November 12, 2002 - 22:09 AMT
CASES OF AGGRESSION AGAINST AZERIS BECOME MORE OFTEN IN GEORGIA
Recently cases of aggression against Azeris have become more often. As "Zerkalo" Baku newspaper reports, the last case happened on Sunday evening in the Gardeban region of Georgia, when the local residents- Nazim Asadova and other two Azeris in his car were attacked by peoples in masks. As a result, the three were injured. Following the incident, Azeris of the Gardeban region hold a mass protest action at the building of the regional prefecture claiming to stop such disorders. Meanwhile, the newspaper notes the law-enforcement bodies and authorities of Georgia keep on doing nothing, not showing any concern. If it is considered that Azeris are 80% of the population that region, then it is obvious that the most crimes are committed against them. At that, the author assumes that taking into consideration that fact that Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze has the support of the local residents, it is possible that certain forces wish to generate tension in this region that will result in displeasure of Azeris with the present authorities of Georgia. The newspaper also notes that there is no official reaction from the official Baku either, except for the plans of the delegation of the State committee for affairs of Azeris in the world to arrive in Tbilisi to get familiar with the situation. In this connection, the leader of "Yurddash" Azeri party Mais Safarli has noted that taking into consideration the situation with his compatriots residing in Georgia, the Azeri government has made several economic concessions to Tbilisi. But the situation with Azeris in Georgia remains quite hard, and what is more, certain forces conduct anti-Azerbaijani propaganda there, the article states.