Georgian Patriotic War - Reportage from Gori

Georgian Patriotic War
August 7 - … 2008

Nino Tlashadze

Georgian society felt an increased level of tension in the country for a long period of time. Everybody expected that one day or night the situation would spin out of control and hostilities would start.

During recent months, almost every day the Human Rights Center sent appeals to international organizations as well as local society, all in the hope that it would somehow prevent the escalation of the situation. However, we were unable to stop the drive towards war. 

Georgians believed that confrontation would start in Abkhazia, as recent events made us believe this would be the first point of armed conflict. However, everything happened in another direction. As a result South Ossetia soon became the hottest spot anywhere in the world in the last week.

The best youth serving in the Georgian army sacrificed their lives in the battle fought in Tskhinvali and its immediate surroundings. However, their and many Ossetian people’s death has not changed anything in the recent history of Georgia. Russian occupants managed to subdue the resistance of Georgian army and seized back the territories that our soldiers managed to gain back for but one day. I am afraid that the Russians invaders were able to take over some new territories as well.

Tskhinvali was completely destroyed and nobody knows for sure just how many locals died during the Russian and Georgian bombardment (maybe they know but are not saying). Only one word can describe the situation-genocide. Though, I do not know who is to be blamed for the genocide: the Georgian or Russian side or a combination of both; only history will assess current situation in retrospect.

Gori, a city located 30 kilometers away from the conflict zone became the most bombed in Georgia after Tskhinvali.

I am from Gori; I was born and grew up in the village of Khidistavi in the Gori district. One morning it was reported that Russian air forces was bombing my native town.  I felt my blood freeze a result. My family and my close relatives are in Gori! I am in Tbilisi.

Then I saw a bombed and burning city that was my native home and it made me crazy. I want to guess what district of the city is on fire or was bombed; I want to guess whether my family members were there be during the explosions. But later I was able to get in touch with my people and heard that they are healthy and alive. My village is located in the South of Gori while Tskhinvali is found on the north of the city. Thus, I hope that Russian air forces will not bomb my village, as they will focus on the villages closest to Tskhinvali (in such a situation animal instinct starts working in people), and they will initially think only about themselves and then about those closest people to them.

Despite all what has happened I cannot find my place in Tbilisi. I must be with my family in such a difficult time. I must return to Gori! I run a risk and on August 12 I depart back to Gori.

On my way to Gori I am afraid to enter the home town. I am afraid to see my favorite small beautiful city destroyed and burned to the ground.

Anyway, I was shocked at the very entrance of Gori. Recently painted residential buildings are half-burned down and destroyed. Smoke is still coming out from some of the flats in the building. The streets are empted and everybody has since abandoned the city. No transport, no shops, not even drugstores are working and people are unable to get medicine should something happens. I have the feeling that life has stopped in my home town...

In my village I see panicked people. Relatives from the village in Tskhinvali region are sheltering in my home.

We are all together and can overcome this disaster somehow.

Time by time we hear explosions in imaginary silence. We try to guess which part of Gori or Gori district was bombed at that moment.

At dinner we cannot eat because of fear; you do not know how to condole others when you need support yourself.

On August 12 Russian and Georgian sides signed a ceasefire agreement.

We were relieved at last ... Russian air forces will not bomb us anymore. But...

In the morning of August 13 bombs were dropped in the Gori city center and fell just in front of the municipality building. Eight people died there and among them was a Dutch journalist.

The explosion was heard so close that we thought our house had been bombed. Everybody in the family was silent and could not realize where to run.

It was last bombing in Gori (so far, at least). One disaster ended but another started.

Caucasian Ossetians, Kazaks and Chechens arrived in Gori and started to robbing houses and offices in Gori and surrounding villages. If somebody is at home and resists the looter they are shot. Caucasian people rob everything what is valuable; human lives too.

My village is three kilometers away from Gori and it is expected that when the looters steal everything in Gori they will than enter Khidistavi as well.

Those living in my village have been able maintain their calmness until now. However, they are now panicked. I first saw some scared men running across the river and shouting loudly: “Run away, they are coming!”

It was such a terrible sight that could not hold back my tears. People had illusions that Northern Caucasian barbarians had already entered Khidistavi and people were fleeing by cars, tractors and even by house drawn carts. 

Soon my neighborhood emptied; only my family and elderly people remained at home.

It was the most difficult day that I ever experienced in my life. Evening of August 13. I wanted to inform everybody in Tbilisi to pay attention to the population of Gori district. I urged everyone to be more active and stop the bandits.

Later it was reported on Georgian TV that Georgian special units and patrol police was sent to Gori to eradicate the illegal activities of Russian robbers and looters.  That night we slept in peace but morning of August 14 started with new shock. However, Russian troops did not allow Georgian law enforcers into the area and we were still unprotected. The aggressors continued blowing up military bases in Gori district; they set everything on fire.

People are still panicked. Georgian authorities and the international community are unable to do anything to stop the criminals. 

On August 14 I am called from Tbilisi; I must go to Tbilisi to work. The whole staff of the Human Rights Center cancels vacations; Georgia needs our support at this moment most of all. I must be at my workplace.

The only mean to travel To Tbilisi from Khidistavi is train. Though I cannot go to Gori railway station to take train there; nobody can enter Gori; Russian militants and robbers control the whole city. Consequently, I go to the platform of Khidistavi where nearly 30 people are waiting to catch the train. Nikozi-Tbilisi train has not worked for one week already. So we wait for another train to catch. Soon we learn that Georgian railway department ceased working; no train will come.

We are again panicked. How can I get to Tbilisi? Luckily a young man from my village agreed to take us to Kaspi where we can get a mini-bus to Tbilisi. However, the only way to travel is roundabouts through the villages of Kaspi district. The mini-bus was overcrowded and there was not even standing room. Passengers are only women and children who are fleeing to Tbilisi. Only men remained behind in the village. We travel through villages, in the mountains; the damaged road was last used about 50-60 years ago. We cross villages of Doesi, Grakali, and Metekhi in Kaspi district and then reach the central motorway near Igoeti.

The trip along roundabout was very hard. In the village of Grakali we saw Georgian soldiers; they were hiding in the lanes, gardens and fields. It is unbearable to see your national army having to hide on its own territory in order to avoid aggression from outside occupants. They do not want hostilities to start again that will bring forth even more victims. Soldiers seem to be hungry. They gather ears of corns from the fields; the only food available to them at the moment. Women sitting in the mini-bus are praying for their health in a low whisper. A young woman in front of me prayed: “God, bless these young people and support them so that they will return to their homes alive.”

Soldiers are looking at us, as if wanting to apologize for the current disaster. However, we know that they are not guilty for the situation.

Having arrived in Kaspi we could not find any transport to travel to Tbilisi. Finally our driver decided to take us to Tbilisi and we are happy-we will not have to return to the danger zone.

Near Igoeti we met large amount of Georgian army and deployed patrol police. We stopped to converse with them. When they heard that we were coming from Gori they started to ask questions: “What is going on there? How were you able to endure the Russian aggression? Did they abuse you?” One of the soldiers tried to calm us down saying: “Don’t be afraid; we will soon enter Gori and kick them out.” However, his words made us even more worried. The damage is enormous but if now Georgian the army enters Gori again and that means a new round of hostilities will start in my native city. Even more people will be killed from bombings. We prefer to stop here; at this pain; at this sorrow. We would rather endure raiding of Russian troops and Caucasian robbers then to see war starting up again.

We did not see any car on our way to Tbilisi. Central high-way was empty. People prefer to stay at home. Today the life of every Georgian citizen is in danger regardless his/her place of residence-Kakheti, Imereti or Shida Kartli regions. Nobody can predict the next Georgian city that will be bombed.

It is August 17 today. Eastern and Western Georgia is separated from one another. When we wake up in the morning we have hope that occupation will end today. But soon the information program reports yet new disasters.

Patience of Georgian people turned out to be vast. We try not to show our anger and wait the time when Russian civil society becomes ashamed for its national army, and understand how it acted in our country and categorically demand their government to immediately withdraw the Russian army from Georgian territory.