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TV reports on conflict in multiethnic Georgian region
Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
18 Mar 20
An attack on an ethnic Greek couple in the multiethnic Tsalka District
in southern Georgia has led to a conflict between Georgians relocated
from Ajaria and ethnic Armenians and Greeks, who are said to be
against the resettlement of Ajarians in Tsalka. Several people are
reported injured and a local school has been raided. The following is
the text of a report by Georgian TV station Rustavi-2 on 18 March:
[Presenter Nino Shubladze] There is disorder in [the southern Georgian
district of] Tsalka again. Avralo [village] locals have gathered
outside the police station, demanding that the people who have
assaulted and robbed an ethnic Greek family be arrested. Parents say
their children will stay at home away from school until the situation
goes back to normal. Residents also demand that additional police
units be deployed in the district. [Video shows people arguing]
A conflict between Georgians relocated from Ajaria and ethnic
Armenians and Greeks started after an assault on a Greek
family. Several people were injured in an ensuing attack on
Ajarians. A special-purpose unit has been deployed in Tsalka.
[Correspondent] Fourteen people were slightly injured in an attack in
the Tsalka District village of Avralo. Ethnic Armenians, Greeks and
Georgians are among the victims. According to eyewitnesses, no
firearms were used.
[Davit Gvianidze, captioned as victim, interviewed in bed] We were
working in the village when some 30-40 men attacked us, merely because
we are Georgians.
[Question] Why did they do this?
[Gvianidze] I do not know why. They say a Greek person was wounded, or
robbed or something. Apparently they did this to us because of that
incident.
[Rati Kharshiladze, captioned as victim] There were about 20-30
people, approaching us from behind. I could not see what was
happening. They hit me from behind.
[Question] What did they hit you with?
[Kharshiladze] First they hit me with a hand, then with metal objects.
[Correspondent] Ajarians were attacked after an elderly Greek couple
were assaulted. The Kaloelov family were robbed of money and gold late
at night, the day before yesterday. Both the husband and the wife say
that the attackers were Ajarians.
[Elizaveta Kaloelova, victim, interviewed in bed, in Russian] They
were demanding money, dollars and gold. I told them I didn't have
any. Then he took a knife and threatened to cut my ear.
[Correspondent] A special-purpose unit has been deployed in Tsalka
District and a criminal case has been opened, but no-one has been
arrested so far.
Both Georgians and Greeks demand that the authorities deal with crime.
Armenians and Greeks say that the Ajarians infringe on their rights,
while Georgians say that Greeks and Armenians are against the
resettlement of Georgians in the district.
[Presenter] Avralo locals have taken to the streets following the
incident yesterday. Nana Lezhava is in Tsalka. She is talking to us
live.
Nana, what are the people's demands?
[Lezhava] Nino, I must say that there are several different
demands. Ethnic Armenians and Greeks, as well as Georgians resettled
from Ajaria, have gathered in the village centre. They have different
demands.
I should say that Avralo used to be a Greek village until the
resettlement of Georgians from Ajaria. There is an Armenian village
next door. The Armenians stood up for the assaulted Greek family. They
came to the village and demanded that one of the suspects, who has
been arrested, be lynched. Needless to say, police refused to satisfy
this demand.
A conflict followed. We spoke to both sides. The Georgians say that
there was an attack on Georgians in the street and an attack on a
school. They say that they can't let their children go back to
school. We visited the school. It clearly had been raided. Some of the
Armenians and Greeks gathered here do not approve of what was done to
the school. As regards their demands, they say that the crime
situation in the village must be improved. They do not intend to go
home until the guilty are punished.
This is what we have heard from the people.
[Merab Khutsishvili, teacher] The teaching process has been
disrupted. I am a deputy head teacher and, as far as I know, parents
will not let their children go back to school until there is order
there.
[Iasha Toldikovi, in Russian] My shop has been looted and my house has
been robbed. They took everything. No-one has been held
responsible. One has to have at least a shred of decency. We are tired
of this. What was done to the school was not right. I am against that.
[Mikheil Tskitishvili, captioned as head of Tsalka District
administration] I want to organize a meeting between these two
villages, between the Greeks, the Armenians and the Georgians, both
local and resettled, and I want to make them friends and have them
promise each other that they will be good neighbours and friends to
each other.
If there is a problem it will be resolved by the authorities not a
group of people.
[Lezhava] I might say that the conflict is not due to one incident
alone. Off the record, the Armenians and Greeks say that they are
against the relocation of people from Ajaria, saying that they have
taken over Greeks' houses without paying any money. They also were
critical of the local authorities, saying that the officials only
listen to people relocated from Ajaria, ignoring their views.
Nevertheless, I can't say that the situation is very tense. The people
are simply waiting to see what happens next.
Nino, over to you.
[Presenter] Nana, thank you very much. Nana Lezhava was speaking live
about the conflict in Tsalka District.
Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
18 Mar 20
An attack on an ethnic Greek couple in the multiethnic Tsalka District
in southern Georgia has led to a conflict between Georgians relocated
from Ajaria and ethnic Armenians and Greeks, who are said to be
against the resettlement of Ajarians in Tsalka. Several people are
reported injured and a local school has been raided. The following is
the text of a report by Georgian TV station Rustavi-2 on 18 March:
[Presenter Nino Shubladze] There is disorder in [the southern Georgian
district of] Tsalka again. Avralo [village] locals have gathered
outside the police station, demanding that the people who have
assaulted and robbed an ethnic Greek family be arrested. Parents say
their children will stay at home away from school until the situation
goes back to normal. Residents also demand that additional police
units be deployed in the district. [Video shows people arguing]
A conflict between Georgians relocated from Ajaria and ethnic
Armenians and Greeks started after an assault on a Greek
family. Several people were injured in an ensuing attack on
Ajarians. A special-purpose unit has been deployed in Tsalka.
[Correspondent] Fourteen people were slightly injured in an attack in
the Tsalka District village of Avralo. Ethnic Armenians, Greeks and
Georgians are among the victims. According to eyewitnesses, no
firearms were used.
[Davit Gvianidze, captioned as victim, interviewed in bed] We were
working in the village when some 30-40 men attacked us, merely because
we are Georgians.
[Question] Why did they do this?
[Gvianidze] I do not know why. They say a Greek person was wounded, or
robbed or something. Apparently they did this to us because of that
incident.
[Rati Kharshiladze, captioned as victim] There were about 20-30
people, approaching us from behind. I could not see what was
happening. They hit me from behind.
[Question] What did they hit you with?
[Kharshiladze] First they hit me with a hand, then with metal objects.
[Correspondent] Ajarians were attacked after an elderly Greek couple
were assaulted. The Kaloelov family were robbed of money and gold late
at night, the day before yesterday. Both the husband and the wife say
that the attackers were Ajarians.
[Elizaveta Kaloelova, victim, interviewed in bed, in Russian] They
were demanding money, dollars and gold. I told them I didn't have
any. Then he took a knife and threatened to cut my ear.
[Correspondent] A special-purpose unit has been deployed in Tsalka
District and a criminal case has been opened, but no-one has been
arrested so far.
Both Georgians and Greeks demand that the authorities deal with crime.
Armenians and Greeks say that the Ajarians infringe on their rights,
while Georgians say that Greeks and Armenians are against the
resettlement of Georgians in the district.
[Presenter] Avralo locals have taken to the streets following the
incident yesterday. Nana Lezhava is in Tsalka. She is talking to us
live.
Nana, what are the people's demands?
[Lezhava] Nino, I must say that there are several different
demands. Ethnic Armenians and Greeks, as well as Georgians resettled
from Ajaria, have gathered in the village centre. They have different
demands.
I should say that Avralo used to be a Greek village until the
resettlement of Georgians from Ajaria. There is an Armenian village
next door. The Armenians stood up for the assaulted Greek family. They
came to the village and demanded that one of the suspects, who has
been arrested, be lynched. Needless to say, police refused to satisfy
this demand.
A conflict followed. We spoke to both sides. The Georgians say that
there was an attack on Georgians in the street and an attack on a
school. They say that they can't let their children go back to
school. We visited the school. It clearly had been raided. Some of the
Armenians and Greeks gathered here do not approve of what was done to
the school. As regards their demands, they say that the crime
situation in the village must be improved. They do not intend to go
home until the guilty are punished.
This is what we have heard from the people.
[Merab Khutsishvili, teacher] The teaching process has been
disrupted. I am a deputy head teacher and, as far as I know, parents
will not let their children go back to school until there is order
there.
[Iasha Toldikovi, in Russian] My shop has been looted and my house has
been robbed. They took everything. No-one has been held
responsible. One has to have at least a shred of decency. We are tired
of this. What was done to the school was not right. I am against that.
[Mikheil Tskitishvili, captioned as head of Tsalka District
administration] I want to organize a meeting between these two
villages, between the Greeks, the Armenians and the Georgians, both
local and resettled, and I want to make them friends and have them
promise each other that they will be good neighbours and friends to
each other.
If there is a problem it will be resolved by the authorities not a
group of people.
[Lezhava] I might say that the conflict is not due to one incident
alone. Off the record, the Armenians and Greeks say that they are
against the relocation of people from Ajaria, saying that they have
taken over Greeks' houses without paying any money. They also were
critical of the local authorities, saying that the officials only
listen to people relocated from Ajaria, ignoring their views.
Nevertheless, I can't say that the situation is very tense. The people
are simply waiting to see what happens next.
Nino, over to you.
[Presenter] Nana, thank you very much. Nana Lezhava was speaking live
about the conflict in Tsalka District.