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“For-All-Sides” Lack of Impartial Information about Georgian-Abkhazian Clashes

November 25, 2008

Nana Pazhava, Zugdidi

The situation is becoming tenser day-by-day in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone. Armed clashes have become permanent along the entire perimeter of the administrative border. Military operations are conducted almost every day and it ends with or without victims; peaceful civilians are the most likely to be injured in this war of nerves. Matters are made worse since there is a lack of impartial information as to why these incidents continue to occur and understanding who stands behind all these incidents. 

After each clash people are asking who shot first and who would benefit from the increase level of hostilities. The witnesses of the armed clashes between the opposing parties in Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone are civilian living in the Zugdidi and Gali districts. They are one people and only divided by the Enguri River.

On November 20 another incident happened in the village of Ganmukhuri, a site of earlier incidents. Fortunately, however, it did not conclude with victims. The real threat of launching a war is easily felt to the locals.  According to the Georgian Internal Ministry, Georgian checkpoint was shot at from Abkhazian side at 7:00 AM. Two military vehicles of Abkhazian army and Russian occupant army set off in the direction of Ganmukhuri from the village of Otobaia, Gali district. Group of armed militants followed the vehicles. Georgian police checkpoint was fired from automatic weapon, machine-guns and bombers from the village of Pichori. Gun-fire was also coming from the Russian military checkpoint # 112 in the village of Nakarghali. After 40-minute-long exchange of fire from both sides the situation calmed down.

Locals claim the opposite who witnessed the armed clashes from the distance.  The woman, who lives at the border of Ganmukhuri and Otobaia villages, gave a different story about the incident of November 20. “My house was shaking because of explosion; the whole family lied down on the floor. Georgian police was deployed at the border. They attacked the Russians at night, they approached them in secret and a firefight broke out. Initially our side started shooting and then they shot back.”

The majority of the populace does not want to speak out about the situation. “We heard the gun-fire but I do not know anything else. I cannot hear anything and I do get involved the case. I have not seen anything and all that I know is from having watched it only on TV. I did learn that house of Goneli Pertaia was damaged because of the incident. Our police did not allow us to approach the scene,” said one of the residents of Ganmukhuri.

Abkhazian side denied the Georgian version of the incident and blamed a special unit of the Georgian Internal Ministry for carrying out such acts of sabotage on Abkhazian territory. Ruslan Kishmaria, personal representative of Sergei Bagapsh, president of separatist government, to Gali district, stated that Georgian special unit entered into the villages of Gali district and opened fire at checkpoints at night; consequently, Abkhazian side also fired back.

Conclusions of the UN and EU Observation missions have not yet shared their official reports. However, it is fact that any single and impartial is lacking. It is hoped that valid information will at last expose who is telling something that is closer to the truth.  The only reality that exists for now is that the situation is tensed for now in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone.

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