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GEORGIANS MIGHT FACE THREAT IN OCCUPIED ABKHAZIA
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 15 2014
By Messenger Staff
Friday, August 15
Russia is continuing its imperialistic policy in occupied Abkhazia.
Russia has declared the region an independent republic and currently
is backing the presidential elections there. The general mood in
Abkhazia is distinctly anti-Georgian. However, the current elections
are full of such attitudes more than ever. Ethnic Georgians living
in the Gali region are watching the events with fright. There is the
real possibility of ethnic Georgians being ousted from their homes
in Gali district as well.
The "presidential elections" in Abkhazia have four presidential
candidates. These are: Opposition leader Raul Khajimba, de-facto
Minister of Defense Merab Kishmaria, de-facto Interior Minister Leonid
Dzipshba and the head of the Security Council Aslan Bzhania. Thus,
only Raul Khajimba is not representing the current government, whose
leader Alexander Ankvab, was forced to resign by the opposition led
by Khajimba several months ago.
Khajimba is clearly pro-Russian and anti-Georgian. According to his
demand, Georgians living in the Gali region are forbidden to vote
in the presidential elections. He also initiated a policy that would
see ethnic Georgians from the Gali region deprived of their Abkhazian
passports.
Thus, separatists in Abkhazia, supported by Moscow, have carried out
clear discrimination policies against ethnic Georgians.
All the four presidential candidates are promoting anti-Georgian
propaganda and following pro-Russian ideology.
Prior to the military confrontation in Abkhazia, ethnic Abkhazians
represented only 17% of the population, whereas Georgians were around
50% of the region. Although more than 250,000 Georgians were forced
to leave Abkhazian territory, ethnic Abkhazians still are not the
majority population in the region. There are almost equal number of
Georgians, Abkhazians and Armenians in the area, followed by Russians.
Abkhaz nationalists cannot confront Armenians, who are major supporters
of Russian interests in the region.
Of course, Abkhazians cannot confront the ethnic Russian population;
they can only suppress Georgians, who can influence the election
outcome if they participate in the process.
Abkhazians are afraid of Georgians because of even theoretic
possibility of reintegration of the region to Georgia. In this case,
Georgians would demand their properties be returned.
Amongst the four presidential candidates, Khajimba enjoys the best
odds, as he is backed by Russians. If Khajimba is elected he might be
given a chance by Russia to transfer ethnic Georgians from Gali. Such
a development will create a new wave of IDPs for Tbilisi and Georgia
will be punished for its Euro-Atlantic course.
Many things will be cleared-up after the August "presidential
elections" in Abkhazia.
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/3181_august_15_2014/3181_edit.html
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug 15 2014
By Messenger Staff
Friday, August 15
Russia is continuing its imperialistic policy in occupied Abkhazia.
Russia has declared the region an independent republic and currently
is backing the presidential elections there. The general mood in
Abkhazia is distinctly anti-Georgian. However, the current elections
are full of such attitudes more than ever. Ethnic Georgians living
in the Gali region are watching the events with fright. There is the
real possibility of ethnic Georgians being ousted from their homes
in Gali district as well.
The "presidential elections" in Abkhazia have four presidential
candidates. These are: Opposition leader Raul Khajimba, de-facto
Minister of Defense Merab Kishmaria, de-facto Interior Minister Leonid
Dzipshba and the head of the Security Council Aslan Bzhania. Thus,
only Raul Khajimba is not representing the current government, whose
leader Alexander Ankvab, was forced to resign by the opposition led
by Khajimba several months ago.
Khajimba is clearly pro-Russian and anti-Georgian. According to his
demand, Georgians living in the Gali region are forbidden to vote
in the presidential elections. He also initiated a policy that would
see ethnic Georgians from the Gali region deprived of their Abkhazian
passports.
Thus, separatists in Abkhazia, supported by Moscow, have carried out
clear discrimination policies against ethnic Georgians.
All the four presidential candidates are promoting anti-Georgian
propaganda and following pro-Russian ideology.
Prior to the military confrontation in Abkhazia, ethnic Abkhazians
represented only 17% of the population, whereas Georgians were around
50% of the region. Although more than 250,000 Georgians were forced
to leave Abkhazian territory, ethnic Abkhazians still are not the
majority population in the region. There are almost equal number of
Georgians, Abkhazians and Armenians in the area, followed by Russians.
Abkhaz nationalists cannot confront Armenians, who are major supporters
of Russian interests in the region.
Of course, Abkhazians cannot confront the ethnic Russian population;
they can only suppress Georgians, who can influence the election
outcome if they participate in the process.
Abkhazians are afraid of Georgians because of even theoretic
possibility of reintegration of the region to Georgia. In this case,
Georgians would demand their properties be returned.
Amongst the four presidential candidates, Khajimba enjoys the best
odds, as he is backed by Russians. If Khajimba is elected he might be
given a chance by Russia to transfer ethnic Georgians from Gali. Such
a development will create a new wave of IDPs for Tbilisi and Georgia
will be punished for its Euro-Atlantic course.
Many things will be cleared-up after the August "presidential
elections" in Abkhazia.
http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/3181_august_15_2014/3181_edit.html