Illegal borderization continues as occupation forces erect new barbed wire fences in Atotsi village
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, October 21
On October 19, the State Security Services of Georgia (SSS) published a special statement saying that the occupation forces continued the illegal process of borderization in the Atotsi village, Kareli Municipality. According to the agency, the hotline was activated and the EUMM representatives were also informed.
"The Russian occupation forces continue their provocative actions along the occupation line. Currently, they are conducting an illegal process of borderization in the village of Atotsi in Kareli municipality, which significantly damages the security environment on the ground," reads the statement of the agency.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (MFA) also condemns the continuous process of erection of barbed wire fences and artificial barriers along the occupation line in the village.
According to the MFA, the above actions of the occupation forces represent a deliberate provocation that aims at destabilizing the situation in the country. This illegal attempt of escalating the situation further deteriorates already difficult security and human rights situations on the ground, restricts freedom of movement and access of the local population to the agricultural lands.
MFA calls upon the Russian Federation to immediately cease its destructive actions, allow freedom of movement of the local population and fulfill the undertaken international commitments, particularly the EU-mediated 12 august 2008 Ceasefire Agreement.
As the statement reads, MFA informed its international partners regarding the illegal developments in the village of Atotsi. The phone conversation with the Co-Chairs of the Geneva International Discussions took place. The Georgian side appealed to them to take all necessary measures to avoid the provocations on the ground.
According to Vakhtang Gomelauri, the Minister of Internal Affairs, there is no danger of escalation in the village of Atotsi and the Georgian side is in full control of the situation.
According to him, journalists were not allowed on the territory due to their safety. Several reporters tried to go near the occupation line but were stopped by the police. The reporters were allowed to visit the territory yesterday.
According to the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia, together with the international community, everything is being done to "keep our citizens safe on their land."
“Of course, with the full support of our international community, we will do our utmost to safeguard the right of every citizen to live on their land. Again, I emphasize that today, the state is in full sync with our international partners, taking all necessary steps to ensure that our citizens continue to live in peace,” noted PM while visiting Gori, where he was meeting with the school teachers.
Also, yesterday the representatives of the EU Monitoring Mission arrived in the village of Atotsi to get to know the situation on the ground.
As one of the locals of the village told to the IPN, “there is a different situation in the village. We turn on the TV and it’s hard to understand if they are talking about Atotsi at all.”
According to the villagers, living on the occupation line is quite difficult, but they do not see the danger of thinking about leaving the village.
According to the Kareli municipality representative, residents whose lands are close to the occupation line will be able to cultivate the land and harvest it safely, with the help of the police.
The illegal process of borderization represents a huge problem for those living near the so-called border. After the war of 2008, Georgian and Russian authorities signed a six-point ceasefire agreement. As the agreement mandates, Russian armed forces should have been “pulled back on the line, preceding the start of hostilities.” But even after 11 years since the war, occupation forces continue the process of so-called borderization. The process managed to swallow numerous villages and left people without their homes.
