Author: Mikheil Gvadzabia
Tozu Gulmamedli is a feminist activist from Iormughanlo village of Sagarejo municipality. She got into activism about 8 years ago and since then she has been working on both women’s issues and the problems of her village community.
Currently, she cooperates with the women’s rights protection organization Sapari. In addition, she continues her activities in the Iormughanlo community center, which she founded a few years ago together with other activists. As it is said, she and his associates were significantly helped by the experience and support of non-governmental and media organizations, which were targeted by the Russian law of “Georgian Dream”.
Talking to Aprili Media, Tozu tells what the organizations financed by Western funds have brought to the village of Iormughanlo, to the Azerbaijani community of Georgia and women, whose rights they have been fighting for years. It also explains what might happen to the outcome of the struggle if the government succeeds in silencing the civil sector and critical media.
Experience that Helped Me: First Steps
We are human beings and we want to live in a better society. When you see a lot of problems around you and there are many examples in Georgia and the world that even one person’s struggle can change both a small community and the country, why not? Why not invest your resources for a better society and country?
I started working on women’s rights when a girl was kidnapped. I knew of a number of previous incidents that had not resulted in a police response. Before that, I had heard about the struggle of Georgian feminists. I thought, if it is possible, why not work and protect this girl?
When I started activism, we had no role models in my community. I didn’t know what to do. The experience of other organizations helped me a lot. Without the experience of these organizations, my activism would probably be very difficult, and not only mine: in general, things change in the community as a result of this experience, struggle.
A State that Cannot See Us
Now, whatever topic I am focusing on—mainly the rights of girls and women—the state is not working on it. I have a feeling that it is not interested in our [Azerbaijani community] fate. I mean all the structures here. We only remember when some story is spread in the media, otherwise they don’t have a basic policy, strategy. Often they don’t even know what we want. If they do not know this and do not know us, then it is unnecessary to talk about the solution.
Tozu Gulmamedli with Baia Pataraia. In 2021, both human rights defenders received the Kato Mikeladze Award. Photo: Women’s Fund in Georgia
Let’s take, for example, the structures working on gender issues: the Ministry of Health, local self-government, the House of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs… Have you ever asked them what you need, what you want, why do you have these problems? At most what they do and what is really funny is “awareness campaigns”. What do they know, what is my consciousness and how did they conclude that my religion or culture creates some problems? Did they come to this conclusion with information heard from afar?
The only thing that comes to mind is the adequate recommendations of the Public Defender. It seems that they have studied the issue and have the right recommendations. In other cases, I don’t see myself. We are not visible.
What Did NGOs and Western Foundations Did for Us?
Much of what has been achieved today is the result of projects funded by non-governmental organizations and Western foundations. Today, the majority of ethnic minorities who are active, educated, and who work for the development of their community have gained experience in these organizations. Not only at the organizational level: here we are also talking about university clubs, school activities, in which these organizations are also involved. It is these young people who set the agenda in ethnic minority news.
Before that, I was reading a [ethnic minority] successful youth column or something like that and looking at their biographies. Most of them were non-governmental organizations or their own sponsored university clubs. Very rarely do I think of a person [from an ethnic minority] who has achieved something through a government program. The only thing that the state has done for minorities is the 1+4 program, and even there it is a standard tax, without financial benefits. Beyond that, it is unnecessary to talk about development and integration. Even the rate of employment in state structures is actually zero, and if it happens, it happens only through political activity.
In a word, whatever results we are proud of, it is mainly the merit of [Non-Governmental] organizations and the media itself.
Media and NGOs: Mediators with the State
There are problems in the coverage [of ethnic minorities], but the fact is that the media helped us a lot in the same case of women’s rights: when our voice was not heard anywhere, when the state did not pay attention to us, only plea agreements were made between the perpetrator and the victim, then our voice was precisely the media. The same is true for local problems. No matter how much you talk in the village, it still doesn’t reach the ears of the state. We write statements, but when we want this or that problem to reach the ears of the general public, of course, the media helps us a lot.
I remember many topics that were known before, but the state did not respond. When the media intervened, they began to work effectively. I know the fact of abduction of many girls, including in the recent past, when the family came to the police, although they were not looking for [the abducted person], and when this story was publicized in the media, they found her the same day. If it was possible, then why wasn’t it looked for before? Or again, there was a problem in the village that worried the residents for years, but when it was covered in the media and the story broke, [only] after that they started working. That is, we are ignored by the state structures, but when they see that some group supports us, then they start working, which is very sad and shameful.
Tozu at the anti-government rally in Tbilisi. Photo: personal facebook
In general, there is a problem of lack of information among ethnic Azerbaijanis because we have a language barrier. So far, neither the state nor other organizations have disseminated information in Azerbaijani. “Radio Marneuli” was one of the first organizations that broadcast information in Azerbaijani. I have always felt that “Radio Marneuli” is my media, my radio. Whenever we needed to cover a topic, I always felt that they were on our side. They have prepared a number of materials related to Iormughanlo.
Can you imagine if we find ourselves in that space again, where we have no information about what is happening in the country… My father is 60 years old and it is impossible for him to learn the Georgian language at this age. Does he have to get information from any source? Should we still rely on the Turkish and Azerbaijani media?
"Radio Marneuli" is an independent media platform that was founded in 2006. It broadcasts in Georgian, Azerbaijani and Armenian languages and is one of the many media organizations required by Russian law to register as representing the interests of a foreign power.
As for non-governmental organizations, we can name many that help me personally. Among them are Sapari and Center for Social Justice. When a girl needs help, I know where to call and know that these experienced people will help me. Also, they help me when communicating with the local self-government: for example, during the discussion of the Sagarejo municipality budget, I was with the lawyers of the Social Justice Center. When I said something, they added legal aspects and somehow we came out victorious because they met many of our demands. So this support is very important.
A Change that is at Stake
Change has begun in the community. In terms of women, I can proudly say that many attitudes have changed. If earlier there were issues that we could not discuss publicly, for example, housework, now we boldly come out and say that it is undervalued work. If earlier we were afraid to say that kidnapping and violence against women is a crime, now we are boldly talking about it. I remember when we started talking about these topics on social media, our posts caused a lot of bullying and ridicule. Today it is practically accepted that this is a crime. I think the approach has changed. If the perpetrators used to come forward with courage, now they no longer have that courage. I think we’ve got a certain “group” of unrelated people who know that if they show sexism, they will punish that “group”.
In a word, a very interesting process is going on in the Azerbaijani community in terms of women’s rights, and we got this result in a very short period of time. It is very regrettable that all this is under threat today. It is disappointing that after this, we may not have the resources and we will be punished for this activism. It is very difficult for me to understand that you think you are doing a good job for your country, society, and suddenly it turns out that you are a “threat”.
Tozu Gulmamedli at the protest against the Russian law in Tbilisi. Photo: personal facebook
I really wonder how? I, a person who works for girls to get an education; that the girls are not kidnapped, not married by force; To have a kindergarten, to have a bridge and drinking water… How did I deserve to be called an agent of foreign influence? Do our citizens and our country still need all this? It is disappointing and insulting that I am loyal to this country, I really want to live in a good country, where everyone will be realized, everyone’s rights will be protected, and at this time they are trying to call me an agent of foreign influence.
“What is the Alternative, What Are They offering me?”
The topic of transparency is a bit funny to me. I don’t understand what we were hiding or what the state wanted to know and couldn’t understand… If these organizations were in any way endangering the country’s interests, why couldn’t the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Financial Police have intervened before? Why did they turn a blind eye? Now it turns out that they need an additional law? This is funny.
We know very well that we are already transparent: we already report to the organization, and this organization and the fund, in turn, report to the state. If there was any reasonable doubt that I was serving a foreign country, they should have asked. Do we have security levers to protect the country?
If some people claim that this law serves the country, how? What is the alternative? I don’t remember any opportunity the state [offered] during my activism and I didn’t use it. The local government does not cooperate with us at all to support us in anything. What is the alternative when you tell me that if you receive funding [from abroad], then you are “like this”? what do you suggest I don’t remember such a project in Sagarejo, such a competition, if it was tailored to Iormughanlo. They have their vision and follow this vision. We are not seen in this vision.
Protest and Propaganda in the Azerbaijani Community
I think that the government is acting out of fear of defeat in the elections, and they want those who observe and monitor these elections to be removed from the process. I have no logical explanation for this. Otherwise, I don’t understand where they came to the conclusion that we need this law.
The government has long since started working in the Azerbaijani community [to spread its narrative]. Until now, when we said that we also want to be a part of the process and we also want to understand what is happening in this country, the state replied that they had a communication and language problem. It turns out that they don’t have this problem and can very easily spread their narratives in the Azeri-speaking community when they need to. When we held an action in Marneuli [against the Russian law], then we saw that these narratives of war and peace, the “depravity” of the West had already been [spread] in the Azerbaijani-speaking community. When you say that you don’t like this government, they immediately answer you: “Do you want to turn our country into Ukraine?”
Tozu with the poster “Women Against Russian Law”. Photo: Personal Facebook
In general, in relation to the rallies, there was such a trend that ethnic Azerbaijanis largely attended party rallies. It was more probably the National Movement protests. At least that was what I was seeing. However, during the recent rallies in Tbilisi, when my friends and I were following the marches, we could hear, for example, the voices of Azerbaijani students talking; From the other side, I could hear the voice of the boys from Marneuli, who arrived in their car… It was a very interesting trend. These people were not organized. When there are political rallies, they are organized by minibuses, and it may not be natural to participate in such rallies. Now, during these rallies, we could see that naturally students, young people from Marneuli came… usually they decided that this country is theirs. When I asked why you are here (I thought that maybe this story came from some party), he told me, what is it called, why am I, when my fellow citizens are standing here, I have to stand too, this country is also my protection. This trend is really there, this story is changing for the positive. But after that, I don’t know how it will be.
“We Will Lose a Lot”
I really cannot imagine that this law will remain in force and we will have to work under these conditions. We will lose a lot of things. If we used to say out loud that we can change it, it is our right, it belongs to us, can we not say it now? Until now, we said that it was our right to ask for something, and now, in reality, we will be punished for it.
Imagine what it would be like in the community. Until now, some groups in the community claimed that the state cannot be criticized. People with Soviet experience told me that it is impossible to catch you. From now on, this group will be right.
Perhaps, they were preparing the ground for this, that “he who criticizes the state does not love his state”. When you are an ethnic minority, we have been accused of separatism before, but if it was informally rumored before, now you are officially told that you are serving the interests of a foreign country by doing this. It will be really difficult to live in an environment where you want to say something, but you can’t say it, because whatever media is around, it is also punished, labeled as an agent…
Photo: Bubu Gvadzabia / Aprili Media
Gaining trust will also be difficult: before you said that you are a person who wants to make changes in your community, develop civil society and wants a better country, now it turns out that you are serving a foreign country. Is it very difficult to expect society to trust us and hope for us? So much work must be poured into the water.
However, I will continue to fight. I will look for an alternative way, because I do not see in my head the right to give up. However, I still hope that this reality will change with the elections. We must convey the information to everyone around us that our country and its European future are in danger. Today is not the time to distinguish which political party is bad and which is good. Today our country is to be saved.