Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia
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The Ethnic Cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia, also known as the Genocide of Georgians in Abkhazia (Georgian: ქართველთა გენოციდი აფხაზეთში, Russian: Геноцид грузинского населения Абхазии) or the Massacre of Georgians in Abkhazia [1][2] — refers to the massacres [3] and forced mass expulsion of thousands of ethnic Georgians living in Abkhazia (de jure Autonomous Republic of Georgia) during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict of 1991-1993 and 1998. Between 10,000 to 30,000 Georgians were killed by the Abkhaz separatists, foreign mercenaries, and, allegedly, by Russian Federation forces. Some ethnic Greeks, Estonians, Russians and moderate Abkhaz were also killed. [4]
The ethnic cleansing and massacres of Georgians has been officially recognized by the OSCE convention in 1994 and again in 1996 during the Budapest summit and condemned the “perpetrators of war crimes committed during the conflict.” [5] On July 8, 2004 prosecutors at the Hague-based UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) made the almost unprecedented decision to launch an investigation about genocide and crimes against humanity in Abkhazia. [6] The ICTY was provided with the documents selected from the 300 volumes of evidence about the genocide of Georgians in Abkhazia. These materials were collected by the Georgian Prosecutors' Office beginning in 1993 and allegedly contain horrific accounts of atrocities committed by the Abkhaz fighters and mercenaries from Russia.[7] The reports included a detailed description of how the separatists played soccer with the heads of dead Georgians on the field after the executions in Gagra.[8]
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[edit] Background
[edit] Military conflict in Abkhazia
- See also Georgian-Abkhaz conflict
| “ | Georgians can't live here any more, in Abkhazia they can only die”.[9] | ” |
State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices 1993:
The [Abkhaz] separatist forces committed widespread atrocities against the Georgian civilian population, killing many women, children, and elderly, capturing some as hostages and torturing others ... they also killed large numbers of Georgian civilians who remained behind in Abkhaz-seized territory.[10]
In 1992, the political situation in Abkhazia changed into the military confrontation between Georgian government and Abkhaz separatists. The fighting escalated as Georgian Interior and Defence Ministry forces along with police units reached the city of Gudauta. Separatists started to retreat from Georgian held territories. Under the alleged aid from Russia, they managed to re-arm and organize “volunteer battalions” from North Caucasus. In early 1991, Abkhaz separatist forces and their allies started their counterattack on Georgian held-positions. Abkhazia was known for its multi-ethnic population, which included Georgians (46% in 1989), Russians, Greeks, Armenians, Ukrainians, Abkhaz, etc. Ethnic Georgians living in Abkhazia started to organize their own battalions and resistance movements which inflicted a significant blow the separatist advance. Confronted with about 240,000 ethnic Georgians who were unwilling to leave their homes, Abkhaz side started the process of ethnic cleansing in order to expel and eliminate the Georgian ethnic population of Abkhazia. [11]
The total number of killed in the process of ethnic cleansing ranges from 10,000 to 30,000, which does not include the numbers of missing, wounded and tortured people. More than 200,000 ethnic Georgians were expelled from their homes. The ethnic cleansing also included Russians, Abkhaz, Armenians, Greeks and other minor ethnic groups living in Abkhazia. More than 20,000 houses owned by ethnic Georgians were destroyed. Hundreds of Schools, kindergartens, churches, hospitals, historical monuments were pillaged and destroyed.
After the end of the war, the government of Georgia, Hague War Crimes Tribunal, United Nations and OSCE, as well as the refugees themselves, began to investigate and gather facts about the allegations of genocide, ethnic cleansing and deportation which was conducted by the Abkhaz side during the conflict. In 1994 and again in 1996 the OSCE during the Budapest summit gave its official recognition of ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia and condemned the “perpetrators of war crimes committed during the conflict.” [12]
On March 2006, the Hague War Crimes Tribunal announced that it had reviewed all the documents submitted by the Georgian side. After a full-scale investigation, the Tribunal concluded that it would prosecute and start hearings against the campaign of ethnic cleansing, war-crimes and terror inflicted on ethnic Georgians in Abkhazia.
Reports of atrocities and war-crimes are still reaching the international community (especially the United Nations) from the Gali region. According to UN observers, the situation there is alarming.
"A terrible find has been made by the local residents of the mountains of Abkhazia, near the spot where clashes with the sea-born landing troops (attempting to cut the Ochamchire-Sokhumi highway) had taken place..Pieces of a human body were hanging on long wires from tree..Those were remains of two skinned Georgian men..It is not only soldiers that are killed. In the same woods, near one village there I found a corpse of a pregnant Georgian women. She had been raped and disemboweled."[13]
[edit] Facts of ethnic cleansing (1992-1993)
Following are few examples taken from the Helsinki Human Rights Watch Reports and documentation submitted for the review to United Nations and Hague War Crimes Tribunal.
[edit] 1992 ethnic cleansing campaign
[edit] Fall of Gagra
On September 3, 1992, the Russian mediated agreement was signed by the Georgian and Abkhaz sides which obliged Georgia to withdraw its military forces from the city of Gagra. In return, Abkhaz separatists from Gudauta were pressured to hold their attacks on the city. Soon after, Georgian forces (along with their tanks and heavy artillery) left the city. Only small pockets of armed groups (mainly ethnic Georgians of Gagra) remained. However, on October 1, the Abkhaz side violated the agreement and launched a full scale attack on Gagra. With the fall of the city, the Georgian population of Gagra was captured by the separatists and their allies. The first major massacres and ethnic-cleansing were committed during this time. [14]
After the fall of Gagra, the victors started to pillage, rape, and torture followed by summary executions of everyone who was captured and failed to flee the city in time. At 5:00 pm on October 1, civilians were rounded up and placed under the guard at the soccer stadium in downtown Gagra. On October 6, close to 50 civilians had been found hanging on electricity poles. Soon after, children, elderly, women and men who were detained on the soccer stadium were gunned down and dumped in mass graves not far from the stadium.
Russian military observer Mikhail Demianov (who was accused by the Georgian side of being the military advisor to the separatist leader Ardzinba) told Human Rights Watch:
- When they [Abkhaz] entered Gagra, I saw Shamyl Basaev's battalion. I have never seen such a horror. They were raping and killing everyone who was captured and dragged from their homes. Abkhaz commander Arshba raped 14 years old girl and later gave an order to execute her. For the whole day I only could hear the screams and cries of the people who were brutally tortured. On the next day, I witnessed the mass execution of people on the stadium. They installed machine guns and mortars on the top and placed people right on the field. It took couple of hours to kill everybody. [15]
UN observers started to investigate and gather all the facts concerning the war crimes during the fall of Gagra. The blame for cutting the heads off the dead was placed on Shamyl Basaev’s battalion. Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia Mikhail Jinjaradze was dragged out from his office and executed.
- The Abkhaz separatists killed people of other nationalities as well, including those who tried to protect Georgians. After the city was seized, the streets were covered with bodies. Separatists destroyed the Baramidze, Chkhetia, Baramia, Gvazava, Dzidziguri, Absandze, Shonia, and Kutsia families, as well as many others. [16]
[edit] Sukhumi
| “ | The shelling of Sokhumi (by Russians) is the most disgusting thing in this war. All the residents of Sokhumi remember the first shelling. It took place on 2 December 1992. The first rocket fell on Peace Street. They struck at crowded places. The next strategic 'target' was the town market which was hit with great precision. Eighteen people were killed that day. There were always lots of people in the market."[13] | ” |
On July 27, a similar agreement was signed as on September 3, 1992 in Gagra, with Russia and UN as mediators. Ones again Georgians had withdrawn all heavy artillery, tank and significant number of its troops from Sukhumi. The Abkhaz separatist along with their allies were forced by the agreement to hold their advance and heavy bombardment of the city. The Georgian side was reassured by Russia that Sukhumi would not be attacked or bombed if Georgian army would complete its withdrawal. The Georgian troops along with their tanks were evacuated by the Russian military ships to the city of Poti. The city was left without any significant defense. A large number of civilians stayed in Sukhumi and all school were re-opened on September 1st. However, Abkhaz separatists, North Caucasian Volunteers, Cossacks and Russian special forces attacked Sukhumi on September 16th at 8 a.m.
It marked the beginning of 12 days non-stop fighting around the besieged Sukhumi with intensive fighting and human loss from the both sides. Georgians who stayed in the city with some weapons were left without any defense from artillery or mechanized units. The union of theater actors of Sukhumi joined fighting along with other civilians who decided to fight. The city was mercilessly bombed by Russian air forces and separatist artillery. On September 27, the city fell as Abkhaz, Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus (CMPC) and Russian units stormed the House of the Government of Abkhazia. One of the most horrific massacres of this war has been waged on civilian population of Sukhumi after its downfall. During the storming of the city, close to 1,000 people perished as Abkhaz formations overrun the street of the city. The civilians who were trapped in the city were taken from their houses, basements and apartment building.
Russian journalist Dmitry Kholodov:[17]
- ...They captured a young girl. She was hiding in the bushes near the house where they killed her parents. She was raped several times. One of the soldiers killed her and mutilated her. She was cut in half. Near her body they left a massage: as this corpse will never be as one peace, Abkhazia and Georgia will never be united as well
The separatist and their allies captured Chairman of the Supreme Council Zhiuli Shartava, Mayor of Sukhumi Guram Gabiskiria, Mamia Alasania and other members of the Abkhaz government including the members of Sukhumi police. All of the captives were brutally massacred near the governmental building. The UN reports mention of Shartava being excessively tortured. [18]
The massacres continued after the fall of Sukhumi for about two weeks. Georgians who had failed to flee the city had been hiding in abandoned apartment buildings and house basements. Upon discovery by the militants, they were killed on the spot. One of the most brutal massacres of the war was committed during this period. Video materials show 5 year old child being brutally killed by Abkhaz militant in front of his mother on the streets of Sukhumi. Abkhaz nationals were also targeted during the Sukhumi massacres. Anyone who have tried to hide a Georgian refugee or helped in any way was condemned and killed. "Temur Kutarba, an Abhazian, was killed by an Adighe Soldier in front of his children, for not being an active in killing Georgians. V. Vadakaria, 23 and his Abhazian friend, who tried to defend him, both were killed."[19]
[edit] Ochamchire
"The Abkhazian separatist group captured sisters – Eka Jvania (17 years old) and Marina Jvania (14 years old), Leila Samushia and others in village Pshadi. They undressed them in front of their parents and neighbors, and raped them. After this the Abkhazians executed all of them by shooting."[20]
[edit] Post-war period
| “ | For all those volunteers who have contributed in our victory, we shall reward them with residency and citizenship. [21] | ” |
"And out of group of 12 front line soldiers, 2 were Abkhazian, 2 were Armenian, 1 Armenian locally from Sukhumi, 1 from Yerevan who was too young to go fight the good fight in Karabakh, and the rest were either from the North Caucasus or from places like in Siberia. What were they motivated by? Looting. They had been promised houses with tangerine gardens. They had been promised cars." [22]
The legacy of ethnic cleansing in Abkhazia had been devastating for the Georgian society. The war and the subsequent systematic ethnic cleansing produced about 270,000-300,000 of IDPs that fled to various Georgian regions, mostly in Samegrelo (Mingrelia) (112,208; UNHCR, June 2000). In Tbilisi and elsewhere in Georgia refugees occupy hundreds of hotels, dormitories and abandoned Soviet military barracks for temporary residency. Many of them have to leave for other countries, primarily to Russia, to search for work.
Some 40,000 IDPs sporadically returned in the Gali district after the 1994 ceasefire accord. However, almost half of those returned were again forced to flee and over 1,500 Georgian houses burned to the ground in May 1998, when bloody clashes erupted between the Abkhaz forces and Georgian guerillas. The situation in the Gali district remains precarious. The government of Georgia regularly protests against the persecution of remaining Georgian population in the area. Despite numerous reports about hostage taking, robbery, forced labor and forced conscription in the Abkhaz forces, the Sukhumi-based de facto authorities resolutely oppose the Georgian and UN urges to allow the opening a UN Human Rights office in the separatist-controlled town of Gali.
[edit] See also
- United Nations resolutions on Abkhazia
- Georgian Civil War
- History of Georgia
- Cases before the International Criminal Court#Georgia
[edit] Notes
- ^ Dr Andrew Andersen, Conflict in Abkhazia, YATT Publishing 2001
- ^ Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994.
- ^ Human Rights Watch Helsinki, Vol 7, No 7, March 1995, p 230
- ^ Amy McCallion, Separatism in Abkhazia, YETT Publishing, Washington, 2003
- ^ From the Resolution of the OSCE Budapest Summit, December 6, 1994
- ^ http://www.unpo.org/article.php?id=942
- ^ The Jamestown Foundation, Volume 1, Issue 57 (July 22, 2004)
- ^ Murphy, Paul J. (2004), The Wolves of Islam: Russia and the Faces of Chechen Terror, page 15. Brassey's, ISBN 1574888307
- ^ Quote by Valery Smir, "Komsomolskaya Pravda" December 19, 1992
- ^ U.S. State Department, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993, February 1994, pp. 877, 881.
- ^ US State Department, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993, February 1994, pp. 120
- ^ From the Resolution of the OSCE Budapest Summit, December 6, 1994
- ^ a b Dmitry Kholodov, Moscow journalist covering the Conflict, 1992
- ^ Human Rights Watch Report, First draft made in December 1993 and submitted to Helsinki office.
- ^ Human Rights Watch Interview, GL87650 Abkhazia, 1995.
- ^ Labirinth of Abkhazia by Vakhtang Kolbaia, p 34, 1999
- ^ Dmitry Kholodov, Moscow journalist covering the Conflict, 1992
- ^ Report of the UN Secretary General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, October 12, 1993
- ^ Eye Witness account, UN observers report, 1994
- ^ Report by Human Rights Watch Helsinki, March 1995
- ^ Quote by Vladislav Ardzinba (Separatist leader), "Izvestiya" October, 1992
- ^ Briefing on Current Situation in Georgia and Implications for U.S. Policy, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Monday, October 25, 1993', p.7
[edit] Bibliography
- Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994.
- Human Rights Watch. "Georgia/Abkhazia: Violations of the Laws of War and Russia's Role in the Conflict." Published on hrw.org, March 1995.
- Lynch, Dov. The Conflict in Abkhazia: Dilemmas in Russian 'Peacekeeping' Policy. Royal Institute of International Affairs, February 1998.
- Marshania L. Tragedy of Abkhazia Moscow, 1996
- White Book of Abkhazia. 1992-1993 Documents, Materials, Evidences. Moscow, 1993.
- Dmitry Kholodov, Moscow journalist covering the Conflict, 1992
- Andersen, Andrew. "Russia Versus Georgia: One Undeclared War in the Caucasus." Published October 2001.
[edit] External links
- Report by Human Rights Watch Helsinki about ethnic cleansing committed in Abkhazia
- Documented accounts of ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia (Russian)
- Video file, capture of Zhuili Shartava, Guram Gabiskiria, Raul Eshba, etc and their execution
- Video file, ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia
- "Abkhazia: An Open Wound in Georgia" by Dr. Andrew Andersen
- Government of Abkhazia (-in-exile)
- Exile Images - Thomas Morley: The forgotten refugees of Abkhazia
- Picture Gallery - Georgian Refugees in Abkhazian War
- (Russian) www.apsny.ru
