25 Victims of Civil War identified, with deceased top state figures
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, October 12
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has released information over the people who went missing due to the 1992-1993 war in Abkhazia region, and the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, to inform the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The PM stressed the organization has done its utmost to identify the people who were considered as missing due to the conflicts.
The PM made the statement in response to recently identifying and transporting 25 bodies to Georgia from the country’s breakaway Abkhazia region.
Among those identified and returned to their families are top figures of 90s’ Georgia: Colonel of Georgia’s Security Mamia Alasania [father of ex-Defence Minister Irakli Alasania], Georgian hero Guram Gabeskiria, Deputy Heads of Council of Ministers of Abkhazia Arik Shengelaia and Vakhtang Gegelashvili.
“The people are heroes. They decided to fulfill their roles till the end of their lives and fight for Georgia’s independence,” Refugee Minister Sozar Subari said.
He stressed families did not have information over the identification until everything was made clear and there was no controversy.
Georgia’s Prime Minister stressed that more than 2,400 people have no information about their loved ones in the wake of the armed conflicts.
“Hundreds of families are still searching their loved ones for more than 20 years. Thus, I want to appeal to all who may have any information over these missing people, to share what they know with the International Committee of the Red Cross.
“The Organization has an office in Tbilisi, on Moseshvili 24, and they keep such information provided to them confidential,” Kvirikashvili stated.
The war in Abkhazia, where the separatists were backed by Russia and some nations from the North Caucasus left about 1,500 ethnic Georgians missing, up to 200 ethnic Abkhazians and about 100-ethnic Ossetians.
101 bodies have been identified and transported to Georgia over the course of last years.
35 Georgians and 6 Ossetians have been missing after the Russia – Georgia 2008 war, which involved Georgia, Russia and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
