One Step Forward Two Steps Back

IDPs from the Kodori Valley Fear Their Children Might Freeze in winter

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

Most of the IDPs from the Kodori valley that live in Kutaisi have only one table, 4 chairs, a bed, a TV set and a fridge. They live in a former military college building which was renovated by foreigners. The IDPs have been living there since March 2, 2009. They are very dissatisfied and tell about their problems to everyone hoping that their problems might be taken up by the government.

“No one remembers us and no one pays attention to us. It is impossible to speak to the person who is accountable for taking care of us. He always starts shouting and uses foul language against us. They do not care about our living conditions or what problems we face. They think that we do not have any problems since we live in a renovated building,” says Gogona Pangani.

The IDPs from the Kodori valley came to Kutaisi on August 10 when Russian bombardiers attacked Upper Abkhazia. Initially about 60 IDP families lived in the former Auto College building in very severe conditions. On March 2 they were settled in a building in a suburb of Kutaisi. The building was renovated with the financial support of donors.

Each family has two rooms in this building. Each IDP family received a card which is signed by a representative of the Kutaisi Registration Department of the Civil Registry Agency of Georgia. However, the IDPs have not received any document that says that these rooms belong to the IDPs.

“When the document is signed by both sides, the Civil Registry Agency (CRA) will register the property prescribed by the document as property of the purchaser of the property. The purchaser will receive a record from the Civil Registry Agency which confirms that he/she is the owner of the property,” is said in the card signed by the representative of the Kutaisi Registration Agency of CRA. The IDPs have been waiting for the document to be signed by both sides from the very first day of their settlement in this building. However, they do not know who exactly must sign the document for the IDPs.

“What do we need this card for? We need a solid document which would say what belongs to which IDP. We are mountain people and we are used to labor. What are we supposed to do in these rooms? When we know what belongs to us, be it two rooms or a small plot, we will take care of it as we wish and will not starve. No one should think that we ask for something that is more than what we deserve. We know quite well that there are many other people who have more financial problems. But we  simply cannot sit here without doing anything,” said Vazha Chopliani from the village of Gentsvishi.

Vazha Chopliani feels sad that there is much uncultivated land around his house and he cannot take advantage of that. Once the IDPs tried to cultivate the land but the locals protested against it.

 “If we just had a small portion of land we could cultivate it and would not have to buy products such as herbs at the market. One NGO (Abkhazinterkont) wanted to give us cattle but we had to refuse it because we had no place to keep them. One might think that we, IDPs have very good living conditions but that is not true. I admit we live in a better building now, but it would be better if they had settled us in a village… They made one step forward and two steps back by settling us in this building,” said Vazha Chopliani.

They have many other problems. They do not have benefits on public transport unlike IDPs that live in Tbilisi. Schools will start soon and they do not know how they will cover transport expenses for their children. The IDPs do not have any income.

On top of all it will be winter in a couple of months. The IDPs fear that their children might freeze from the cold. Now the IDPs do not have to pay for their electricity bills, but when these rooms become their property they will have to cover the bills on their own.

‘The electricity bill is high. We won’t be able to pay for it. It would be good if they supplied us with gas. We would like to ask the authorities for this, but we cannot because they refuse to communicate with us. They should bear in mind that we are human beings and need reasonable living conditions”, said the IDPs.