SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Confronting Legacies of Displacement in the South Caucasus -Panel organised by Conciliation Resources

Abstract

The unravelling of multiethnic societies was a central feature of the disintegration of the Soviet Union. In the South Caucasus over one and a quarter million people were displaced as a result; the continued displacement of these people is a central aspect of the status quo and the unresolved nature of the region's conflicts. Over two decades since the onset of the conflicts and these mass movements of populations, the issue of displacement is slowly being transformed. With visions of comprehensive return processes receding, approaches to justice and reconciliation among displaced people and the communities where they formerly lived need to adjust. London-based peacebuilding organization Conciliation Resources has worked closely with displaced communities in the South Caucasus for over ten years.  At this event, Conciliation Resources' staff will present and discuss a series of findings from an opinion survey (Georgia) and research work (Armenia and Azerbaijan) addressing the needs and perspectives of those displaced by the Georgian-Abkhaz and Nagorny Karabakh conflicts.