Controversy between Youth from Matani and Pankisi

Mikheil Mamalashvili, Kakheti

On August 18, an incident occurred between Kist and Georgian young people in Duisi village, Pankisi Gorge. Witnesses said the quarrel started in Duisi and then continued in Matani. Locals claim a group of young people from Matani quarreled with the residents of Duisi village in Pankisi Gorge.

Matani residents clarified that similar incidents often occur and they have problems when traveling to Pankisi Gorge.

“How can it happen that people are stopped on their homeland, are beaten to death and nobody is punished for that. They had gone to entertain on Tbatanoba. On their way back they were listening loud music in the cars and Kists did not like that - started quarrelling,” Tamriko Asatashvili from Matani said.

Duisi residents described the incident in different way. Jabrail Khangoshvili said Matani residents were drunk and insulted their religion and mosque. “Our young people could not stand the insult and beat them. Similar incidents often occur; when they get drunk, come here and insult us. It is not true that somebody forbids them to come to Pankisi.”

“Pankisi gorge population is not aggressive against anybody. No other region of Georgia has similar order in its territory like we have in Pankisi. If they want to be provoked by certain people, it will have very negative finish. We live in one country and should not oppose each other,” Omar Tsutsashvili from Duisi said.

Matani village population got astonished with the incident and protested it. They blocked the road to Pankisi Gorge, stopped cars driving to the Gorge and having found ethnic Kist men in it, they physically and verbally abused them.

Law enforcement officers managed to neutralize the situation.

With regard to this incident, Minister of Interior Irakli Garibashvili met Duisi village elders in the Kakheti region main department. Having left the meeting, the elders said the incident was resolved and MIA does its best to reconcile the confronted parties.

On August 20, near Matani village, representatives of the confronted parties met each other together with the chairman of Akhmeta municipal board Zakaria Kinkladze and agreed that some events shall be organized to bring Kist and Georgian youth together.

“This conflict originated from some problem. Both parties shall start thinking of reconciliation of young people,” Zakaria Kinkladze said.

“We should take more efforts, more responsibilities to make young people friends and instill love and mutual understanding in them,” said Imam of Jokolo village Ayup Borchashvili.