Author: Mikheil Gvadzabia

Mikheil Lazginian represents the Yazidi community of Georgia. In addition to helping the Yazidi Cultural Center of Tbilisi to find funds, he also leads a non-governmental organization that works on the issues of youth of ethnic and religious minorities.

He tells Aprili Media that the passivity of the Yazidi community pushed them to start this activity. He adds that now the situation is changing positively both in terms of the involvement of Yazidi youth in community activities and the attitudes of other citizens towards Yazidis.

The change did not come easily and quickly: it is the result of the work of, among others, those civil organizations, which the Russian law must declare as “agents of foreign influence”.

Mikheil Lazginian tells us about the identity of the Yazidis and their presence in Georgia, as well as the ethnically and religiously diverse environment in which he grew up. The activist also tells us what kind of barriers the community faced in the background of the nationalist tendencies of the past years and what has changed for the better in recent times.

In conclusion, Mikheil refers to the Russian law passed by the current government, which, among others, harms non-governmental organizations working on community issues. He tells us in detail how the policy of  the Georgian Dream can affect the lives of Yazidis and other ethnic or religious minorities in Georgia.

Who Are We?

My immediate ancestors came to Georgia at the beginning of the 20th century, which is connected with the genocide of Armenians and representatives of other communities on the territory of Turkey. They lived around Lake Van. When these events started, they first moved to Armenia, and from there those people who were already familiar with Georgia came here. This is how my ancestors appear in the territory of Georgia. From my family, I am about the sixth generation Yazidi to have been born here.

Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media

I grew up in the famous neighborhood of Mtatsminda, in the Italian courtyard, where there was always great diversity: Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Georgians lived there… The basis of friendship, acceptance, mutual understanding, in fact, was laid in me from there.

I cannot say that my family was traditional and followed customs. However, they always tried to celebrate the main holidays and at the same time speak their own language, which the Yazidis of Georgia, unfortunately, are losing due to the lack of educational resources.

My family was very open: we had many friends, and this mutual exchange of knowledge and culture also affected my self-development. On top of that, they paid a lot of attention to my education and decided that I should definitely get a higher education, even though we didn’t have much money at the time. I am very grateful for that.

Identity of Yazidi

The Georgian Yazidi identity for me is, first of all, the knowledge of the language and our customs, which are related to religion. These are the holidays that we celebrate to this day and also the enormous power that characterizes the Yezidi language. We are talking about Kurmanji, which is also spoken by Kurds.

Yazidi is an ethno-religious term, which means that, in fact, our ethnicity is defined by our religion. This religion is Yazidism, which distinguishes us from the Kurds: they are usually Muslims. Historically, between Yazidis and Kurds, there was quite a big conflict because of religion… I do not deny that there are great connections: we share a common language, we had a common residence, and maybe we have a common ethnogenesis to some extent, but historical events have made these two peoples so opposed to each other that the Yazidis already They want to have a separate identity.

However, the following happened in the Soviet Union: since there religion did not play a big role and the state wanted to destroy religion, people were united only on ethnic and linguistic grounds. That’s why they decided that if Yazidis and Kurds speak Kurmanji, that is, they are one people. Finally, the Soviet propaganda and the attitude that we should be united on linguistic lines has led to the fact that all books and materials say one thing: Yazidi is Kurdish and Kurd is Yazidi.

“You Have to Change Your Last Name”

Although our identity was different [from the majority], my family always tried to celebrate both our community’s holidays and Christian holidays. So this difference was not so acute for me. Added to this was the peculiar receptivity that characterizes Tbilisi.

However, the difference was still noticeable, even when you go outside, you see a lot of churches, religious events and you feel that this is also yours, because you were born and raised in Georgia, but you have a different direction. I still felt this difference on a more internal level. There were also cases when someone told me to come and re-educate you, you are illegal, but it was so small that I don’t even remember, especially in light of the fact that there was much more positive attitude and acceptance…

“We have come a long way so that in the prism of “us and others” we are finally included in “us” and this society, the people, accepts us for everything we are proud of and, on the contrary, rejoices [our existence]”.

I remember there was an attitude within the community that your last name and background determined your success, not your skills and accomplishments. I understood very well that this was based on their personal experience, because there were often cases when a successful Yazidi would achieve certain results, but then they would tell him that he should change his last name to Georgian in order to let you go. This probably lasted until the early 2000’s at most. Perhaps, to a certain extent, the fault of chauvinistic, ethnocentric tendencies was the attitude that if someone named Georgia, he must be ethnically Georgian. Often this pushed the Yazidis to hold back, to stop; They ran away from a particular country because they wanted to preserve their identity, now they have to give up their identity voluntarily. Many stopped because of this. There were times when you were told that you would not be accepted because of your last name, and because of this, members of our community even changed their last names. I also thought about it, should I change my last name in order to be more integrated in society.

Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media

Also, I remember episodes when when you told a person your last name, they asked you where you were from. When you told them that you are Yazidi, they asked you when you managed to learn the language so well… these questions are not negative and now the situation is much better, just that there were times when they asked you about your origin in such a way that you got the feeling that they distrusted you. This great concentration on surname and origin created a feeling that you are still not accepted as you want to be.

Growing Interest in Community Issues

In general, I have always had an interest in community activities, my history, and religion, although community representatives – human rights defender Agit Mirzoev and our spiritual leader Fir Dima – made a great contribution to my development in this direction. Fir Dima knows well both theology and history, therefore, he would explain religious issues to me not as an axiom that this rule should be like this, but he would explain to me what led to the formation of this religious rule in this form. As a university student, this form of explaining logical or historical contexts was more acceptable to me, and it led to an increase in my interest and activation in community activities.

However, I always had the feeling that our community was passive. When I participated in certain activities, events, I always lacked Yazidi representatives. I wanted, with this example of mine, to give an impetus to the youth of our community, that they should show up, they should say what they have to say; It should not have been a community that nods on everything and votes on nothing. This attitude has been around for a long time, but fortunately, it is now changing: young people are getting educated and trying their best to get involved in community activities.

These factors led to my activation in community activities and participation in external activities on behalf of the community. Even when the event is not directly related to my background, I always highlight the background because, first of all, it’s a proud moment for me, and also it can be an inspiration to someone that, here, someone like him is standing somewhere and succeeding.

“How far did we go?! If nothing else, we are among the rare post-Soviet states that have visa-free access to the European Union. Is this a great result and achievement? Why should we miss it?”

I work in several areas at the Yazidi Culture Center. This is mainly youth work and communication with community organizations abroad, as well as fundraising. Today, this center is implementing one of the most important projects, which concerns the construction of the world’s first Yazidi ethno-historical museum in Tbilisi. This would not have been possible without some help from abroad, including the involvement of community representatives, community organizations and various grants.

The Civil Sector: Multiple Benefits

In addition to working in the cultural center, I lead the non-governmental organization “World of Tolerance“, which mainly works to bring together young people from ethnic and religious minorities. We also have media literacy projects. In addition, we work in the direction of developing a number of skills among young people. We also had outing events in different cities, including outside the country.

I always emphasize the great role of non-governmental organizations in the development of not only the Yazidi community, but also the culture of acceptance. Often certain stereotypes were created only because we did not know each other well. When you meet people and make friends through this or that platform, when you joke together about the stereotypes you believed in before, completely different attitudes appear, issues are perceived completely differently.

From my personal experience, such platforms, where representatives of different, dominant or non-dominant groups meet and share their history and culture, were created with the help of non-governmental organizations. With the involvement of the state, from my experience, I do not recall anything. Maybe there are some things, I don’t deny it, however, even in terms of visibility, the non-governmental sector had much more activity than the governmental sector.

NGO’s also have a lot to contribute in terms of advocacy on issues that minorities may be concerned about but could not vote for because they were afraid. In general, when you are a minority, you can be reprimanded for speaking out about some problem and also because you are a minority and how do you vote? If you don’t like it, go somewhere else”… this moment always belongs to the minority, so non-governmental organizations often take this work upon themselves, listen to your problem and then raise it where it is needed. Even now, TDI (Tolerance and Diversity Institute) is campaigning very well to have an entry in the labor code that would allow members of different communities to legally request a day off for religious holidays that are important to them. Conventionally, for the Yezidis, we have the holiday Rozha Marzale, which is very crowded: first you have to prepare food, then relatives come from abroad and we all go to the cemetery together. It would be very important for me to have the right to rest on this day.

“You have to do something while you can. What will happen next and how will it happen, time will tell us and history will tell us”.

In addition, with the help of non-governmental organizations, many brochures were printed, articles were published, through which you can learn more about your own topic and deepen your knowledge about other topics. I cannot even estimate the role of similar organizations in this regard, it is so great. They helped me a lot in terms of my personal development as well, because I always had a complex that I could not formulate my thoughts properly. On NGO platforms, even through simple activities, you learn all these things, which also help you overcome fear. If it weren’t for these platforms, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome these fears so easily.

Insult in Response to Labor

Everything that my organization does, be it creating animations, organizing camps or anything else, is done with the help of foreign donors. We wrote a project, received a grant, and then implemented these projects. Everything was going well until the second Russian law on “agents of foreign influence” was introduced, which puts us in a terrible position where you are labeled an agent in your own country. I do not understand this law otherwise. “Conductor of foreign influence” or whatever you want to call it, “foreigner” is always equated with unacceptable and potential traitor.

 

One day I was reading an interesting article about Imam Shamil. It was a Russian source and it was written in the header: “This material was prepared by a foreign influence agent”. It is a logical development of this law that you must write on any material you prepare that you are an agent of foreign influence; This gives the impression that you are not a trustworthy person because you are under foreign influence and do not do everything in good faith.

This is a very offensive term and has a doubly effect on youth and organizations that represent non-dominant ethnic or religious groups. We have come a long way so that in the prism of “us and others” we are finally included in “us” and this society, the people, accepts us for everything we are proud of and, on the contrary, rejoices [our existence]. It was really happening. I have personally experienced how the attitude towards our community, our people, our work has changed. This process was very good and very positive. The government, non-governmental organizations and the Georgian society as a whole contribute to this, because if it wasn’t for this support, I probably wouldn’t have stayed here for a long time. I stopped because I felt great support from the whole society and my work was a reason for happiness and pride.

Now again, the government will put this label on you, and besides the fact that you have the status of an agent, you will go from this “testimony” situation to “others” because you are no longer a reliable person. This is a very big blow to us; It is also a big blow to young people who are engaged in community activities and who believe that they are doing something useful both for the community and for the country. This reality alienates us from everything we are a part of and proud to be a part of.

“When you see that ethnic Georgians are treated like this, you immediately fear that what will they do to me, as a representative of the minority?”

Yazidis of Georgia always note that we have achieved the most here in this country. Although there are economic and social problems, this country has gone through a lot of troubles, Yazidis still feel the most integrated here, and that is why a Yazidi museum is not appearing somewhere, in any country, but here in Georgia; Not somewhere, but in Georgia, the first temple outside the historical borders was founded; Not somewhere, but in Georgia, everything that happens: language courses, support, assistance… this has always been a source of pride for us. And even today, this law directly or indirectly tells you that this community activity of yours turned out to be a foreign influence. I don’t know how much they wanted to do it, but that’s how it turned out. You are an agent, a traitor, you are not trustworthy and you are carrying a foreign interest.

“What Would They Do to Me?!”

All this has a great impact on us, our reputation, motivation and sense of security, because we see what is happening: sometimes these “titushkas” will attack whom and sometimes – whom. There, they wrote “agents!” to the SAIA office. The organization is called the agent, which was formed four years after the restoration of Georgia’s independence, and almost all legislation that has survived to this day was made with the help of its representatives. And when you see that ethnic Georgians are treated like this, you immediately fear that what will they do to me, as a representative of the minority?!

For the first time during my work here, I thought that maybe it’s time to leave the country and go somewhere else, because I am not appreciated here, they call me an agent, they insult me, they put me in such a vulnerable position… I have a lot of skills, opportunities, patriotic spirit and I love this country, but If the government thinks that I should be given an agent because of my work, then I can think that it does not value me and creates more danger than it supports me.

Vakho Kareli / Aprili Media

I would also like to emphasize that I am not the only young person who thinks this way: there are many young people from both dominant and non-dominant ethnic and religious groups who, after the adoption of this law, thought that it seems that in our state, we are becoming traitors at the hands of the government, and if such As a matter of fact, it is better to go somewhere else. We cannot live like this, because, despite everything, we grew up on the values ​​of Vepkhistkaosani: “It is better to die greatly than live in shame.” You cannot live such a life where you are called a traitor to your own country, because for us the starting point has always been the love of the motherland and dedication to it.

Hope

There is always hope. Apart from these negative processes, a very important thing happened this year — we got closer to each other as people fighting for a common future: Yazidis, Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Armenians… We all stood together during these rallies and we all enjoyed the diversity of each other’s culture. Some people brought cakes, others came in their national clothes… It was emphasized that today we are not talking about the problem of one community, we all have a problem, because it concerns the well-being of our homeland. This process has shown us that we have passed a certain stage, we have become very close to each other, and if we see that our common goal is threatened, regardless of our origins, views and fears, we all stand together.

In addition, NGO’s have some strategies on how to fight this law through legal means. The first is an appeal to the Constitutional Court and the second is Strasbourg. Having this strategy gives you a certain sense of security, because at least you know what to do. I also joined the lawsuit both in the Constitutional Court and in Strasbourg.

We believe that as long as it is possible to fight by legal means, we should fight, because we have done a lot, both community organizations, as well as the state as a whole, the people… How far have we come?! If nothing else, we are among the rare post-Soviet states that have visa-free access to the European Union. Is this a great result and achievement? Why should we miss it all?

That’s why you have to fight. Yes, there are fears that as a representative of the minority, you will be given double stigmatization, not only as an “agent”, but also as a foreigner, non-ours, non-Georgian… This moment is overwhelming and you think, is it all worth it? But it’s worth it, because when you see that everyone is standing at these actions, they support you and you also support them, you get the feeling that you are part of this process and cannot be excluded from it. You have to be a part of it and you have to contribute; You have to do something while you can. What will happen next and how it will be, time will tell us and history will follow us.