There is an old saying in Armenian “Mi tnits chenk, baits mi hali enk” - Not from the same home, but have the same burden. This is what comes to mind while reading about the Lezgin People. Probably most significant ancient connections of Armenian and Lezgian nations is evident from researching core of Lezgian language. Udi language belongs to the Lezgian branch of the autochthonous East Caucasian language family. Within the Lezgian branch, Udi occupies a so-called marginal position reflecting the fact that historically speaking the language separated from the Lezgian known as Utink in Classical Armenian. Udi is famous for the assumption that it represents the youngest reflex of the language of the ancient kingdom of Albania (rather Alwan) that existed as a more or less independent mode in what now is Northern Azerbaijan from the 3rd to the 9thcentury AD. This Christian kingdom was temporarily subjected to the rule of the Armenian kingdom which also represented the major cultural influence on Lezgian culture. According to the Armenian ‘History of Alwan’ by Movses Daskhurantsi, the famous inventor of the Armenian script Mesrob Mashtots (362-440) is thought to have developed a script for one of the languages of Alwan. This script seems to be used in the inscription of Mingechaur as well as in some other minor inscriptions. Some palimpsests recently discovered at Mt. Sinai (also see Aleksidze& Mahé 1997) show this ‘Albanian’ script, too, which is often related to the Udi language. The Lezgins inhabit a compact territory that straddles the border area of southern Daghestan and northern Azerbaijan. It lies for the most part, in the southeastern portion of Daghestan and contiguous northeastern Azerbaijan. Briefly looking at the Lezgian History it is impossible not to find parallels with our Armenian history and hardships. In the 4th century BC, the numerous tribes speaking Lezgic languages united in an union of 26 tribes, formed in the Eastern Caucasus state of Caucasian Albania, which itself was incorporated in the Persian Achaemenid Empire in 513 BCE. In 252-253, rule over the Lezgic tribes changed from Parthian rule to Sassanid Persian rule. Although Lezgins were first introduced to Islam perhaps as early as the 8th century, the Lezgins remained primarily animist until the 15th century, At the beginning of the 18th century in eastern Transcaucasia there were anti-Persian uprising by the Lezgins and other peoples of Dagestan following the same decline of the Safavids. Under the leadership of Haji Dawood Myushkyurskogo (r. 1721–1728) In the vast territory of Shirvan they created the Lezgin State Khanate with its capital in Shemakha. From 1813 onwards, the Russians took over following the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813) but permanently after the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828), forcing Persia to cede most of its territories in the North Caucasus and South Caucasus, thus making all Lezgins fall under nominal Russian rule. They created the Kiurin Khanate, later to become the Kiurin district. Many Lezgins in Dagestan, however, participated in the Great Caucasian War and fought against the Russians alongside the Avar Imam Shamil, who for 25 years (1834–1859) defied Russian rule. It was not until after his defeat in 1859 that the Russians consolidated their rule over Dagestan and the Lezgins. In 1930, Sheikh Mohammed Effendi Shtulskim organized an uprising against Soviet rule, which was suppressed after several months. In the 20th century, attempts were made to create a republic Lezgistan (independent or as autonomous region) In 1992 a Lezgin organization named Sadval was established to promote Lezgin rights. Sadval campaigned for the redrawing of the Russian–Azerbaijani border to allow for the creation of a single Lezgin state encompassing areas in Russia and Azerbaijan where Lezgins were compactly settled. Lezgins traditionally suffered from unemployment and a shortage of land. Resentments were fuelled in 1992 by the resettlement of 105,000 Azeri refugees from the Karabakh conflict on Lezgin lands and by the forced conscription of Lezgins to fight in the conflict. This contributed to an increase in tensions between the Lezgin community and the Azeri government over issues of land, employment, language and the absence of internal autonomy. The high tide of Lezgin mobilization in Azerbaijan appeared to have passed towards the end of the 1990s. Sadval was banned by the Azerbaijani authorities after official allegations that it was involved in a bombing of the Baku underground. Lezgin is taught as a foreign language in areas where many Lezgins are settled, but teaching resources are scarce. Lezgin textbooks come from Russia and are not adapted to local conditions. Although Lezgin newspapers are available, Lezgins have also expressed concern over the disappearance of their rich oral tradition. The only Lezgin television broadcasting available in Azerbaijan is that received over the border from Russia. In March 2006 Azerbaijani media reported that Sadval had formed an underground terrorist unit carrying out operations in Dagestan. Security forces across the border in Dagestan in Russia, responded skeptically to these reports. Just as in our case Azerbaijan is using its dominance over the Lezgian nation to steal the reach native history and cultural heritage and fornicating Azerbaijani history and culture on the expense of Lezgin nation. Just like in our case with Artsakh, Lezgian people are desperate to relinquish the Azeri rule in their ancient homeland and crate independent country to be able to save reach history and culture of their forefathers. Reaching to our friend nation of Lezgis, we understand your straggle and cry for freedom, we have been around in many thousands years, we survived next to each other; yes we share your burden. ARAM TER MARTIROSYAN GEOPOLITICAL CLUB LOS ANGELES - See more at: lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/politics/view/33341#sthash.7zRlp8uQ.Me2ghO5P.dpuf
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 20:53:22 +0000
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