‘They Said You Became IDPs During Shevardnadze’s Government and Do Not Ask Assistance from Misha?

Tamta Kakauridze, Zestaponi

“They always complain regardless the assistance they get. Some of them will complain even if you give them a palace,” said the head of the social department within the Zestaponi district administration Lena Peradze in her interview with the humanrights.ge

850 IDPs live in Zestaponi district. They lived in thirteen buildings of compact residence throughout the district.

According to the Action Plan of the State Strategy about IDPs, at the first stage the IDPs received assistance in the organized sector. There were only 99 similar families in Zestaponi district. Two residential buildings were rehabilitated for them – in Maghlakelidze Str. # 5 (dormitory) and Maghlakelidze Str. # 11 (building of former vocational college). However, the reconstruction activities were done poorly. IDPs say many of them refused to live in the reconstructed buildings.

“We have been living in these buildings for less than two months and the ceiling is already pulling down. Can you imagine, what will happen in several years?” asked an IDP from Gali, Lia Shamatava.

“When the flats were reconstructed, nobody checked the implemented work. Expertise was not carried out. The rain is leaking in several flats. The building is not roofed properly,” said Eliso Zhvania from Sokhumi.

Residents of both buildings have equal problems; water is gathered in the basements of the buildings; the floor is damaged, damp and foisted’ taps are not installed and water is leaking from them.

Representatives of the Zestaponi district administration confirm that they really did not check the quality of the implemented work. “The company had to do it. We did not sign any contract with the company. Everything was settled in Tbilisi, the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation signed the contract with Block Georgia. So, you should apply to the ministry about these issues,” said the representatives of the district administration.

We tried to get in touch with the representative of the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation Davit Aptsiauri. We even appointed a meeting with him on March 17, but he did not appear at the meeting and has not replied to our phone calls since then. Thus, we decided to publish only the position of the IDPs hoping the respectful official will honor us by replying to our questions after reading the article.

Eliso Zhvania, an IDP from Sokhumi: “The craftsman told has the walls had exploitation time only for 6 months and after that plaster will fall down. If something goes wrong, we cannot repair it. I cannot afford it.”

Eliso Jaoshvili, an IDP from Sokhumi: “The floor tiles fell out; we hired a craftsman and he got astonished; he said tiles will fall out in the entire building unless we repair them on time. The workers hired by the district administration paved the tiles on the uneven concrete basement. The glue is put on the tiles only in the middle and empty places are easily broken. I cannot repair it. I have two under-age children and can hardly buy food with the allowance of 22 GEL. How can I pay the craftsman?!”

The IDPs said the representatives of the NGOs often visit them but their visits had no results yet.

Keto Tskvitaria, an IDP from Sokhumi: “On March 10, EU representatives visited us. They took photos, listened to our problems. They even said the government had told them that IDPs are satisfied with everything. Having seen our living conditions, they got surprised – are these normal living conditions?!”

IDPs also complain about the aid which they cannot get from the government. According to the social department of the Zestaponi district administration, aid of the USAID which was distributed among the settlers of new cottages, was not allocated for the IDPs from Sokhumi.

“This aid was left from the aid allocated during the war in August, 2008. Whatever we give them, they permanently complain. Some of them will complain even if we shelter them into a palace,” said Lena Peradze.

Eliso Jaoshvili: “They gave USAID aid to us – hygiene items, but we cannot use them. Everything is of low quality. How can I wash the child with this shampoo?!”

Anzor Abdaladze, an IDP from Sokhumi: “If you assist the person, he should be able to enjoy your assistance. How are they assisting us? Some of us do not have even a bed. They sent us into empty rooms and said, “we could leave the building if we do not like lit; lot of other people will be happy to live in this building.”

The IDPs living in Maghlakelidze Str. # 5 and 11 do not have any equipment or furniture. They were denied similar aid.

Eliso Jaoshvili: “Our relatives live in Khoni and Rustavi and I know that they received some technical equipment. However, we did not receive even chairs. If a guest visits us, we stand. We asked Koba Subeliani to give furniture to us too, but he looked at us surprised “who else has received the furniture, why are you requesting it?”

Inga Tsobekhia, an IDP from Gali: “When they started the reconstruction of the flats, we moved to other building. When we returned, we could not find out furniture on the place. We have a sick person in the family and you see that he is lying on the floor. We do not have beds.”

Eliso Jaoshvili:  “Subeliani said – you have lived 18 years here but could not purchase everything”. We received 22 GEL as allowance and how could we purchase anything while it was not enough even for the food. When we were speaking about our problems, he did not listen to us, sat into the car and drove away.”

Marina Nikoadze, an IDP from Sokhumi: We were told you are IDPs from Shevardnadze’s governance and we should not request assistance from Misha.”

In addition to numerous problems of the IDPs, they have to pay their electricity bills. However, each person had to receive 100 kilo watt of electricity per month free from the government during 6 months. The deadline of this assistance expires in May but the IDPs have already received their bills.

Marina Nikoladze: “We were promised the electricity bills for 6 months will be covered for us; but now I received bill of 143 GEL which we had to cover before March 20. How can I get such a huge sum? I cannot even afford to buy a bed. My elder child lives with grandmother because we do not have enough beds.”

Eliso Jaoshvili: “We hoped we had some allowance at least for electricity but in vain. We do not have any other privileges; we do not have even insurance. I am pregnant but I have to cover expenses. I do not know what we shall do. We live in unbearable conditions.”

Besides subscribers with accumulated electricity debts, the subscribers, who have not moved to the dormitory yet, also received the bills.

Eliso Joashvili: “My neighbor has not lived in her flat yet but she has received electricity bill for 28 GEL. I cannot understand how they write similar bills.”

Zestaponi district administration does not have information about these problems. Lela Peradze said nobody has applied to them about the electricity bills yet.

“We did not know that they had similar problems. Maybe they have old debts too. They all warm their rooms with electricity ovens and of course they will have to pay large bills?”

In accordance to the State Strategy about IDPs, at the second stage the residents of the private sector will receive assistance. At the third stage, those IDPs who have purchased space with their own sources will be assisted. According to the head of the social department, the compensation sums will be allocated for them but the exact amount of the transfer is not estimated yet. The IDPs shall be satisfied before 2010.