“Tell us who we are?! Aren’t we human beings?!” – State the Ossetian Residents of Tvaurebi

Mariam Imerlishvili

The population of the village Tvaurebi of Kaspi region lives under the severe circumstances. The population suffers from the absence of gas supply, bad auto roads and most importantly – lack of water. The village is inhabited by the ethnical Ossetians and is situated near the border of occupied Akhalgori region where there is a Russian post beyond.

Since 2008 August war, the occupants have cut the water supply to the village. Before the war, the settlement received water from Ksani irrigation channel, the village Akhmaji which is occupied by Russia right now.

The Georgian side also refused to provide water for the village Tvaurebi. According to them, the Minister of Agriculture promised to help them when he visited the village. The residents think that his visit had a political lining.

“We are mistreated because we are Osettians. This government does not include us neither among Russians nor Georgians. Tell us who we are?! Aren’t we human beings?! Why nobody tries to help us?” – noted Zoia Tvauri with Human Rights Center.

The water construction works are underway in the village territory right now. Almost all villages of Kaspi region must be supplied by Ksani irrigation channel except for the village Tvaurebi. The residents are unhappy with this decision. They are requesting to change the project according to which the construction works are underway and add the water supply system of their village to the project.

The locals held a protest rally and halted the construction works for several hours. The Kaspi police who visited the action dispersed the demonstrators and assaulted them verbally and physically.

“Police was being insultive – they were swearing on us. The young person who tried to resist was physically assaulted. What can you tell such a police?! I can name them exactly: the head of Kaspi police Barnov, the head of Igoeti police Korkotashvili and Zaalishvili Lado who was particularly insultive to the women,” – recalled Lamzira Tvauri.

The pipes which are being constructed in the village territory destroyed lands of several residents. Initially, they were promised compensations for the deserved land, but then they were refused to.

“If they are not giving water from these pipes, then why are they constructing them in our gardens and are not paying anything for it?!” – This is the reaction of the village residents towards the works underway in the village.

The locals use the well water as a drinking water. There are just three wells in the village. They have no water for irrigation.

The residents addressed the Governor of Kaspi Kakhaber Khachirashvili but he did not even show interests towards the existing problems. They also addressed the Governor of Lamiskana Temur Gogiashvili. However, they did not receive answer from him either. It seems like nobody is really interested in the problems of Tvaurebi.

Human Rights Center contacted the Governor of the village Lamiskana who took off the responsibility and stated that he is not a competent individual in this issue.