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Wednesday,
August 15,
2007, #155 (1422)
By Eter Tsotniashvili While Georgian rallied on the steps of parliament to commemorate an unsettled conflict, de facto president of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh used the 15th anniversary of the Abkhazian war's outbreak to state that a fundamental rift will always exist between Georgians and Abkhaz. "Abkhazian and Georgian people will never ever live together in one state," Bagapsh declared, adding that a resumption of hostilities in the future could not be ruled out. The conflict in Abkhazia began on August 14, 1992, when Georgian forces were dispatched to restore government control over the region, and ended with the defeat of the government forces just over a year later on September 30, 1993. Regaining control of the region has been a top government priority ever since. Georgian sources say over 10 000 Georgians died in the conflict, with 300 000 refugees forced out of the region. Abkhaz official figures put their losses at 3 500 dead and 2 000 wounded. Many of those Georgian internally displaced persons (IDPs) today face severe poverty in ad hoc accommodation throughout the country. Members of the Abkhazian government-in-exile, meanwhile, laid wreaths at Hero Memorial to honor those who died in the war. "As usual we came today to the memorial to commemorate the people who died in the Abkhazian war," government-in-exile member Temur Mjavia said. A church service was due to be held in the village of Chkhalta, in upper Kodori Gorge-the only part of Abkhazia today controlled by Tbilisi. After the ceremony, members of the government-in-exile were to walk the route from Sokhumi to Samegrelo through the Chuberi Pass, where hundreds of refugees were thought to have died as they fled the fighting on foot. Paata Davitaia, leader of the political movement Chven Tviton (We, Ourselves), arranged a rally outside parliament where Georgian IDPs gathered to reflect. "Today is the 15th anniversary of the beginning of a war where a lot of people died, Georgians as well as Abkhazians…We will demonstrate our opposition to separatism and, on the other hand, we will show the whole world that Georgian people are united and all of them remember our Abkhazia," Davitaia told the Messenger. Opposition politicians were also at the rally, where some took the opportunity to criticize the ruling administration's policies. Jondi Baghaturia, leader of the political movement Georgian Troupe, declared that it will take a new Georgian government to resolve the frozen conflict. "Only a free, strong and independent nation will return lost territories," he told the Messenger. Some refugees agreed. Many are frustrated at having no homes or work so many years after the conflict. "We elected this president. 90 percent of us stood here and supported him, but what is the result? He has not done anything for us. Saakashvili is not worthy of being our president," IDP Soso Tkebuchava said. 92-year-old Vano Gobnelishvili fought at the Battle of Stalingrad, and stood outside parliament yesterday to again support his country. "I came here to express my love for my Georgia. I fought in Stalingrad, but I guess I have to struggle here. I don't like the way of politics our government has chosen. My homeland is at the edge of death and I want to restore my Georgia. English and American people are killing my country. They want Georgia to disappear," he told the Messenger. Gobnelishvili vowed to keep speaking out. "I'm saying what I think, I'm not afraid of anything. I was wounded for six times and even if they shoot me a seventh time, I won't betray my country," he says. But most of those
who gathered yesterday hoped there would be no more shooting in an unresolved
and tragic war. |
Anniversary
of war a day of remembrance, reminder of challenges ahead
