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IDPs Shivering Under Polyethylene in Zugdidi District

May 30, 2008

Nana Pazhava, Zugdidi

IDPs compactly settled in the village of Rukhi in Zugdidi district, are only five kilometers away from their homeland. It has been fifteen years already for IDPs from the Chuburkhinji district – they have been residing in two-storied building of former department store. All this time rain is leaking from their roof. Living in the damp room where windows do not have glasses is getting unbearable. During rain the inhabitants of the building hide under the polyethylene sheeting. Political hope appears not to be an option, as the government could not find time for them before elections either. The IDPs have applied to various institutions with the request to cover their shelter with some kind of permanent roof.

     

Two narrow and dark rooms, polyethylene stretched on window-frames, broken and damp floor, damp concrete walls’ there is but one table, several plates and some glasses, two chairs and three iron framed beds-this is all what a family with seven members have as their life processions.

The Chedias scarcely survives on a meager income. The only durable good that they have been able to purchase in the last fifteen years is a Turkish oven and they are at least able to bake their bread.

   

Ia Chedia: “Main food for my family consist of bread but it is becoming very difficult to obtain wheat flour for making bread. Sometimes we buy it in the village shop on credit sometimes in the market in Zugdidi. We do not have any land to grow corn or crops and we are dreaming of Ghomi (national Megrelian food made of corn wheat). My children have not drunk tea or tasted sweets for such a long time. Sometimes we do not have even a piece of bread at home to eat.”

Only four out of ten residing in the former building of the department store were able to endure the cold of winter. The rest of them were able to find sheltered with their relatives over the winter. Chedias and Gogokhias survived the winter with twigs and sticks gathered in the forest. However, this was still not enough to adequately keep their rooms warm.

Ia Chedia:  “How could we warm the rooms where the windows are only covered with polyethylene? Water of snow and rain leaked in the house and we were catching it with pots and pans all the time. The smell of the dampness just tortures us.”

The IDP families have problems about water too. They fetch water from the yard of the Musical School which is located a distance of 400 meters away. They do not have bathroom, or even least a small corner where they could wash or take a bath with some degree of privacy.”

Valeri Chedia: “We have spent many years in such horrible conditions together with the family of my brother. We have lost all hope that anything will change for the better. We requested the government just to roof our shelter but they have not helped us. We have also applied to local and IDP government of Abkhazia; however nobody pays attention to us yet.”

This year, the authority has not satisfied any request of IDPs. The Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation promised to roof every building where IDPs live. Currently, only wells are being dug in Khorava Street # 2 in Zugdidi and in the village of Chkadua where IDPs are densely settled.

The Ministry promised them a supply of fuel, fire-wood this year but the promise was made only to IDPs who are living in the city. Last year 800 sq. meters of wood was allocated for IDPs. However, those living in villages were not provided with firewood.

Officials from the Adjara and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Department of the Georgian Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation told that the International Organization of Red Cross has already selected three buildings in Talenjikha and Zugdidi districts where they are carrying out repair works of roofs. The IDPs residing in the village of Rukhi do not trust donor organizations either. They can only look out through the windows covered by polyethylene and wait for yet another cold winter.

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