GEORGIA: Five years after Russia-Georgia war, thousands of refugees still displaced

Record ID: 274424

  • Title: GEORGIA: Five years after Russia-Georgia war, thousands of refugees still displaced
  • Date: 7th August 2013
  • Summary: UNNAMED LOCATION NEAR BREAKAWAY SOUTH OSSETIA BORDER, GEORGIA (FILE- JULY, 2013) (REUTERS) ONE OF VILLAGE ROADS BARRED BY FENCE AND GATE SIGN READING IN OSSETIAN AND RUSSIAN LANGUAGES: 'REPUBLIC OF SOUTH OSSETIA' VILLAGE DITSI, GEORGIA (FILE- JULY, 2013) (REUTERS) FENCE ALONG ADMINISTRATIVE BORDER LINE VILLAGER WITH COWS WALKING ALONG FENCE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA ON POST
  • Embargoed: 22nd August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Georgia
  • Country: Georgia
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADTEJF5UJQ5PKDOITT6RDLH85C
  • Story Text: Five years after the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, thousands of internally displaced Georgians still dream to return to their native villages in South Ossetia but hope dwindles away, and people try to decide whether Russia or NATO can help them.


    Thousands of displaced ethnic Georgians remain in government-built settlements five years after the 2008 Georgia-Russia war, many of them struggling to decide whether Russia or NATO can best help their country's future.
    Russia crushed a Georgian assault on South Ossetia launched after days of clashes between Georgian and rebel forces and years of growing tensions between Moscow and U.S. ally Tbilisi.
    Shortly after the war Russia recognised Georgia's two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.
    Diplomatic ties between Georgia and Russia were severed in 2008. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev refused to deal with President Mikheil Saakashvili, whom they blame for the war, though the EU countries and the U.S strongly support Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
    The rise of Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili last year, who made his fortune doing business in Russia, has brought signs of a thaw in relations with its northern neighbour, but not an immediate solution for more than 20,000 displaced people from South Ossetia.
    The Kakhniashvili family was displaced from their village Kekhvi in South Ossetia during the Russia-Georgia war.
    Nodar Kakhniashvili, a 72-year-old pensioner, lives with his extended family in Karaleti settlement along with up to 500 other families.
    "We want to return to our motherland. I do not need these valleys, my mountainous part of country is the best place for me. And Kekhvi is a village with a big history together with the entire gorge," Nodar Kakhniashvili said.
    "If they (Russians) let us in, it will be only on condition of obedience to them and we will be like slaves on our own lands. I'd rather die from starvation here than to agree on such life there," Nodar's niece Ketevan said.
    "So we are stuck here since then (the war), but what else can we do? What can we do? I agree with my uncle, (Nodar Kakhniasahvili) - the only our way out is to stick to the road to NATO," Ketevan added.
    Ivanishvili has promised to leave relations with Europe and the United States in place as priorities but repeatedly blames president Saakashvili for his "reckless" engagement in the war over South Ossetia with Russia.
    Ketevan's brother Bakur Kakhniashvili, who is critical of Saakashvili's polices, still blames the war on Russia, saying he and his friends observed well-armed Russian troops near his native village before the war started.
    "There were hundreds of tanks and other military equipment their (near village Ugardanta). When we returned to the village I told my friends something bad was about to happen with us. The territory was just packed with weapon. Of course, I am not a politician, I am not anti-(President) Saakashvili or anti- (Prime Minister) Ivanishvili, I respect my people, but our government was absolutely right in one thing, I mean (President Mikheil) Saakashvili and others Russia started the (2008) war," Bakur told Reuters.
    In one of his latest interviews Prime Minister Ivanishvili said that that his "pragmatic" policy, specifically in relations with Russia, was aimed at "ending Cold War rhetoric and avoiding the irresponsible actions that led Georgia into the 2008 conflict."
    For Nodar Kakhniashvili, however, the only solution that would allow Georgia to pursue peace and democracy, is for Russian troops to withdraw.
    "De-occupation should take place. Russia's troops should withdraw and return to pre-war positions and then Georgia will be able to handle its policies, democratic processes or whatever," Nodar said.
    Russia and Georgia held direct talks about bilateral relations in Geneva in December, and last month the Georgian Orthodox Church leader, Ilia II, met Putin and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church during a visit to Moscow.
    Russia reopened market for Georgian wine and mineral waters, which was booked years before the war. Georgia has also said it would participate in the 2014 Olympic games in Sochi, bordering Azkhazia, another breakaway Georgia's region recognised by Russia as an independent country.
    Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made most of his fortune worth $5.3 billion - or more than a third of Georgia's gross domestic product - in Russia, wants Georgia to join NATO and the European Union, but has said he would also seek better ties with his northern neighbour, a pivot of geopolitical rivalry between the West and Russia, which routed Georgian forces in a five-day war in August 2008.
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