Landless Peasants Oppose 'British Petroleum'

The argument between the village of Naokhrebi and the Pipeline Company of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyan has not been resolved for three years now. During this time, peasants who live in poor conditions have received neither money nor their crops from the land.

"We demand compensation.  We cannot take this anymore. Everybody deceives us," complained Naokhrebi residents. People have held several demonstrations in front of the Akhaltsikhe Regional Administrative Building with these demands.

Since March 2003, the people in the village of Naokhrebi have had an intensive argument with the Georgian Branch of the 'BP' Company in the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyan Pipeline.

"I earned my living from my plot. Then, BP purchased it, and we are left without land to cultivate. If they have really bought our plots, then let them pay us. They should not argue with us about our own property," said Serof Nazaretiani from the village of Naokhrebi.

"I had thirteen acres of land. Then, Ceyan Pipeline was built across my plot, and they promised to pay me money. We have been waiting three years, and they made us go on strike. Now, we are appealing to courts and demanding our money. However, nobody is paying attention to us," said Oganes Pilosiani.

People from the village of Naokhrebi are official owners of the land under Georgian Reform Law on Agricultural property, Articles 3, 4, 5. A village meeting decided the initial registration of the land and its uses. There have also been decisions and court hearings that resulted in the registration of the land to the peasants. On the basis of Georgian Civil Code, Article 183, state, local government and self-governmental bodies, as well as Land Management Department and courts recognized peasants' rights to the land.

"The argument between the village of Naokhrebi and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyan Pipeline Company has lasted a long time. Since the time the petroleum company became interested in the plots owned by local people, it seized the land without any legal basis and still possesses it. This territory belongs to the peasants living in the village of Naokhrebi according to the documents issued by the Public Registration Department. The people have the decisions of six or seven courts," said lawyer Avtandil Teliashvili.

Despite the legal right of the people to compensation, the company still does not reimburse them.

"Initially, officers of the Public Relations Department of the company were involved in the argument. While they were constructing the pipeline in the people's plots, they treated people well. As soon as the construction was finished, they changed their attitude. They refused to abide by the court decision and to compensate plot owners," said Avtandil Teliashvili.

Officials from BP Company's Public Relations Office have never contacted local media despite being in the business of media relations. Locals have also made statements to the media about their inattentive and poor treatment by BP.

There is a feeling in the village that the funds for compensating plots owners have been misappropriated. The majority of the village of Naokhrebi is Armenian. This is the reason, the people believe their rights are being violated. However, the majority Georgian population of Vali has a similar problem.

When an interview was sought, the doors to the BP Company's Public Relation's Department were locked. "It has been closed since October 20," said people standing nearby.

Gulo Kokhodze, Akhaltsikhe