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Lives of Eco-migrants Under Threat

May 3, 2011

Nino Tsagareishvili

According to official data, 35 204 families are registered in Georgia as the sufferers of natural disasters, 11 thousands out of which need urgent evacuation. The severity and the large-scale nature of this problem necessitate the need of establishing the common, complex state strategy.

Georgian legislation does not regulate the problems of eco-migration. The evacuations and compensations are taking place chaotically. There is no normative act that defines the term eco-migrant and the subsequent social guarantees. Consequently, the eco-migrants are declined of status and the relevant judiciary mechanisms of protection.

The village Mleta of Dusheti Region is a life threatening zone. As a result of abundant rain on April 24th of last year the river Aragvi flooded over 15 houses. The first floors of houses are standing in the river-bed. The landslide from the Lomisi Mountain also creates life threatening risks.

A year ago, the member of Dusheti region local government stated to Rustavi 2: “We studied the situation. It is impossible to live here. We will give alternative lands and compensations to these families.”

However, during a year, these families have not even received the social assistance, not to talk about the compensation and alternative lands; the houses left without the first floor did not meet the established criteria. The only person who independently evacuated from the village is Gaga Gagadze.

Tsisana Nazghaidze’s house does not have a first floor – the flooded river filled it up with the stones and rock. Her family lives on the second floor now.

“When the weather is bad, we take turns sleeping. We call our neighbors and tell them that we are going to sleep and they watch us. When they sleep, we watch them…” – states Tsisana Nazghaidze.

“We are asking for help, evacuation or compensation… We live in severe conditions,” – states Vazha Gagadze.

Rezo Getiashvili, the project coordinator of Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN): “The lives of people in Mleta are under serious threat. The situation here especially severed as a result of natural disaster last year on April 24th. These people need urgent evacuation. With the increase of temperature, the risk that the same will happen this year increases. The river may flood again and destroy the population.”

The assistant of Kvesheti community procurator Ioseb Zarkaidze met with the media representatives in the village Mleta: “We gave information to every relevant organ. The Ministry of Regional Development will solve this issue.”

The village Sharakhevi of Tianeti Region is also in the risk zone. Last year, in September the landslide separated the village from the regional center. The natural disaster destroyed the house of Lela Likokeli. She lives in her brother’s house now.

“They promised to help, but did nothing. They just brought the wood. This is it. The natural disaster destroyed the crofts, cattle and subsidiary buildings. The kind neighbors helped us. They offered us the abandoned house of our neighbor as a temporary shelter. Two families moved independently,” – states Lela Likokeli.

The house of Davit Shaverdashvili survived the landslide. However, his subsidiary buildings were destroyed: “There is no road in the village. They made the sidetrack which goes through the valley. It is hard for the car to go through it. About 4-5 months ago the local government representatives came and promised to help. But they have not done anything. They just brought some wood.”

The people who were evacuated from the life threatening zones in the past also live in severe conditions.
At the border of Georgia-Azerbaijan, in the village of Erisimedi of Sighnaghi region (which is basically inhabited by families evacuated from the dangerous zones of Adjara region) there is a deficit of drinking water. The roads are problematic. People bring water from the water spring at the entrance of the village. The border with Azerbaijan needs to be strengthened.

Salman Kavtarashvili who looked for the lost cattle and crossed the Azerbaijani border, was imprisoned for 9 months for illegal crossing of border. Guram Geladze lost 20 herds this way.

We visited these villages in the frameworks of the press tour organized by CENN. The Civil Coalition on Migration Issues participated in the press tour. The goal of the press tour was to see and cover the problems of the population suffered by the natural disaster. The coalition unites seven NGOs. It requests changes in the legislation concerning the eco-migrants.

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