Minority Rights Group International

The South Caucasus:

Nationalism, Conflict and Minorities

by Anna Matveeva

It is 10 years since the former Soviet Union Republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia became independent states of the South Caucasus. The history of these new states has been overshadowed by ethnic conflicts and, in the cases of Azerbaijan and Georgia, by civil strife and political turmoil.
One of the aims of this Report is to shed light on a region which is under-reported and little understood by outsiders. A second, perhaps even more important aim is to describe the conditions for majorities and minorities within the South Caucasus region, and encourage them to work together to overcome their differences and to build on what they have in common.
The Report, written by Anna Matveeva, gives an introduction to the area covering pre-Soviet history and the impact of Soviet rule. The history of the new states since 1991 is discussed in
detail, covering the conflicts that have led to the creation of the breakaway republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh.
The Report describes how the situation of the minorities in the region has been adversely affected by these conflicts, and how the worrying trend towards mono-ethnicism has been reinforced.
Governments are wary of recognizing any level of ethnic demands, while minorities do not trust the states to ensure their well-being.
The Report also covers the engagement by international organizations in the region, and ends with a set of recommendations aimed at promoting tolerance, confidence-building, and the
implementation of national and international human rights standards.
It will serve as an invaluable resource, both as an introduction to the region and its history, and as an up-to-date snapshot of the current state of affairs.

Full Text: SOUTH CAUCASUS: NATIONALISM, CONFLICT AND MINORITIES (pdf; 36 pages)