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Ganmukhuri –Seized Village and Residents Newest IDPs

September 1, 2008

Nana Pazhava, Zugdidi

The Abkhazian flag now flies over the Georgian village of Ganmukhuri. Three Russian-Abkhazian checkpoints are in place in Ganmukhuri and soldiers are patrolling this village several times a day. The Abkhazian checkpoint operates on the bridge that connects Shamgona and Ganmukhuri. Residents must pay a fee of 10 GEL, a kind of excise imposed by the Abkhazians in order to cross into the territory of the Zugdidi district. The Abkhazians do not take kindly to Georgian ID cards and advise the inhabitants of Ganmukhuri village to obtain Russian passports. The Abkhazian administration of Gali District is so “concerned” with the fate of Georgians that it takes care of feeding Ganmukhuri village inhabitants and brings wheat into the village. The situation has deteriorated and practically no one is now left in the village apart from a few old people. All the young people have left – many of them in IDP camps too frightened to come back. Many are still IDPs from the last war Abkhaz-Georgian war of 1992-93, and being under such dire circumstances is nothing new for them.

Ganmukhuri and Khurcha, the two villages of Zugdidi District at the River Enguri embankment were once Georgian controlled villages. Not any more. The self-appointed Abkhaz government now says they are theirs. The Abkhazian-Russian units have been controlling the Georgian villages since 12 August. The Guria, Adjara and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Division for IDPs under the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation of Georgia have already registered already approximately 300 IDPs from Zugdidi District villages. Soon after Abkhazian guerillas entered Ganmukhuri, people fled, seeking shelter in neighboring villages.

One villager, too frightened to give his name, spoke of what he saw: “Two tanks and an Abkhazian-Russian military unit consisting of 150 soldiers came into Ganmukhuri. About twenty men set up near the sea on the Kolfe Bridge. About forty soldiers were in the village center and near the bridge crossing, which connects Ganmukhuri with Shamgona. I personally saw as I stood on the other side of the River Enguri how the Abkhazians pulled down the Georgian flag and erected the Abkhazian one in it place. At first, the Russian soldiers held joint patrols along with the Abkhazians. While with the Russians, the Abkhazians were not so aggressive. However, during the last few days the Russians left and the Abkhazian soldier’s attitude changed and they started looting houses.”

One woman living in the occupied territory described a typical day: “Abkhaz militia break into abandoned houses and steal everything that they can get their hands on. They are even taking household items: curtains, plates, washbasins. When they find food, they gobble it all up. They are also going to those local residents who stayed and demanding food. They are not being aggressive but we must supply them with food, as there are not other options.  We have already prepared cooked chickens in our refrigerators in order not to keep Abkhazians waiting and provide them with a meal as quickly as possible. In other words, we are prepared when the enemy comes to eat. We do not want to face any more misfortune. However, we are running out of food and we do not know what with then happen with us.…”

“Fifteen Abkhaz militia were standing at the Ganmukhuri Bridge when I crossed it this morning. They demanded that I showed them my ID. They said they could not read Georgian and told me to bring Russian translation of my ID when I returned to the bridge. When I explained that I could not do this, one Abkhaz militia advised me to go to Gali and exchange my Georgian passport for the Russian one. I gave him my passport and told him to change it himself. The Abkhazian smiled at me bitterly. I think it is not the right time for playing jokes…. They understand Georgian well, and they even speak in Mengrelian, and they are only playing as they can read the information in the passport very well.”

The Abkhaz guerillas demand money from Ganmukhurians along with their passports. The Abkhazians imposed a 10 GEL fee for those who wish to cross the Ganmukhuri Bridge. Several days ago it was three GEL. As for taking goods across, prices are currently from 3 GEL to 30 GEL. The Ganmukhurians also have to pay five GEL for taking each sack of hazelnuts across the bridge.

“I transported two sacks of nuts today across the bridge and the Abkhazians confiscated 10 GEL for my efforts. It is now costing me 20 GEL in to cross the bridge, including the basic permission to cross. I spent some additional money on transporting the sacks to Zugdidi… To make a long story short, I do not know what to do. The Abkhazians even told us that soon we would be forbidden to bring nuts to Zugdidi and we could sell them only in Gali,” states a man who just arrived from the occupied territory.

However, some Ganmukhurians have found alternative way of getting into Zugdidi District: they load up boats with agricultural and dairy products and cross the River Enguri from Ganmukhuri to Anaklia.

About 50 IDPs were able to find shelter in Anaklia, which is not far away. The Ganmukhurians are able to visit their homes; tend their livestock, and collect nuts during the day, returning to Anaklia each evening.

Ganmukhurians recall that Ruslan Kishmaria, Baghapshi’s personal representative in Gali District came to them and “promised” that he would help them.  The Ganmukhurians say Kishmaria gave them 10 Kilos of wheat each as a present and then advised them to obtain Russian passports. He also gave a special telephone number to the people and advised them to call in case they found themselves subjected to any form of violence or intimidation.

None of the international organizations functioning in the name of EU in Georgia has been able to get into the Georgian villages occupied by Russians.  in order to see the situation there and help the population there. However, it was only several days ago the Red Cross International Organization and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees brought humanitarian aid into villages of Ganmukhuri and Khurcha. The Russian-Abkhazian side allowed them to conduct only a single one off delivery of assistance.

Currently there are approximately 300 people from Zugdidi District villages registered in the Guria, Adjara and Samegrelo-Zemo-Svaneti Regional Division of IDPs of the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation. However, this number is constantly increasing on daily basis.

 

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