Seeking to fully control Abkhazia, the Armenian lobby is doing “preparatory work” on all fronts.

The Russian media controlled by the Armenian lobby have long raised the question that the Abkhaz are a “criminal” and “ungrateful” ethnic group that is not capable of developing the economy of such a paradise as Abkhazia, have dissolved ethnocracy, crime and corruption. The Russian-speaking reader is inspired by the idea that the “best masters” of Abkhazia will be “ancient”, “cultural” and “hardworking” Armenians, who in fact have already become the majority in Abkhazia, but the Abkhaz themselves are “hindering” them.
Recall that according to Armenian propaganda, before Georgians "prevented the development" of Abkhazia. But the Abkhaz separatists, together with the Armenian militants from the battalion of Baghramyan and other formations during the 1992-1993 war expelled most of the indigenous Georgian population. Now, apparently, it is turn of the Abkhazians themselves.
With the goal of convincing the Russians of the almost inevitable conflict that they should support the Armenians and facilitate the genocide of the Abkhazians “custom-made” materials appear. Both in the media and on resources that seem to be loyal to the Kremlin, and those who fell into disfavor to her.

Among the latter, a special place is occupied by “Sputnik and Pogrom” - an online publication positioning itself as “Russian nationalist” edited by famous Russian journalist Yegor Prosvirnin.

Due to a number of materials criticizing the Kremlin’s policy, the authorities blocked access to the “Sputnik and Pogrom” resource in the Russian Federation, but you can read the materials outside the Russian Federation and through the “bypass block” programs.

And on this resource appeared the material “The Armenian Question in Abkhazia” whose content is in principle close to the position of the Armenian circles close to the Kremlin. As a result, all information and propaganda channels “unobtrusively” carry out the idea that “Abkhazia should be given to the Armenians”.

Thus, the Armenian lobby "clung" to Abkhazia with a dead battle. It will not let it, even if power is exchanged in the Kremlin, since the opposition forces also turn pro-Armenian in the Abkhaz issue.

Naturally, the Armenian lobby is doing everything to exclude the very question of the return of Abkhazia to Georgia and the return of Georgian refugees. Not for this, the Armenians played out "geopolitical combinations" in fact putting Abkhazia under Armenian control in order to abandon this land now.
Information about the real domination of Armenians in Abkhazia, about the degradation of Abkhazians and the claims of Armenians is quite fully given in the material published in “Sputnik and Pogrom”:

“The Armenian Question in Abkhazia:
The situation and problems of Armenians in Abkhazia is a taboo topic for the local Abkhaz and even many Russian media. The fact is that everyone who knows about the real inter-ethnic situation in the region confirms that almost half of the Armenian population is there. Many local Armenians themselves believe that they are already even more Abkhaz, but the number in power is disproportionate to their real share. For example, in the parliament of 35 deputies there are only 3 Armenians. Slowly a huge conflict potential ripens, which sooner or later will lead to a large ethnic conflict. After all, the inter-ethnic tension in Abkhazia that has developed in recent years is a lot like the period preceding the 1990s, when the armed Georgian-Abkhaz conflict occurred. Let's find out whether a new hot spot in the post-Soviet space can flare up there, and what actions can prevent it.

Where Armenians came from there?

Armenians live on the territory of present-day Abkhazia since the times of Byzantium. But they began to move there en masse from the end of the 19th century, when the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Abdul Hamid II, organized in 1894–1896 in Eastern Anatolia mass murder of Christians - Armenians and Greeks. As a result, the massacre killed up to 300 thousand civilians, many were forced to flee to the north. But went and for economic reasons too. Christians thought that they would be better in the Russian Empire, as the Turkish authorities oppressed them in every possible way. They moved from the historical area of Hamshen (now it is the eastern part of the Black Sea coast of Turkey), so the Abkhaz Armenians are called Hamshenis.
After the move, Armenians practically did not conflict with the local population; they treated the old Abkhaz names with respect and always left them for their settlements. The very first Armenian village founded in Abkhazia was the village of Mtsara. It is located on the territory of the current Gudauta district. The second wave of migration is a spontaneous resettlement directly during the events of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire (mid-10's - early 20's of the 20th century). These two waves were massive, after which the Armenians moved to Abkhazia only in private, for family reasons or for work.
Arrived begin to settle on semi-desert lands. The fact is that after the accession of the territory of modern Abkhazia to Russia, there have been several migrations of Muhajirs (Abkhaz Muslims) to the Ottoman Empire. The mass departure of Abkhazians led to the formation of abandoned areas, where representatives of different nationalities moved - Russians, Moldovans, Bulgarians, and even Estonians. The economic and other activities of this fertile land came into complete decline; there were impassable swamps around, which needed to be explored. To raise this territory, the Russian government also attracted Armenians, who knew how to farm in the local climate.

By decree of the emperor in 1880, because of participation in the anti-Russian uprising of 1877, the Abkhaz were given the status of “guilty population”. After it, they were allowed to settle only 20 miles away from Sukhumi. Therefore, the coastal territory and some mountain areas quickly changed their ethnic composition. Looking at historical realities, today the Abkhazians from time to time like to remind Armenians that they are not on their land, but simply temporary guests.

In the Russian Empire and in the Land of the Soviets
Armenians very quickly fit into the local multinational community, there were practically no conflicts on a national basis with the Abkhazians, each of the peoples occupied their own niche in the socio-economic sphere of the region. This was also explained by the fact that the Abkhaz had a difficult relationship with the Georgians. After the resettlement, the authorities of the Russian Empire opened parochial schools for Armenians in rural areas and, in general, the Russian administration viewed them as their people. Statistical materials of the end of the XIX century indicate that by this time Armenians were a significant part of the population in Abkhazia (about 10%) and were mainly engaged in tobacco growing and trade.

After the revolution, the Abkhaz decided to build "Abkhazia for the Abkhaz", and for this, they wanted to expel all Georgians (mingrels), Armenians and other colonists who came in large numbers. For this, the Abkhaz intelligentsia established close relations with the Turks, whom they requested to take this territory under their wing. It was planned to return to Abkhazia thousands of descendants of Muhajirs who had left in the middle of the XIX century. This news of Armenians, who only recently fled from the genocide by the Turks, was shocked. Many moved north towards Sochi. Armenians during the revolution and the Civil War did not hide their commitment to any Russian government - even the Bolsheviks, even the whites. For them, this was a guarantee of protection from new ethnic cleansing.

Having seized Abkhazia, the Georgian Democratic Republic, which existed from 1918 to 1921, carried out the extrusion of the Armenian population. In 1919 Anton Denikin wrote to the head of the British military mission, General Briggs, about this issue: “Official representatives of the Armenian National Union asked me to protect the Armenian population of the Sukhumi district, in particular the village of Gudauta, from the violence of Georgian troops.” Therefore, the Armenians were in the joy of the return of power to Moscow.
After the establishment of the communist system in the 30s of the XX century, 14% of the total number of employees in the Central Executive Committee of Abkhazia were Armenians, and 15% in the Council of People's Commissars. According to the data of 1941, 128 Armenian schools functioned in Abkhazia. Also published several newspapers in Armenian. In the capital of Abkhazia Sukhumi even operated an Armenian state theater. And although everywhere it was said about “friendship of nations”, interethnic contradictions, discontent between Abkhazians and Armenians began to emerge even then.

Abkhazians and Armenians against Georgians

When the Georgian-Abkhaz interethnic conflict began, the Armenians initially declared their neutrality. But when the real hostilities began, the Georgians began to take control of Armenian settlements. In them, the armed forces began to rob and rape. The reason for the atrocities of the Georgian militias in the early stages of the Abkhaz war was that Georgia then did not have a regular army. The so-called “national guardsmen” invaded Abkhazia, among whom was a high percentage of the criminal element. The most tragic incident is the shooting of the Armenian village of Labra, where many residents were harassed and robbed. After that, they realized that they needed to take up arms. Although in Georgia today, they claim that the Armenians committed atrocities on the contrary, and this was only a response action.

At first, the Armenian population did not want to stand on the Abkhaz side; they were only independent national self-defense forces. Armenians with military experience from the conflict zone in Nagorno-Karabakh reached out to help their fellow tribesmen in Abkhazia. During this confrontation, several Armenian national battalions were formed. The most famous is the Bagramian battalion. As a result, twenty soldiers of Armenian nationality were awarded the title of “Hero of Abkhazia”. In addition to the national battalions, local Armenians fought in the Abkhaz military units. They have done a lot to win the Abkhaz in this conflict. Today, the Armenians here are annoyed that the Abkhaz are silent about this, and they are trying to belittle their participation in the war.

Assimilation and discrimination

After the outbreak of hostilities and squeezing the majority of Georgians, Russians and Greeks, Armenians began to dominate in three of the seven districts of Abkhazia. These are Gagra, Sukhumi (excluding the city of Sukhum) and Gulripsh districts. Today, Abkhazians are trying in every way to reduce the number of Armenians in the official results of censuses and exaggerate the number of their people. For example, in the Gagra district, they wrote that from 2003 to 2011 the number of Abkhazians increased by 50%, although this is impossible for logical reasons - their birth rate is very low, and there was no mass resettlement. There is controversy about the real population of the entire republic. Many argue, based on demographic indicators, that it is greatly overestimated.

According to some researchers, for certain reasons, the statistical institutes in Abkhazia are completely degraded and biased. The juggling of figures takes on such a scale that it has become noticeable to the naked eye. The number of ethnic groups within the country in official statistics is also subject to metamorphosis. At the same time, the birth rate of the Armenian community is higher than the Abkhaz one. Armenians are mainly rural population, Abkhazians move to cities, where they usually give birth less.

Indicative statistics of the nationality of people with drug addiction in Abkhazia, which leads the local newspaper "Voice of Abkhazia." From 2005 to July 31, 2012, 3117 drug addicts were brought to administrative responsibility: 2511 - Abkhazians, 258 - Armenians, 179 - Russians, 165 - Georgians, 4 - Turks. From them, citizens under 20 years old are 34 people; from 20 to 40 are 2582 people, from 40 and above 501 people.

Abkhaz elders and officials constantly raise the issue of the future of Abkhazia as an Abkhaz territory, as they believe that they want to seize and settle it. But youth have a little interest in political issues. To increase the percentage of Abkhazians in the republic, the authorities are trying to attract repatriates from Turkey. The government of Abkhazia claims that several thousand people have moved under this program and want to increase this flow. But in fact, the number of immigrants is much smaller, since none of them wants to live in an economically undeveloped republic - many are leaving.

Also, the authorities in every way interfere with the Armenian business, the Armenian villages are in worse situation than the Abkhaz ones, since less money is allocated for them from the republican budget. Armenians are also annoyed that law enforcement agencies, consisting mainly of titular ones, always stand up to defend the Abkhaz. And it does not matter who is right in this situation and who is to blame.

In Abkhazia, there is a rather unique phenomenon for the local regions - in mixed Armenian-Abkhaz villages, Abkhazians know Armenian better than their native Abkhaz language. Today, it itself is underutilized, and the younger generation speaks less and less on it, since everyone is switching to Russian. It is interesting that here the Armenians speak the Western Armenian (Anatolian) dialect, which differs from the literary language of the Republic of Armenia. But due to the fact that everyone watches Armenian cable television from Yerevan, the language gradually acquires East Armenian features.

Conflict potential

A few years ago, Jamal Bartsits, a war veteran with Georgians, raised the issue of the Armenian-Abkhaz interethnic relations. He questioned the achievements and participation of the Armenian community in the Georgian-Abkhaz war, and also warned the authorities and Armenians about the increase in the number of Armenian citizens in the republic. In his opinion, this may have implications for the strategic security of the country in the future. He also threatened that if the Armenian authorities do not recognize the independence of Abkhazia, the Armenians will have to leave the republic, that is, simply to run away from discrimination.

This statement caused a terrible scandal in the republic. The authorities were quick to apologize for the words of the veteran, although many simple Abkhazians think so. But in fact, the transformation of Abkhazia into a mono-ethnic country contradicts the very same Abkhaz interests. If everyone leaves, then there will be no one to ensure the economic activities of the republic, and 90 thousand titles will hardly cope with this.

Attempts to push the Armenians and the Abkhaz several times already made. So, in 2006, on the New Year in the Armenian school of Sukhumi two explosions thundered. Bombs were laid in one of the offices, as well as at the pedestal of the monument to Tumanyan, installed in the schoolyard. Printed in Russian leaflets of anti-Armenian content were scattered throughout the courtyard (in general they have recently been increasingly observed in the republic). According to official studies by sociologists, the majority of Abkhaz Armenians believe that inter-ethnic relations in present-day Abkhazia are “outwardly calm, but internally tense”.

In order to finally understand the issue, “Sputnik and Pogrom” decided to find out the situation from firsthand and asked the Armenian Hamshenian, who preferred to hide his name, to comment on real inter-ethnic relations in Abkhazia:

Tension has existed since the end of the war, and recently it has only been growing. Armenians are beginning to understand that the authorities consider them people of second grade. There are attempts to squeeze out Armenians, illegal seizure of Armenian property and other lawlessness. If this does not stop, then it is likely that everything will end in a conflict in which desperate Armenians will have to somehow resist.

The bottom line

The inter-ethnic situation in Abkhazia is increasingly heating up. With the current birth rate of the rural Armenian population and the decline of the Abkhazian population, they will soon become the dominant ethnic group in the republic. Abkhazian is getting very annoyed because of it. If this continues, over time they will do everything to squeeze the Armenians into Russia or Armenia. Abkhazians at the household level are discontent with this situation, but they themselves do not want to go into open conflict. They understand that in the region, if we take the neighboring Sochi, Armenians live much more than all Abkhazians in the republic. Most of the residents are simply tired of conflicts; many want just a peaceful life.

According to the researchers, neighbor Georgia and Azerbaijan are interested in the development of a possible Armenian-Abkhaz confrontation, and they are adding fuel to the fire in every possible way. The Georgians hope that if there is a war, then they will be able to take this territory back to themselves at the moment of general chaos. Azerbaijanis are still counting on the formation of a second front against the Armenians in order to try to take control of Nagorno-Karabakh or organize an offensive there.

There is also a geopolitical moment: the Abkhaz national elite has very warm informal contacts with the government of the Turkish Republic. In Abkhazia, in general, there are many supporters of a turn towards the Turks. The Abkhazians and the numerous Cherkez diaspora in the Turkish state are pushing for this. And the Armenians in this regard are more pro-Russian, for quite clear reasons they will never stand on the side of the Turks.
What to do to prevent Abkhazia from becoming a “hot spot” again? It is possible to reduce the conflict potential if we give Armenians the opportunity to fully develop their culture. For example, recognize the Armenian language as official in those areas where the majority of them. Do not belittle their merits in the war for the independence of the republic, do not discriminate them as “temporary guests” who will soon have to leave. Armenians, on the other hand, need to pay more attention to national patriotism. And the Abkhaz authorities, for their part, should create a civil, political nation - regardless nationality”.

In general, the main idea of the material “The Armenian Question in Abkhazia” is understandable. Russia in Abkhazia should fully support the Armenians and ensure that they become fully not only demographic and economic, but also political dominance in this territory. Moreover, it is obvious that genocide and ethnic cleansing, but this time against the Abkhazians themselves may accompany the “Armenization” of Abkhazia.

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