Vice Premier of South Ossetia gives a lecture in homeland history

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In response to South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity’s statement that he was going to claim South Ossetia’s recognition as part of Russia at the Russian Constitutional Court on the basis of “historical documents,” particularly, “on the accession of united Ossetia into the Russian Empire in 1774,” Georgian Deputy State Minister for Conflict Settlement Georgy Volsky says: “What ‘united Ossetia,’ existing in 1774, is he talking about?” “As you may know there was no such geographic area as ‘Ossetia’ in the territory of then Georgia, including the territory of present-day South Ossetia.”

Commenting on Volsky’s statement is Vice Premier of South Ossetia, South Ossetian Co-Chair of the JCC Boris Chochiyev. REGNUM gives the full text of his response to Volsky:

"It was not we who first spoke about history, but if our opponents wish to delve into history, we’ll help them. “The people should know the history of its past social life… of course, the true history, with no falsity and exaggeration.” These words started preamble of “The History of Georgia” by Ivane Javakhishvili — the Soviet-time textbook of many scientists, public figures and statesmen and also of many present-day Georgian leaders.

Perhaps, as non-Georgians, you Mr. Volsky and I don’t know the whole true history of Georgia, but we can avail ourselves of the works by noted Georgian historians and scientists. In his geography text-book “Description of Homeland” (1917) outstanding Georgian scientist S. Robakidze says: “Though Ossetia is not truly a part of Georgia, it is so close to our country that to know it will be useful for us. This country is situated in the middle of the Caucasian Range between Khevsuretia and Svanetia. One part of it lies on the northern slopes of the Caucasian Range, the other – on the southern slopes of the same range. That Ossetia is called Northern, this one – Southern Ossetia.” Prominent teacher and public figure Jakob Gogebashvili says the same in his well-known text-book “Bunebis Kari” (Gates of Nature).

While now, trying to show to the world community that they are the only principal nation in the territory of the former Georgian SSR, the Georgians say that all the other residents of this multinational land are guests, “aliens” (but from what planet?!). Either they did badly at school, or they are showing symptoms of dotage, and the transatlantic air has stupefied them so much that they have forgotten everything they learned at school and, probably, need a simple lecture in the history of their own country. How can they elevate their own nation and humiliate another one just because they don’t know its history? They better look through the pages of their own history outside school curricula and open fundamental works and originals by many prominent Georgian historians to see “…the hoary antiquity that – whatever happens – will stay exceptionally interesting for the generations to come because it is the basis of the whole following civilization.” (F. Engels. Anti-Duering).

After a long study of the origin of the Georgian nation Javakhishvili says: “It’s especially hard for one to study the Georgians as the Caucasus is not their cradle and their cultural relics are elsewhere. But until this deficiency is filled, he will have to be content with the deficient facts.” (Javakhishvili “History of Nainian People,” vol. 1, Tbilisi, Sil. Tavartkiladze, 1928, page 5). Concerning the origin of their people, Javakhishvili and other Georgian historians say: “…Since the ancient times Georgians have called themselves Kartvelis and their country Sakartvelo.

The word ‘kartveli’ comes from ‘Kardu,’ the name of the country that was the first home of the Georgian tribes. In history, that country is known as Chaldea. Meskhi, Tubali and Kaski, or Kolkhi were the first Georgian tribes the Assyrian cuneiform inscriptions mention as living in Chaldea, Mesopotamia and Asia Minor. Their neighbor was the Assyrian Kingdom. From VI to II BC Turbo-Meskhi-Kolkhi fought with Assyrians to later leave Asia Minor to settle down in the South Caucasus.” (BSE, 1930, page 550, authors Javakhishvili, Makharadze, Kakabadze, Khundadze).

Continuing this subject, I would like to quote the prominent Georgian scientist, philosopher, doctor of historical sciences, Professor Geronty Kikodze: “…We have not found out to date who we are and where we are from. We have no kindred nations. We don’t know where our destiny is guiding us. True, they say we once lived on the banks of Tigris and Euphrates, but our neighbors did not like us and did not let us live, in fact, they hated us. We did not know where to go. We spent our days in solitude – like if we had come down from the sky. Our language is different, our mentality, our character are different, we have our own peculiarities, our traditions. True, we were expelled from our lands by our neighbors, they left as homeless, while Alans pitied us and gave us shelter, they gave us land and love, they taught us how to fight, they gave us their culture, their habits, they protected us from our enemies.” (Geronty Kikodze, Sakartvelo daily, 1917)

As regards Ossetians, their history goes back to the very ancient times, to the epoch of Scythians, Sarmatians and Alans, whom the world renowned scientists (Miller, Shegren, Schiffner, Abayev) recognize as our ancestors. It is known that Ossetia’s highlands – in both north and south – are rich in ancient sites, including Koban and Tli, big sepulchers that were explored for many years by the world renowned historian, Professor Tekhov. Tekhov compares the finds from both sepulchers (tools, funeral rites) and infers that they are identical.

“The ancestors of Ossetians – Scythians and Sarmatians, and their pre-ancestors – Indo-Iranians, lived everywhere, including South Ossetia, as log ago as 2^nd millennium BC.” (“Archeological Discoveries,” 1986, Moscow, page 451). Georgian scientists too say that Ossetians are an ancient people, but give later dates: “…A great number of Scythians settled down in the South Caucasus in VII BC. They were the far ancestors of Ossetians.” (Melikishvili. “The History of Ancient Georgia,” Tbilisi, page 22). In “The Essays About the History of the USSR” (vol. 1, Moscow, 1963, page 425), the author tries to prove that Scythians and Sarmatians led a settled life in the South Caucasus at that times by quoting Strabon: “Here, by saying Scythians and Sarmatians we mean a whole number of Northern Caucasian tribes that were a majority in inner Kartli before Iberians came…” Since then Georgians and Ossetians have gone through different times, they lived side by side, had their territorial borders and state units.

“Though Ossetia is not truly part of Georgia, it is so close to our country that to know it will be good for us. This country is situated in the middle of the Caucasian Range between Khevsuretia and Svanetia. One part of it lies on the northern slopes of the Caucasian Range, the other – on the southern slopes of the same range. That Ossetia is called Northern, this one – Southern Ossetia,” prominent Georgian scientist S. Robakidze says in his geography text-book “Description of Homeland” (1917). Prominent teacher and public figure Jakob Gogebashvili says the same in his well-known text-book “Bunebis Kari” (Gates of Nature).

One can’t but remember the words of well-known Georgian scientist Z. Chichinadze: “…We should remember that Georgians and Ossetians have been good neighbors since the very ancient times. Their brotherly ties were so strong that the very name of Tskheta (Mtskheta) – a town called ‘New Jerusalem’ during the rule of Mirian – comes from Ossetian ‘tsikhagta’ – Tskheta (neighbors).” (Chichinadze. “The History of Ossetians as Told by Georgian Sources,” page 72-73). Since then the two nations have jointly fought and defeated external enemies. One example is the three golden centuries of the Georgian history. “Ovsta jarta lashkarta dakhmarebita daimkvidra takhti mele Parnaozma” (King Farnaoz mounted the throne with the support of the Alanian troops) – says Kartlis Tsovreba (Life of Kartli). “And that Farnavaz was the first king of Kartli from the Kartlos family.” (Leonty Mroveli, Georgian historian of XI). No single big battle ever since has been won by Georgian kings without “Ovses” (Alan-Ossetians). The best known Didgori battle (1121) was won by David the Builder, whose constructive activities were continued by his grand-daughter Queen Tamara. Everybody knows that her husband was Ossetian prince David-Soslan, who played a great role in the building of the Georgian statehood. It was due to his great talent of commander that the Georgians won the Shamkhor (1195) and Basian (1203) battles against the Turkish conquerors. It was exactly under the rule of Queen Tamara and David-Soslan that Georgia grew as big and populated as it was never again in the following centuries.

That’s what Georgian bright spirits say, Dear Mr. Volsky, and they – Georgians – knew their history better than you and I – non-Georgians – do, they loved Georgia more than we do, and they could not even imagine a time when their homeland would try to conquer other’s land and take away other’s liberty. The political platform of people like you, Mr. Volsky, is the false, absurd thesis about “200-year occupation of Georgia by Russia.” Let’s look what honest and competent Georgian – not Ossetian, Russian or Soviet – historians say about that. Let’s remember the “long night” Georgia had under the Mongol-Tartar yoke, following the campaign of Jalal-ud-Din in 1220.

“Jalal-ud-Din ordered to put an icon of the Virgin flat on the Metekhi bridge, to drive a crowd of people there and to tell them to pass the bridge. Whoever trod on the icon was beheaded and thrown into the river,” says a historian. Having just rid themselves of the Mongol-Tartars in 1407 — on condition they would pay tribute and provide military support to them — the Georgians faced new strong enemies – Ottoman Turks. All their attempts to restore their statehood in XIII-XVIII failed because of the treachery of tavadis (princes) (one example is Shidiman Baratashvili from A. Antonovsky’s book “Great Mouravi”). During the times of feudal breakdown, which some Georgian historians call “shadimnoba,” the country and its people faced a real threat of annihilation.

The first “rays of light in the kingdom of darkness” flashed during the rule of the king of Kartli and Kakhetia Irakly II, who gave his people normal life — but for a short time. Routed by Iranian Shah Aga Mohammad Khan at Krtsanisi in 1795, Irakly was saved by 300 Ossetians from Aragvi gorge. “In the Ananur fortress, ashamed and disgraced, he hid his face in a sheepskin from his people and kept sending heralds to Russia, to Ekaterina II, imploring her to save Georgia by taking the country under her protection.” And in 1801 the dying Georgy XII, the last king of Georgia, signed a treaty on Georgia’s accession into Russia. His princes told him: “You are ruining us.” But he said: “You are right. But I am a Christian. When I appear before God, what will I tell him? In what Muslim slough did I leave my people? We are an Orthodox people. Christianity unites us with Russia.” And the sun rose for Georgia from the “north” (but not under Shevardnadze), the people breathed again, straightened itself, threw off its rags, put on the cap. The people gave birth to such great enlighteners like Iliya Chavchavadze, Akaky Tsereteli, Ivane Machabeli, Vazha Pshavela, whom the people calls “terkdaleulni” (those having drunk water from the river Terek). They all got their brilliant education in Russia. True, today there is another term “okeanedaleulni” (those having drunk water from the ocean): those who prefer destroying or selling the centuries-old cultural legacy to creating one, who are begging alms from their transatlantic bosses and are living like tavadis (but for how long?). Today they are more like capricious brides – they will marry whoever gives more.

In the time of hardship Georgia voluntarily joined Russia. The accession into the Soviet Union was also the will of ordinary people, though presently some latter-day “patriots” claim it was “an annexation,” with the Georgian president comparing the 200-year Russian presence with the Mongol-Tartar yoke and even claiming compensation. They better present a bill to Turkey for its 300-year rule in Ajaria and claim back the territories belonging to Georgia at the times of Queen Tamara. But no — they prefer opening borders with their “historical well-wisher, friend and savior” – Turkey, and selling themselves into bloodless slavery – and also removing from text-books the names of Queen Ketevan Tsamebuli, Shalva Akhaltsikheli, Tsotne Dadiani, Georgy Saakadze and many other real patriots.

After the breakdown of the Soviet Union, Georgia plunged itself into new historically recurring severe hardships. Having deprived its people of the material welfare and moral and spiritual values of the Soviet times, that country offered nothing instead but poverty, economic collapse, enriched adventurers, disastrous demographic situation and — ethnic conflicts entailing numerous calamities for once brotherly nations. Having lost everything human, Georgia took up arms against historically loyal Ossetians, under the Fascist slogan “Georgia for Georgians!” But what for? Georgians and Ossetians have always been in close relationship – before 1989 their bio-ethnic (mixed) marriage rate was as high as 30%. But having forgotten that, the latter-day rulers of the destiny of the Georgian people whipped up an anti-Ossetian hysteria and propaganda that broke into an armed aggression in 1989-1992. As a result, the innocent long-suffering Ossetian people suffered new losses: thousands of killed, wounded, and missing people, 117 burned down villages in South Ossetia, dozens of destroyed Ossetian villages in Georgia and enormous material damages. Who will answer for all that? Who will make them answer? Where does xenophobia start? Why should national consciousness be based on hatred for another nation?