UMCOR Armenia

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

12 January 2004

On a political scale, 2003 was an astonishingly turbulent year for the republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Over the course of the year, unprecedented political developments occurred in the three countries which comprise the South Caucasus region, including massive vote fraud, regime change, and major protest.

The three countries emerged from the Soviet Union as sovereign states and are faced with the challenges of the transition from authoritarian to democratic rule. All three are also recovering from large-scale displacement and economic impoverishment resulting from conflicts over the breakaway republics of Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia. While Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia shared 2003 as a year of distinctive elections, the results diverged dramatically.

The 2003 presidential elections in Armenia led to Robert Kocharian's second-term victory after two rounds of voting. The transparency and fairness of the elections were widely criticised, particularly by the OSCE, the US Government, and the European Council. The opposition rallied against the election results and demonstrated for several weeks. Although the elections have not contributed to a positive image of Armenia as a democratic country, it is believed that the re-election of Kocharian has to some extent guaranteed the country's stability. At the same time, critics of the president say that it seems unlikely Mr. Kocharian will be able to effectively run the country with the ruling party being forced to broker numerous deals with members of the mafia and obscure businessmen. Thus, Armenian politics remains stunted in the reform process and the transition to a market economy is marked by excessive control, limited dialogue and non-competitive behaviour interfering with the principles of good governance.

In neighboring Azerbaijan, attention in 2003 focused on ailing President Heidar Aliyev and his son Ilham. After being appointed Prime Minister by his father earlier in the year, Ilham Aliyev became President in October, in what many describe as the first dynastic succession in post-Soviet space, by taking nearly 80% of votes in an election that was widely characterised as fraudulent. Violent clashes between the police and opposition members who contested the results led to at least four deaths and hundreds of injuries, including at least 100 police officers. Large-scale arbitrary detention of opposition members and certain polling station officials followed. Azerbaijan was subsequently rocked once more by the death of former President Heidar Aliyev, who had been an integral part of Azerbaijan's political scene for nearly three decades.

To the North in Georgia, where Eduard Shevardnadze had held on to power for 12 years, the 2 November parliamentary elections were also marred by gross violations. After weeks of non-violent protests by opposition supporters, Shevardnadze agreed to step down as President in what is now being called 'the Rose Revolution'. He is the first leader among the former Soviet states to be ousted by popular protest. The Speaker of Parliament, Nino Burjanadze, immediately stepped in as the interim leader. On 4 January after new elections, Mikheil Saakashvili, who led the opposition protests, declared himself President.

UMCOR and Regional Civil Society Development

UMCOR has had a presence in the South Caucasus since 1993, supporting programs in a wide-array of sectors. Recognising the challenges in the consolidation of democracy in the region, UMCOR has actively promoted civil society development.

UMCOR Armenia, in collaboration with partner NGOs including the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), the American Bar Association, Republican Women Union, and "It's Your Choice" local NGO, organized educational events at the Students' Cafeteria/Club at a Yerevan University site. As part of the program, IFES conducted seminars on Constitutional Reforms, Parliamentary Elections, Proportional and Majority Election Systems, Presidential Administration and Presidential Elections, Local Government and Electoral Systems, the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, Rights and Responsibilities of Residents of Armenia and Civic Awareness and Participation. Booklets outlining these themes were distributed to each of the participants during the round table discussions.

Within the framework of the "Good Will, Good Deeds and Good End" volunteer movement program initiated by IFES, paintings were exhibited at the cafeteria. The American Bar Association also conducted a meeting on Human Rights and Armenia's membership in the Council of Europe. Lastly, in collaboration with the "It's Your Choice" local NGO, a round table was organized for the students on Election Code and Voter's Rights during which the students were very active.

In Azerbaijan, where displaced Meskhetian Turks, who originate from the region but were deported to Central Asia during the Stalin era, sought refuge from ethnic conflict, UMCOR has again actively promoted the development of civil society. With funding from the US Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM), UMCOR assisted Meskhetian communities in gaining a voice in Azerbaijani society through community development (establishing community groups, community committees, government collaboration through program interventions and proposal development and writing). UMCOR also assisted in the creation of six regional or district-wide, peer-training seminars for community members and/or local Municipal Leaders. Three awareness campaigns were also launched on each of the following topics: human rights and gender awareness, importance of acquiring birth certificates and the new Azerbaijani citizenship law.

Throughout its program, UMCOR aimed at effectively decentralising authority/power and promoting ownership at the community level by collaborating with community committees and local NGOs. The development of NGOs provided an overall structure and representation of Meskhetian Turks concerning issues of legality, protection, citizenship, access to educational training and other socio-economic related issues.

In neighboring Georgia, where years of war have created divisions between regions and social groups, UMCOR has focused on strengthening human relationships among youth by promoting and preparing future leaders for peace-time leadership. Youth Houses, where vulnerable youth gather for non-formal education and training, were formed and supported in their transition to locally sustainable entities. The programs have ranged from foreign language courses and media skills training to comprehensive preventive diplomacy training that focus on community interests, regional concerns and problem solving with an aim of developing leaders who practice cooperation rather than confrontation.

With their successful registration as independent local NGOs, the Tbilisi, Zugdidi and Sukhumi Youth Houses have since been implementing Young Leaders for Peace and Development Programs of the Academy for Educational Development (AED). The programs aim to build bridges of friendship and understanding among teenage war victims of the Georgian and Abkhaz conflict.

With financial support from the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, Tbilisi Youth House implemented the Women's Initiative and Empowerment project. The project assists IDP and local women through educational and vocational training to become more active, productive members of society. At the same time, the project provides intensive leadership training to women to enable them to play a wider role in the economic and political life of the country.

Members and young leaders of the Youth Houses take part in a variety of training run by UMCOR, other international organizations and local NGOs usually with themes such as development of the third sector, peace-building and conflict resolution.

With last year's political developments in the South Caucasus and the continued efforts at strengthening civil society, it is UMCOR's hope that peace will prevail in a region marked by years of conflict and poverty.

Text by Gregory Connor, Former Senior Program Officer for UMCOR Europe and Asia region.