Being IDPs for the Second Time

Tsotsonavas, IDPs from Abkhazia, Remain Homeless

Tamar Khutsishvili

Law enforcement officers are evicting the Tsotsonavas from their flat in Guramishvili Street # 5, in Tskneti village close to Tbilisi. According to the Court decision, the Muzashvilis are legal owners of the flat in Tskneti. Some of the furniture of the Tsotsonavas already has been taken out of the flat. Guards are in the house.

The argument about the house between the Muzashvilis and the Tsotsonavas started several years ago. According to the Tsotsonavas their eviction is illegal. They consider themselves to be the legal owners of the house and are not going to leave the place. They said they will live in the main entrance even if they are forced out of the flat.

The process of eviction did not end without incident between the police officers and the family members. The Appearance of the law enforcement officers was very stressful, especially for 6-year-old Giorgi Tsotsonava.

“We are IDPs from Abkhazia and we have lived here since December, 1993 and the Muzashvilis say the house belongs to them,” said the IDP family. According to the Muzashvilis, they purchased the house in 1996, but the Tsotsonavas cannot understand how they could purchase and privatize the house where they have lived since 1993. “The Muzashvilis have not shown any official document which confirms the fact. An official resolution was issued during Shevardnadze’s government (ex-president) and the resolution prohibited privatization of the accommodations where IDPs lived,” said the Tsotsonavas. “When we are allowed to return to our houses in Abkhazia, they can do whatever they want. If they evict us, we will be displaced for the second time,” said Zaira Gurtskaia, a member of the family.

The Muzashvilis and the Tsotsonavas began negotiations to resolve the argument several years ago, but in vain. The Muzashvilis refused to purchase a flat for the Tsotsonavas in Varketili district, Tbilisi for 4 000 USD.  “They said they could not afford it,” said Zaira Gurtskaia.

According to the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation, the Tsotsonavas cannot occupy any accommodation without appealing to the Ministry. According to the press-centre of the Ministry, the IDPs have not applied to them yet. “Why did not the Ministry inform us about the issue earlier? The Ministry had information that the court was discussing our case,” said the Tsotsonavas.

It is still unclear whether the Ministry will find shelter for the family somewhere but it is a fact that IDP family from Abkhazia was left homeless in the open air and they sleep on the balcony.