceration of community activist and leaders on trumped up charges that often border on absurdity.
For its part, the Armenian government has not been willing or able to effectively address the plight of Javakhk Armenians. As a quick way out, the government has always scapegoated Armenia’s reliance on Georgia as a route to Russia and the Black Sea for its ineffective response to this humanitarian and national crisis. Even the Diaspora Ministry, with a stated mission of assisting communities outside of Armenia, has failed to address some of the basic needs of the Javakhk Armenians. A sadder reality facing Javakhk Armenians who flee their ancestral homes to settle in Armenia is the discrimination they face from locals.
Despite this bleak and dire existence, Javakhk Armenians are fighting for their rights. Whether it is through celebrating cultural and religious holidays or outlining the political demands for a better and more equitable treatment of Armenians, the community is advancing the Javakhk Cause through its own means and abilities.
Their demands from the Georgian authorities are to not impede the teaching of the Armenian language through state-sanctioned obstacles, which generally are manifested through financial cuts to Armenian schools or the restriction on teaching of history and religion. Another important stipulation is fair representation in local and federal elected offices and equal opportunity for employment. An end to random raids of community facilities and arrest of leaders is also of utmost importance in their demand for human rights. The people of Javakhk are convinced that the most logical way to realize their objectives and address the inequities of the current situation is through autonomy for Javakhk within a federated state of Georgia.
On constant that has kept the Javakhk movement in the forefront and has provided much-needed resources to the Armenians of Javakhk has been the Armenian Relief Society Javakhk Fund, which will host its annual fund-raiser on Sunday. Through this effort, the ARS has opened kindergartens, community centers and provided humanitarian assistance to people of Javakhk and has become a lifeline for the Armenians in Javakhk. The efforts of this initiative must be supported and the community should take more of an active role in Javakhk Fund activities.
The challenges facing Armenia, Karabakh and the entire Armenian nation are compounded by the realities facing the Armenians of Javakhk. Aside from Georgian government’s ill-treatment of Armenians, the construction of the Kars-Akhalkalak-Baku railway—almost entirely funded by Turkey and Azerbaijan—coupled with the planned settlement of Meskheti Turks in Javakhk proper threaten the very existence of this historic Armenian territory.
Javakhk is important for sole reason that it is a critical part of our national agenda, the success of which depends on the participation of all Armenians in ensuring that the aspiration of the people of Javakhk are heard and fulfilled.

Ara Khachatourian

Ara Khachatourian

Next Post

Prelate Participates In Women’s World Day Of Prayer

Comments 14

  1. www.Voskanapat.info says:
    11 years ago

    They are going to settle Meskhetian Turks in Javakh in 2012 and restore masques for them that used to be Armenian churches – a project paid by the Government of Turkey.
    This “democratic” government of Georgia funded and protected by the US Government does not allow Armenian Church to even register in Georgia. They continue to steal Armenian churches and claim them as Georgian.
    Georgia also participates in the illegal blockade imposed on Armenia and Artsakh by Turkey and Azerbaijan by making transit from Armenia prohibitively expensive.

    Reply
  2. ZARMAIR says:
    11 years ago

    Georgia is not a friend of the Armenians. Their two faced black mail policy has done nothing but compromise Armenia’s position in the region. Remember this is the Country that produced Stalin and still keeps a standing statue of this greatest of mass murderers. The Iran Railway should have been the number one agenda of the Armenian government and should have been completed long ago.
    They dragged their feet…BIG MISTAKE!!!

    Reply
  3. Shantagizoum says:
    11 years ago

    My real name is Gaytzag Palandjian.Shantagizoum is when I get a bit heated up w/rgd to matters turco-azeri…
    Now then I am to e-mail to your editor, an article of mine entitled Äspirations of a free-lance patriot-Armenian affairs.I do trust it will see light of day.Published.If so i shall from now on contribute to your esteemed news weekly and also subscribe to it.In anticipation of your early and kind response,
    Sincerely,
    G.P:

    Reply
  4. Avetis says:
    11 years ago

    Javaxq is important simple because it’s on the way to the Black Sea…

    Reply
  5. Seervart says:
    11 years ago

    Dear Mr. Khatarouian, Why aren’t both the Diaspora and Armenia not working together to address these problems to the Georgian government through the United States and through Russia? At the same time, I am asking you to start at Asbarez a fundraising form Diaspora to help the Javakhktsis with their immediate economic needs. I find Javakhktsis to be very brave people to stay in Javakhtk their homeland for the sake of keeping Armenians alive in there despite all their economic problems through the years. Gentlemen, start a Fundraising and we should all back you up. However the most important way is that both Armenia and Diaspora together must address these problems to the world powers and through them to the Georgian government.

    Reply
  6. Zviad says:
    11 years ago

    Stop spreading the misinformation. Javakheti has always been a part of Georgia. Georgia has never annexed it. Armenian settlements started to appear there in 19th century as they started to move from Turkey. With such lies you will never help the Armenians of Samtskhe-Javakheti.

    Reply
    • maggar says:
      11 years ago

      zviad ,i guess in your world stalin was an angel in its purest form? a lover of freedom , a real santa clause . History not our opinion states that javakh did belong to the armenians and was politically
      decided to be given to the georgians. but it is true georgians are unfortunately worse than turks .
      the turks know who they are .the georgians neither here nor their ,they seek the highest payer .

      Reply
      • Dato says:
        11 years ago

        Maggar, stop this kind of policy. Why do you need another enemy that will be together with Azeris and you will be isolated from all neighbors very soon. Stop this Utopia!!

        Reply
    • www.Voskanapat.info says:
      11 years ago

      Zviad has hard time learning history. Let alone the ancient history. He seems to have amnesia about what happened in Georgia after Zviad Gamsakhurdia, their first president after the collapse of the Soviet Union came up with a Nazi slogan: “Georgia for Georgians!”
      This started a campaign of persecution and ethnic cleansing against the numerous minorities of this little Georgian Empire artificially created by Ioseb Jughashvili aka Stalin. Abkhaz, Ossetian and other native peoples of that land were attacked by Georgian Nazi forces and had to protect themselves. After the most recent 2008 brutal attack on civilians ordered by the current Georgian president Abkhazia and South Ossetia finally became independent internationally recognized states.
      Instead of learning from their mistakes, nationalist like this Zviad continue their old Nazi propaganda denying the remaining minorities the right to exist.
      In order to drive Javakh Armenians from their native lands they use complete economic and cultural blockade of Armenian communities, arrest and illegally imprison local Armenian leaders, settle Meskhetian Turks and Georgians from other regions of the country in Javakh and blackmail Armenia by threatening to support Turkish and Azeri blockade.

      Reply
    • Hripsime says:
      11 years ago

      Zviad why do you afraid of truth? Yes the Truth is bitter but you Georgians can not ignore it and wont be able to ignore Armenain Society in Javakhk!
      More over I suggest you that be careful of Turkish colonization!
      At the end I should remind you not to forget to remember how much your lose was funny when Russia attacked Georgia! First go and think about restoring your country after war then yapping about Javakhk ok?

      Reply
  7. Defender of occupied Javakhk says:
    11 years ago

    Zviad,
    I hope you are an open minded person, so that whatever I say, will be helpful in your education.
    Throughout the history Javakhk was populated by majority Armenians and most of the times was ruled by Armenians. It is also true that it was sometimes ruled by others like the central asian invading tribes, the turks and the soviets.
    We understands that the Georgian government and church are doing everything to either destroy or convert the historal Armenian churches, to remove all armenian ancient traces in our Javakhk.
    Everything is well documented and one day you will regret for the crimes against the peaceful Javakhk Armenian population by the Georgian government, but it will be too late. We are not going to forgive you this time.
    Soon, God will grant a bright future and freedom to the javakhk Armenians and will punish the Georgians.
    By the way if you are interested, next time I’ll teach you a lesson about the Georgian capital of Tpilisi, which was built and prospered due to the Armenians. We shall never claim that Tpilisi belongs to Armenians. We shall always claim that Javakhk was/is Armenian.

    Reply
  8. Seervart says:
    11 years ago

    Akhalkalak, Akhaltsekha and Javakhk are and have been Armenian lands all along.

    Reply
  9. Stephen T. Dulgarian says:
    11 years ago

    The Armenian Government has failed to help the Javakhtsi Armenians in their plight to unite with their brothers in Armenia. Other ethnic groups have split away in Georgia and it is hard to understand why the Javakhtsi’s have not. Do they need arms and outside help, then the Armenian Government should react before it is too late. Doesn’t anyone relize what Stalin under the Soviet Regime did to the Armenian People. A demonstration at the Georgian Embassies must be done all over the world. Stephan Dulgarian

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Defender of occupied Javakhk Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Chamlian Kicks Off New School Year

Chamlian Kicks Off New School Year

3 hours ago
Search Continues for Missing People as Armenia Mourns Victims of Market Explosion

Search Continues for Missing People as Armenia Mourns Victims of Market Explosion

3 hours ago

Connect with us

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

Accessibility

Accessibility modes

Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.

Online Dictionary

    Readable Experience

    Content Scaling
    Default
    Text Magnifier
    Readable Font
    Dyslexia Friendly
    Highlight Titles
    Highlight Links
    Font Sizing
    Default
    Line Height
    Default
    Letter Spacing
    Default
    Left Aligned
    Center Aligned
    Right Aligned

    Visually Pleasing Experience

    Dark Contrast
    Light Contrast
    Monochrome
    High Contrast
    High Saturation
    Low Saturation
    Adjust Text Colors
    Adjust Title Colors
    Adjust Background Colors

    Easy Orientation

    Mute Sounds
    Hide Images
    Virtual Keyboard
    Reading Guide
    Stop Animations
    Reading Mask
    Highlight Hover
    Highlight Focus
    Big Dark Cursor
    Big Light Cursor
    Navigation Keys

    Asbarez.com Accessibility Statement

    Accessibility Statement

    • asbarez.com
    • August 17, 2022

    Compliance status

    We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.

    To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.

    This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.

    Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.

    If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email

    Screen-reader and keyboard navigation

    Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:

    1. Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.

      These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.

    2. Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.

      Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Disability profiles supported in our website

    • Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
    • Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
    • Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
    • ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
    • Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
    • Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.

    Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments

    1. Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
    2. Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
    3. Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
    4. Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
    5. Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
    6. Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
    7. Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.

    Browser and assistive technology compatibility

    We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.

    Notes, comments, and feedback

    Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to