Describes the history and current problems of the Meskhetian Turks, who were deported to Central Asia during World War II and are the last of 8 deported peoples in the former Soviet Union for whom rehabilitation and resettlement remains unresolved. Researchers and social scientists get information about: (1) the disputed origin of the Meskhetian Turks and their history of forced migration; (2) the limitations of existing research; (3) the Meskhetian Turks’ current demographic and sociopolitical situation in the republics of the former Soviet Union, including Georgia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as in Turkey; (4) the efforts of local advocacy organizations in promoting repatriation, tolerance, and political rights; (5) international inattention to the plight of involuntarily displaced people; (6) the Hague and Vienna meetings of 1998 and 1999, which focused on issues relating to rehabilitation and repatriation of the Meskhetian Turks; and (7) the role of international actors, and the republic of Georgia in particular, in finding a durable solution to the issue of repatriation. Further research is necessary to understand how Meskhetian Turks’ notions of identity, homeland, and security can contribute to a meaningful solution to the challenges confronting this ethnic population.
