Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Barricades Set Up in front of the Kobuleti Muslim Boarding School

January 23, 2015
 
Natia Gogolashvili

More than four months have passed since pig head was hammered to the door of the muslim boarding school in Kobuleti. Civil society and government unanimously condemned this astonishing fact. Nevertheless the situation is still tense on the place. Part of orthodox people still opposes opening of the boarding school and has blocked the road to it. Police has only observation role in the conflict and does not take effective measures to pursue the law and protect citizens. 

Muslim boarding school was about to open and start classes in Lermontov Street # 13 in Kobuleti on September 15, 2014. However, on September 10, local orthodox citizens killed a pig in front of the building and hammered it to the door to hinder the opening of the boarding school. 

The classes have not started in the boarding school so far. On January 16, 2015 monitoring group of Human Rights Center found barricades of wood and car wheels in the approaches to the building. The only muslim person living in the school building Kakha Kakhadze showed us the way to the school. He said the protest banners are also permanently stretched out in front of the building but not in rainy days. Orthodox people erected icon in front of the barricades several months ago.

Kakha Kakhadze studies at the Batumi State University. He goes to lectures from Kobuleti. He is the only muslim whom local orthodox people allowed to live in the boarding school. He does not know real reason of their decision. “In order not to leave the building without attention, they allowed one person to live in it,” Kakha Kakhadze said. He was not in Kobuleti during September 10 incident and arrived there five days later, on September 15.

“When I stayed alone here, they did not scold and argue with me. Police was patrolling here during three months and protected the building. Orthodox people do not want muslim education center here. They blocked the entrance road. They think we will set up a minaret and mosque here that is not true. I could not convince them in it. They do not trust anybody,” Kakha Kakhadze said.

It is enough to stand near the building for a few minutes, neighbors look out of their windows immediately but seeing our photo-camera, they drew curtains and went out in the street though it was raining. Zhuzhuna Kaladze lives next to the boarding school. She said orthodox population will not allow muslims to open boarding school in the neighborhood. “We do not oppose the religion. Even if [orthodox] clergymen decide to open Christian church here, we will not allow them either. It is not place for religious temples here. Only orthodox people live here. Not a single muslim person lives in our neighborhood. If it is charity action and they intend to open a school here, then let them accept Georgian children too and teach them Georgian and Christianity, because Georgian muslims do not exist in reality.”

The boarding school building belongs to Shamil Kakaladze, chairman of the Georgian Muslim Relation. He told Human Rights Center that the boarding school building belongs to the Ltd MB. Georgian Muslim Relation rented the building from the organization. “The Ltd wanted to assign the building to us for free but the Turkish owner of the company was not allowed to cross the border. We did not travel to Turkey either. So, we refused to receive the building as a gift not to encourage additional wrong interpretations of the fact. So, we signed rent agreement,” Shamil Kakaladze said.

“We purchased the building more than one year ago but we have never had particular problems before September 10, 2014. The building was renovated and on September 15 we intended to start classes there. We prepared the building to host pupils but on September 10 this accident happened. Locals killed a pig and hammered its head to the door. It did not insult only that place, children or teachers; they insulted entire muslim community. It was blatant violation of human rights. Our main purpose is to grow up Georgian muslims in accordance to the Islam and not like members of some groups. Do not muslim citizens of this country have rights?! We are not different from others; we are all citizens of this country. However, they claim muslims living in Georgia have different life style. Muslims feel insulted when they are called: “tatar”, or hear phrases “muslims must not live in this country,” “who has ever heard muslim Georgian,” and others,” chairman of the Georgian Muslim Relation Shamil Kakaladze said.

Shamil Kakaladze said locals threatened them before September 10 too. In his conversation with Human Rights Center he recalled: “We were threatened before that incident too. About one month before opening we brought equipment to the building but local orthodox people did not allow us to unload the truck. I called police and they helped us. The threats continued afterwards, and locals claimed they would not allow us to open the boarding school.” 

Chairman of the Georgian Muslim Relation complained about inactivity of the police. “Locals hammered the pig head to the door in front of police officers but they did not react at all,” said Shamil Kakaladze. Public Defender’s Office also speaks about inactivity of the police.

“According to the explanation letters of the representative of the Georgian Public Defender, during protest rallies of September 15 and 16, 2014, local muslims were in the building and protesters did not allow them leave it. On the other side, protesters did not allow pupils to enter the building. Although patrol police officers were mobilized in the territory on both days and observed ongoing protest demonstration, they did not isolate protesters so that pupils had possibility to enter the building or people inside the building had possibility to leave it,” the statement of the ombudsman spread on October 6, 2014 reads. 

According to the Public Defender of Georgia Ucha Nanuashvili, recent developments in Kobuleti are alarming example of religious intolerance. “Right of religion and free movement of muslim citizens were breached; their dignity and honor was abused.  Children, who wish to study and live in the boarding school, had their basic rights, including right to education and religious rights, restricted though they are guaranteed by international and national laws.”

Chairman of the Georgian Muslim Relations Shamil Kakaladze said tension of the situation might be within the interests of some people. “I think somebody encouraged them to act so. I have never had any problems with those people for one and half year but now somebody used people against us. However, we cannot blame anybody without evidence. Muslim person does not lie. So, we cannot blame anybody. I was sorry to see clergyman here who was telling his parish: “boys, push them, push!” We do not aim to punish somebody. Everybody must be aware of his rights and the state shall clarify to the people what their right is and what is not. Unfortunately, nobody does it. Apparently, there is state will to resolve the problem. Muslim community is annoyed for dragging out this process.”

Next day of the incident, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili made a statement and noted that it was a provocation that is advantageous only for those people who wants to destabilize situation in Georgia. “I strongly condemn the provocation that occurred yesterday in Kobuleti - this is an attempt of religious intolerance and religious controversy which the state does not allow and will always resist. This provocation is advantageous only to those who want to create a destabilizing situation in Georgia, those who want to stir up religious controversy in our society,” the statement  of the Prime Minister reads.

Civil society organizations assume the government is trying to cover up the real picture of the religious conflict and those reasons which cause religious hatred and violence in the society. “Similar to other cases (Nigvziani, Tsintskaro, Samtatskaro, Tchela), the analysis of religious aggression revealed in Kobuleti illustrates that the confrontation is communal by nature and caused by intolerant, Islamophobic, Turkophobic attitudes in the society. Ineffective government policy towards offenses motivated by hatred and its unjustifiable loyalty towards dominant religious groups during religious confrontations lead to the increase of violence and the incitement of extremism in the society;” the joint statement of the CSOs reads. 

The CSOs also speak about inactivity of the Kobuleti municipality government. “Similar to the police, Kobuleti municipality is also inactive since it has not ensured connecting the boarding school to the sewer system for approximately two months. The municipality is explaining its inactivity by resistance from local residents,” the statement reads.

“We paid 1 750 lari to have the sewerage system. Six months have passed since then and they have not connected us to the system yet. Police is still inactive,” Shamil Kakaladze said.

Head of Georgian Muslim Union Tariel Nakaidze spoke about importance of the religious education for muslims. He said children get education in turkey because of current situation in the country. “Last year, about 70 pupils were sent to Turkey under various programs. They have announced special limits for foreign students. It is noteworthy that four out of 70 children were from Adjara. Nobody will say that children must not go abroad to get education. If we agree that muslims must not get religious education abroad, then let them open religious institution in Georgia. Nobody inquires how residents of Adjara want to get religious education in Turkey. Has anybody ever asked this question!? You must create adequate conditions for people in the country, if you want to make the country stronger,” Tariel Nakaidze said.

Despite the address of the Prime Minister to law enforcement bodies to timely investigate the September 10 incident in Kobuleti and to punish all perpetrators in accordance to the law, the persecution of muslim people still continues. Orthodox people do not allow them even to approach the building. The opening of the boarding school is canceled for uncertain time. 

News