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The Ethnic Cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia Budapest Declaration and Geneva Declaration on Ethnic Cleansing of Georgians n Abkhazia between 1992-1993 adopted by the OSCE and recognized as ethnic cleansing in 1994 and 1999 http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Europe/Georgia-HISTORY.html, also known as the '''Genocide of Georgians in Abkhazia''' Геноцид грузинского населения Абхазии, http://www.abkhazeti.ru/pages/main/warabkhazia.html http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2006/02/02/72217.html(, ) or the Massacre of Georgians in Abkhazia 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. — refers to Ethnic Cleansing Human Rights Watch Helsinki, Vol 7, No 7, March 1995, p 230 Massacres 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. Amy McCallion, Separatism in Abkhazia, YETT Publishing, Washington, 2003 The ethnic cleansing and massacres of Georgians has been officially recognized by the OSCE convention in 1994 and again in 1996 during the '', 1994-12-06 The International Criminal Court is currently investigating allegations of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity in Abkhazia. http://www.unpo.org/article.php?id=942 The ICC 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.The Jamestown Foundation, Volume 1, Issue 57 (July 22, 2004), {Link without Title} 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.Murphy, Paul J. (2004), ''The Wolves of Islam: Russia and the Faces of Chechen Terror'', page 15. Brassey's, ISBN 1574888307 BACKGROUND Military conflict in Abkhazia See also Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict The 1994 U.S. State Department Country Reports describes scenes of massive human rights abuse:
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 took Sukhumi and came near the city of Gudauta . The ethnically-based policies initiated by the Georgians in Sukhumi created simultaneously refugees and a core of fighters determined to regain lost homes.Human Rights Watch report. Georgia/Abkhazia: Violations of the Laws of War and Russia's Role in the Conflict , page 23. Published in March, 1995 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 to the separatist advance. Confronted with approximately 300,000 Federal Practice: Exploring Alternatives for Georgia and Abkhazia by Bruno Coppieters ethnic Georgians who were unwilling to leave their homes, Abkhaz side implemented the process of Ethnic Cleansing in order to expel and eliminate the Georgian ethnic population in Abkhazia. US State Department, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993, February 1994, pp. 120 The total number of killed in the process of ethnic cleansing ranges from 10,000 to 30,000 Federal Practice: Exploring Alternatives for Georgia and Abkhazia by Bruno Coppieters, p. 32 , which does not include the numbers of missing, wounded and tortured people. More than 250,000 ethnic Georgians were expelled from their homes. The campaign ethnic cleansing also included Russians , moderate 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.Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow by S. A. Chervonnaia and Svetlana Mikhailovna Chervonnaia, pp 12-13 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.” From the Resolution of the OSCE Budapest Summit, December 6, 1994 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. The conflict in Abkhazia: dilemmas in Russian 'peacekeeping' policy, Lynch, Dov, pp 36-37 Challenges to peacebuilding : managing spoilers during conflict resolution Newman Edward, p 282 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. 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. Fall of Gagra See Also: Battle of Gagra On September 3, 1992, the Russian mediated agreement was signed between Georgian and Abkhaz separatist sides which obliged Georgia to withdraw its military forces from the city of Gagra. The agreement forced Abkhaz separatists from Gudauta to hold their attacks on the city. Soon after, the Georgian forces which included Shavnabada, Avaza and White Eagle battalions (along with their tanks and heavy artillery) left the city. Only small pockets of armed groups (made up of volunteers units of the ethnic Georgians of Gagra) remained. However, on October 1, the Abkhaz side violated the agreement and launched a full scale attack on Gagra. The attack was well coordinated and mainly carried out by the Chechen (under the command of Shamil Basaev ) and North Caucasian militants. Meantime in Gagra, Georgian small detachments lost the control of the city suburbs (Leselidze and Kolkhida) and eventually were destroyed in the city center by the end of October 1st. 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 the fall of Gagra. Human Rights Watch Report, First draft made in December 1993 and submitted to Helsinki office. People of all ages were rounded up from Gagra, Leselidze, Kolkhida and killed. When the separatist militants entered the city, civilians became a target of mass murder. The main targets were young people and children. According to the witness account: ''"When I returned home I was surprised to see a lot of armed people on the street. They were quiet. I mistook one of them for my Georgian neighbour, and I said, "How are you?" in Georgian. He grabbed me by the wrist and said, "Keep quiet." I wasn’t afraid for myself; I thought they had killed my family. He asked me in Russian, "Where are your young people? We won’t kill you, we’ll kill them." I said they weren’t here, that there were only old people left."'' Human Rights Watch report. Georgia/Abkhazia: Violations of the Laws of War and Russia's Role in the Conflict , page 26. Published in March, 1995 Women and young girls captured by the militants became the victims of rape and torture. One elderly Georgian woman who lived through the October attack in Gagra recounted the following: ''"They brought over a blind man and his brother, who always stayed with him. They began to beat the blind man, his brother and his wife with a gun butt, calling him "dog!" and kicking him. He fell over. I saw blood. One soldier said: "We won’t kill you, but where are the young girls?" I said there weren’t any."'' Human Rights Watch report. Georgia/Abkhazia: Violations of the Laws of War and Russia's Role in the Conflict , page 27. Published in March, 1995 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 (approximately 1000-1500 people) 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. A 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: 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. Massacre in Kamani See Also: Kamani massacre After the failed attempt of the separatist forces and their allies to storm Sukhumi on March 14th, 1993, Abkhaz diverted their main forces to the northern side of the front line which divided Georgian held Sukhumi and separatist controlled territories. On July 4, the Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus militia, Abkhaz formations, and Armenian , Gulripsh , Labra and Tamishi . No peace, no war in the Caucasus: Secessionist conflicts in Chechnya, Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh by Edward W Walker Sukhumi See Also: Sukhumi Massacre On July 27, a similar agreement was signed on September 3, 1992 in Gagra, with Russia and the UN as mediators. Once again Georgians had withdrawn all heavy artillery, tank and significant number of its troops from Sukhumi. The Abkhaz separatists 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 was waged on the civilian population of Sukhumi after its downfall. During the storming of the city, close to 1,000 people perished as Abkhaz formations overran the streets of the city. The civilians who were trapped in the city were taken from their houses, basements and apartment building. Russian journalist Dmitry Kholodov:Dmitry Kholodov, Moscow journalist covering the Conflict, 1992 The separatists and their allies captured the Chairman of the Supreme Council Zhiuli Shartava , the Mayor of Sukhumi Guram Gabiskiria , Mamia Alasania and other members of the Abkhaz government including the members of Sukhumi police. Initially they were promised safety, Zhiuli Shartava memorial page but eventually killed, and the UN report mentions Shartava being excessively tortured. Report of the UN Secretary General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, October 12, 1993 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 a 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 active in killing Georgians. V. Vadakaria, 23 and his Abhazian friend, who tried to defend him, both were killed."''Eye Witness account, UN observers report, 1994 Ochamchire Approximately 400 Georgian families were killed Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994. during the Abkhaz offensive on Ochamchire . Similar to Gagra events of 1992, the local inhabitants were driven to the city soccer stadium Akhaldaba. Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994. Men, woman and children were separated from each other. Within hours, the men were executed while woman and teenagers were raped and later killed. State Department, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993, February 1994According to witness accounts, Abkhaz separatist organized detention camps where teenege girls and woman were kept for 25 days. During this period they were systematically raped and abused. The conflict in Abkhazia: dilemmas in Russian 'peacekeeping' policy, Lynch, Dov, p 34 Besides the atrocities being committed on civilians, more than 50 Georgian prisoners of war were executed. The mass killing of civilians also accured in other parts of Ochamchire district, mainly in Kochara (heavily populated by ethnic Georgians, pre-war estimates 5340 people lived in Kochara). Approximately 235 civilians were killed and 1000 houses were destroyed. The conflict in Abkhazia: dilemmas in Russian 'peacekeeping' policy, Lynch, Dov, pp 16-17 ''"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."''Report by Human Rights Watch Helsinki, March 1995 GALI After the fall of Sukhumi, the only region in Abkhazia which maintained its large ethnic Georgian population was Gali. The ethnic composition of Gali region differed from the rest of Abkhazia. The region was mainly populated by ethnic Georgians and never experienced any military activity during the war. Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow. Gothic Image Publications, 1994. In the beginning of 1994, Abkhaz separatists confronted by the reality of the large ethnic Georgian presence within the borders of Abkhazia continued its policy of ethnic cleansing and forced expulsion of ethnic Georgians. Briefing on Current Situation in Georgia and Implications for U.S. Policy, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, October 25, 1993 United Nations observers witnessed the events of 94 as they unfolded. Report of the UN Secretary General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, October 12, 1994 Between February 8 and 13 Abkhaz separatist militia and their allies attacked the villages and populated areas of Gali region, killing, raping and destroying houses (approximately 4,200 houses were destroyed as the result). S State Department, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993, February 1994 Despite the presence of Russian CIS peacekeeping forces, the massacres and mass killing of ethnic Georgians was carried out between 1995-1996 which resulted in 450 death and thousands of IDPs fleeing eastwards. S State Department, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993, February 1994In 1997, more than 1,300 civilians perished, thousands of houses burned and hundreds of cultural centers and churches looted. By 1998, almost all of ethnic Georgian population (approximately 50,000 people) in Gali region was forcefully driven out. Chervonnaia, Svetlana Mikhailovna. ''Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow.'' Gothic Image Publications, 1994. POST-WAR PERIOD "''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''." 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 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. SEE ALSO
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