NATIONAL MINORITIES MAKE 3% OF ARMENIA'S POPULATION

[MosJan]

NATIONAL MINORITIES MAKE 3% OF ARMENIA'S POPULATION

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS: Though Armenia is regarded as one of the most homogenous countries in the CIS, there are more than 20 national minorities living here, particularly Greeks, Jews, Kurds, Germans, Russians, Assyrians, Poles, Ukrainians, who altogether make 3% of Armenia's population.

The largest group make the Yezids (ethnic Kurds professing a religion close to Zoroastrism) comprising 60,000. There are 7,000 Assyrians, who reside in Yerevan, Artashat, Kotayk; 6,000 Greeks, mainly in Alaverdi, Stepanavan, Vanadzor.

The number of Georgians makes 110, who mainly live in Yerevan, 20 of them in Vanadzor. The Jewish community has 700 members. According to the data, provided by this community, about 100 Jews leave Armenia annually.

The number of Russians in Armenia was comparatively large in 80s. According to the census, held in 1979, there were 70,300 Russians in Armenia, but beginning from 80s their number sharply reduced reaching 12-13,000. The number of Molokans (a Russian sect of old-believers) reduced to 5,000. Most of them live in Yerevan.

In 1998 the members of the German community comprised 430. As for the Ukrainians, according to the data of the latest census, there were about 8,000 of them living in Armenia, 3,000 of which in Yerevan.

[Harut]

as i remember, there are a lot of indian students in Armenian.

 

also, are those people permenent residents or long term tourists, students, businessmen,....?

 

thanks

[MosJan]

HArout JAn this is only for permenent residents , not the long term tourists, students, businessmen..

 

Movses

[Harut]

thanks Movses.

 

in the part of Yerevan where i lived there were only russians, and not that many.

 

that's why i was shocked to hear about that many non-Armenians in Armenia.

[nairakev]

Before the Nagorno-Artsax war we had also 160.000 ethnic azeris living in Armenia. They left the country for known reasons, as 700.000 ethnic armenians fled Azerbaijan. This was a horrible time. I had a schoolfriend Farkhad (a very funny guy), he spoke better armenian than azeri. Their family didn't want to leave. They stayed till the end. I remember Yerevan before Artsax, we had a large azeri community. But we didn't succeed to keep them in Yerevan. They left driven by fear. And they had reasons for that. While azeris were murdering armenians in Baku in Yerevan people were becoming more and more intolerant with their azeri neighbours. But I did not see any of yerevani to rob or kill azeris. And I think our government at that time took some serious messures to protect azeris. But the destiny of armenian azeris depended a lot from the war spiral.

Then the chaos came into Yerevan, were even armenians felt themselves unsafe. I can imagine, if azeris stayed what could happen to them.

 

Though because of all economic crisis and war for Nagorno-Artsax, many ethnic minorities left Armenia, I think armenian government should have taken more favourable measures to keep them living in Armenia.

 

I know, some of you, will say that armenian govenrment can't do anything. Many armenians left their country because of economic crisis. So how it could stimulate the stay of ethnic minorities who were starving in Armenia again because of economic difficulties.

 

I don't know. I think living in a monoethnic society sucks, and we're gonna miss ethnic diversity if armenian society won't take more care for ethnic minorities in Armenia.

[Harut]

maybe i'm not as openminded as rest of you here but i prefer to live with Armenians only.

don't get me wrong, i'm not racist or anything but i can't get along with odars and odar culture. i like to learn them, i like to know them, but i can't let them into my life.

maybe this is one of my weeknesses.

[nairakev]

Yeah, at the same time you survive with these pityful ideas in California! I guess, your pants should have a label "Made in Armenia" on it, right?

[Guest Fadi]

I think Armenia should increase their minority proportion, more there is different minority groups more there is cultural richness. Why not increase it to a 10 %

[nairakev]

Domino,

for increasing multi-ethnicity and multi-culturalism Armenia should become a stable state with stable economy. It lives nowdays a huge economic disaster. The aboriginal armenians leave massively their homeland because of that disaster.

 

In that situation, you cannot forbid ethnic minorites to leave or try to convience.

What is wrong in that case, you'll say?

I have no recipes, but I think the biggest fault of actual government is in not being able to talk to its population with "open cards". There is no conversation between citizens and the government. We should reform this social handicap. Actually the best societies are those who stimulate the freedom of speech not only by "saying it on TV" during election marathons, but trying to stand for the prosperity of that freedom.

 

Most of armenian governments do always the same mistake. They are trying to take a defensive position. We are there to govern.

But who they govern they have no idea. Soon armenian poticians will stay without voters. Because population leaves the country.

 

What they did to make people involve in reconstruction? Look how Armenian economy functions. Did you ever tried besides USA to send a parcel with Xmas gifts? Did they recieve it?

The citizens of Armenia are demoralised. It's whole ethnical issue. Because if tomorrow, the diaspora won't be able to join their homeland at least for hollidays. That will be also because it did not care?

 

[ June 01, 2001: Message edited by: naira ]

[Guest Fadi]

You are right Niara, but Armenia should do things to maintain these minorities to leave the country, and plan strategies for immigration, not only of Armenians but others(I wonder who would want to live in Armenia if his not Armenian) Well everyone can have a wish.

 

You know sometimes when I post things, it could be impossible, or near impossible, but still they are wishes.

[nairakev]

I think if diaspora won't come to Armenia, forget about preserving minorities. Armenia will need certainly in the begining some flood from multilingual and multi-cultural diaspora. And that will stimulate as well the minorities to settle or preserve their communities. Todays Yerevan is deverse as well. There are today few new-born communities - iranian and mid-eastern (Syria, Lebanon), not all of them originally armenian. There is mosquee in Yerevan. This did not exist during Communist regime.


In the ex-Soviet times. Armenia did care about minorities, though it was governed by communist 'totalitarism'. But there were some positive results as well.

Media, schools existed in Soviet Armenia for ethnic minorities.(kurds, azeris had their schools, radio, newspapers).

In Azerbaijan, in Russia, in Ukraine as well Armenians had their schools and clubs. My mother actually learned armenian language, literature and history at High School in Russia.
It was a Russian school, but due to a huge number of armenians in town, they could learn their language and history.

[Paul bunyan]

the government should promote Armenia as an ideal place its low crime tolerence for Christians inexpensive land in Shushi and in reclaimed regions make it an ideal place to relocate to for American Armenophiles

their money and skills would be of great help bringing employment for Armenians and help resettle the regions

[Harut]

i warrned you but you still got me wrong. i'm not one of those crazy nationalists. maybe word culture was wrong. people is more correct.
may be this will help you to understand.

i have no non-Armenian friend.
etc......
simpally i love Armenian lifestyle and would like to live with Armenians only.(no, i'm not rabiz)

btw, i'm ceitenly going back to Armenia as soon as i'm done with my education.

[nairakev]

OK! What about people who have lots of non-armenian friends and they want multi-cultural and multi-ethnic Armenia? Should they agree with those who are for "Armenia for Armenians!" statements?

[nairakev]

We have already lots of American armenophiles with their money and skills in Armenia. I don't think they care about Armenia, at all.

Shushi Paul should be resettled by azeris who left this region. I don't think that this town should be ocuupied by armenians. Azeris should return to their homes. A peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Artsax conflict must include also the resettelement of Azeris in Shushi.
This is how a real multi-ethinc society should deal with all ethnic communities. Azeris are not our eternal enemies.

[ June 02, 2001: Message edited by: naira ]

[Paul bunyan]

Oh, you cannot be serious Naira the turks and azeris will always be enemies of Armenians and Christians too both in Greece and turkish occupied Greek Cypress and America as well if they occupied the land where Canada is you say American~Armenianphiles only care about Armenia for selfish reasons

how is this?

[nairakev]

"Armenia for Armenians" stuff folks always existed in Armenia, Harut.

This are the same people who in France say "France for French, in Russia they say "Russia for Russians in Germany they say Germany for Germans.

 

In every country I lived or I'll live I'll always say. France is mine, Germany is mine, Russia is mine, Armenia is mine. Common now take this all from me, you dick-heads, skin-head!

Do you understand what I mean, Harut.

 

I sincerely hope you do. We have some little fascists in Armenia and that's a big victory. Arms will never be fascists. Remember this! Because there will be Armenians like me who will say to them "**** you! Armenia is for all"

 

[ June 03, 2001: Message edited by: naira ]

[Guest]

quote:

---

Originally posted by naira:
"Armenia for Armenians" stuff folks always existed in Armenia, Harut.
This are the same people who in France say "France for French, in Russia they say "Russia for Russians in Germany they say Germany for Germans.

In every country I lived or I'll live I'll always say. France is mine, Germany is mine, Russia is mine, Armenia is mine. Common now take this all from me, you dick-heads, skin-head!
Do you understand what I mean, Harut.

I sincerely hope you do. We have some little fascists in Armenia and that's a big victory. Arms will never be fascists. Remember this! Because there will be Armenians like me who will say to them "**** you! Armenia is for all"

[ June 03, 2001: Message edited by: naira ]

---

hello Naira

Ditto above , just replace the turk with armenian.

[nairakev]

Circassian,

Sorry, I don't get your point?

What do you want to say?

[Guest]

quote:

---

Originally posted by naira:
Circassian,
Sorry, I don't get your point?
What do you want to say?

---

I meant to say that in a global world the definition of the population which is based upon defensive nationalistic aspirations is bit old fashion.
Those who say armenian for armenians are exactly same of those who say turkey is only for turks.(most MHP supporters by the way)

that is what i am saying naira , thanks for asking.

[ June 03, 2001: Message edited by: circassian ]

[nairakev]

I'm flattered, circassian.
Actually, I think of asking you to invite me for your delicious culinary experimentations.
I'm so timide and fragile.
I cannot dare to do that first!

[Paul bunyan]

Naira, when you say that American~Armeniaphiles don't really care for Armenia what do you mean when you say that?

[nairakev]

Paul, American Armenophiles is the term that you used in one of your messages above. I was just refering to this term.

If I understood you correctly "Armenian Armenophiles" are supposed to be amercian armenians with strongly "stressed" ethnic identity or may be americans who sympathyse armenians and their motherland.

In Armenia actually you have got many so-called foreign (American as well) "armenophiles" who settle in Armenia for business interests. They often justify that presence by patrioti feelings.

Till now I didn't see many of them doing a big deal when it comes to patriotic feelings. Their only aim is business. And their religion is money. And I'm not against this catgeory of people. We need them. But Armenia is in a situation where the patriotic feelings should not be speculated. That's my conviction!

[Harut]

if they want multi-cultural Armenia then that means they already don't agree with "Armenia for Armenians" people.

[Harut]

Armenia as an Armenian state won't survive if minorities are more then, let's say, 20%. being "papuk yeres" and bad politicians Armenians won't keep the power in their hands.