Preserving their native language, and accordingly, their distinct culture, has been
an acute problem for Meskhetian Turks over the past two decades. After the
collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent geopolitical changes, communities of
Meskhetian Turks now live in 9 different countries of the world with different
socio-political conditions, different state languages, and different approaches in
education systems. The lack of an opportunity to receive education in one’s native
language and to study one's native language is observed in the majority of
countries where Meskhetian Turks live, which inevitably contributes to the
development of assimilation processes.
Let me remind you that Meskhetian Turks are an indigenous people of the southern
regions of Georgia, who were subjected to forced deportations under the Stalin
regime during the Second World War to the republics of Central Asia. Now, after
75 years, they have no basic human right to return to their historical regions of
residence.
The artificial obstacles put in place by the official authorities of Georgia regarding
the return of the population deported from its territory, in addition to the practically
failed repatriation process and, accordingly, the failure to fulfill obligations
undertaken, are also manifested in the field of education. The very small number of
Meskhetian Turks who managed to return to Georgia in recent years, through what
is called “their own way”, are faced with the problem of obtaining full secondary
and higher education in the state educational institutions of the country due to their
lack of legalized status. Children who have arrived for permanent residence in
Georgia cannot continue their education after the 9th grade of secondary school, as
their parents are not permitted to legalize their status in the country and obtain a
residence permit, let alone Georgian citizenship. Thus, education for these children
ends at the primary level, which apart from, of course, violating the provisions of
the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (Article 26), the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 13), the Convention on