- When my father returns from Russiahe’s going to bring me a bicycle...one of those big ones.
- And my father will bring me a motorcycle when he comes back.

It was by chance that we overheard this conversation between two five-year old boys in the Ghadolar village in the region of Akhalkalak. The one named Gor was helping his mother harvest potatoes while at the same time talking to his friend Aghvan who was on the other side of the fence that separated them. We later found out that both their fathers had left for Russiain order that, as the boys put it, “ to bring money from Russia“.

At the time the two boys were arguing as to whose father would bring back the more expensive gift from Russia.

Many are now leaving Javakh to earn money abroad. The exodus starts in early spring, mostly towards Russia. They usually return in the late fall or by wintertime. This pattern repeats itself every year. By now the village kids have gotten used to their fathers not being around. They’ve accepted the fact that the only chance to see their loved ones is during the winter months. No wonder they excitedly await the coming of the winter season.

During the spring and fall work periods the number of males, especially in the villages, hits a low point. It’s the women who are responsible for all the agricultural work. “ Since all the men have left, we’re stuck with doing all the hard work. For example, in our village the women reap the fields”, recounts Anahit, a resident of the village of Vachian.

The people of Javakh will tell you that at least it’s possible to do some commerce in the cities and make some money to get by on, while in the villages you can’t survive merely by working the land. During the Soviet era agriculture in Javakh the cultivation of grains was the most developed sector of the agricultural industry. These included wheat, barley, flax and oats. Later on potato cultivation and animal husbandry were developed as well. In Javakh today villagers are to a certain extent dependent on the potato crop to make a living.

The villagers complain that the weather often also works against them, creating unfavorable conditions in which to till the land. “ Last year was pretty arid, it didn’t rain the whole summer. There wasn’t really a potato crop to harvest. 

Forty-two year-old Fedyan tells us that even if there’s a bountiful potato crop it doesn’t really make a difference since the family expenses can’t be met just by growing potatoes or barley and selling the crop. That’s the reason why he goes to Russia to work practically every year. Fedyan relates that, “ Sure, it’s not easy laying asphalt in the heat of the Russian summer but you have to do it in order to keep your family afloat”.

This is the reason why since the fall of the Soviet Union, especially in the last decade, that the majority of Javakh’s populace looks for work abroad. And the work varies from laying road asphalt to heavy construction work. Some never return. They wind up staying there and later on move their family there as well.

It’s with a great degree of enthusiasm that five-year old Gor relates how they take the potato crop to Tiflis every autumn or winter to sell in order to “have some money”. He adds that if his father doesn’t return the family will move to Russia to be next to him.

Armenian Passports To Emigrate to Russia

This year many residents of Javakh weren’t able to travel to Russia in order to find work. As a result of sharpening tensions between Georgia and Russia, starting in September 2006 Russia severely limited the number of visas issued to citizens of Georgia. Visas were only being issued to those in need of urgent medical care in Russia, in case of a death or other similar extreme cases. As of July 19th of this year, Russia again commenced to issue visas in Georgia but again within certain limitations - say if a person had to travel to Russia for work, study or business-related reasons. The people of Javakh have found a solution to this problem. They renounce their Georgian citizenship and do whatever it takes to get both Armenian citizenship and a passport.

Forty-two year-old Fedyan has also renounced his Georgian citizenship and since the spring of this year has been attempting to be granted Armenian citizenship. Most of the paperwork is in order and he’s just waiting for his passport so that he can leave. “ We’ve been left with no alternative. I know many people from around here who have become Armenian citizens so that they can leave here. Twenty people from my village alone have received Armenian citizenship”, says Feydan. He adds that it takes a large sum of money, some U.S. $3,000, to get Armenian citizenship papers. 

However, it’s not to everyone’s advantage to receive Armenian citizenship. Young adults don’t change their citizenship since they would be facing the issue of military service. Twenty-one year-old Miasnik from the village of Khospyo says that, “ Avoiding the army in Georgia is a fairly easy matter. A person can legally pay the sum of 2,000 Georgian Lari and be freed from one year’s military service. The same isn’t possible in Armenia. The young people of Javakh are waiting for the day when travel visas are again issued to all so that they too can leave.”

 No official statistics exist as to the numbers of those renouncing their Georgian citizenship to become citizens of the Republic of Armenia. According to our unofficial data some 5,000 residents of Javakh have switched their citizenship. Our research also reveals that large numbers of village residents have also changed their citizenship.

“There’s not a family around who doesn’t have relatives living abroad. Someone’s sister lives in Russia, or it’s someone’s brother, a married daughter, son, or another relative,” says Guram Tsintskaladze, a specialist at the Akhalkalak Department of Statistics.

Many who’ve left Javakh for Russia either to work or for educational reasons have been able to make a go of it there and won’t be coming back. Social problems have forced many to leave the place of their birth to seek their fortunes abroad. According to 2001-2002 population figures compiled by the Akhalkalak Department of Statistics, Javakh (that’s to say Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda) had a population of some 95,280 of which 90,373 were Armenian (some 95%), 3,690 were Georgian (4%) and some 1% Russian and others.

According to 1979 stats, the combined population in the regions of Akhalkalak and Bogdanovka totaled some 106,087 of which 95,923 were Armenia (90%), 3,124 Georgian (3%), and the rest either Russian or others.

Thus, during the last twenty-three years some 10,807 residents have left Javakh of which 5,550 were Armenian. Statistics also reveal that the number of Georgians residing in Javakh has increased from 3,124 to 3,690. So who were the remaining 5,257 residents that left? We know that as early as 1841 there was a large migration of  “Doukhobors” (a Russian religious sect) from Russia to the Akhalkalak region. Now, some 160 years later, these people are returning to their historic homeland.

According to 1979 stats the population of the city of Akhalkalak was 10,278; in 1991 it rose to 15,800; and it dropped to 9,802 by year 2002. Statistics regarding conditions in the region’s villages also attest to the growing scope of the exodus. A glaring example can be found in the Turtskh village where the population has fallen from 627 in 1993 to 230 in 2001.

The specialist at the Department of Statistics is quick to add that the figures from the 2001-2002 census can be considered conditional since both before and after 2002 many individuals and families have relocated to Russia. And a census is only taken once every ten years. Guram Tsintskaladze notes that, “ These figures don’t reflect the reality on the ground, they’re merely numbers. Many have already moved out.”

Lusineh, a former resident of the Zag village in Akhalkalak who now lives in Moscow, says that most of the homes in the village are unoccupied and that the bulk of the village now resides in Moscow as well. 

Gohar, a former resident of the village of Korkh, relates that, “ I’ve haven’t gone back to the village in six years. During that time many have left; all the doors are padlocked.”

During our visit to Javakh we met up with Koba Chopliani, a computer programmer at the Ethnic Minorities Council attached to Georgian Human Rights Defense office. Chopliani told us that, “ Large scale emigration isn’t only taking place in Javakh but across all of Georgia as well. It will only be halted if a host of socio-economic problems are resolved. These include the lack of jobs, low wages, etc.”

According to Davit Rstakyan, Co-President of the unregistered “Virq” party, the primary reason for the exodus isn’t socio-economic but rather the discriminatory policies of the Georgian majority vis-à-vis national minorities. Rstakyan notes that the Georgians always wish to downplay the political aspect of the problem by focusing on its socio-economic side. “ We reply by saying fine, if there’s no political issues to be resolved, let’s tackle the socio-economic problems you say exist. The official policy is to decrease the number of Armenian residents and hasten their exodus”, so concludes Rstakyan.

He also believes that the lack of jobs is another contributing factor to the exodus and states that, “ Job sites are intentionally not being established here and if they are, most of the jobs are given to Georgians anyway.”

Last but not least, there’s the key issue of education that’s spurring the exodus. Rstakyan concludes, “ If an Armenian from Javakh can’t provide a normal education for his children he’ll take off forArmenia, orRussia. Of that you can be certain.”