damaging testimony on war, former ambassador

Wow. I don't know exactly how credible former ambassador to Russia, Erosi Kitsmarishvili really is, especially as he is no longer the ambassador and the political climate seems to be turning away from Saakashvili following the events of the August war, but this testimony seriously undermines the credibility of the current administration.

Starting in 2004, Kitsmarishvili traces a series of events and meetings that suggested that a peaceful solution or 'deal' with Russia over South Ossetia, however undesirable, was routinely rejected or avoided by the Georgian side. Further, he accuses former defense minister Okruashvili and Saakashvili of plotting war as early as August 2004, closely averted by then Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania (found dead of mysterious circumstances in February, 2005, see this blog entry).

It will be interesting to see if labeling this testimony as 'pro-Russian rhetoric by a disgruntled former minister' by the investigating "Commission" will sufficiently discredit this testimony. Otherwise I'm interested to see what happens next. Here's a Kitsmarishvili quote from the public interview, which is found in a full article here:


"On June 19 Iakobashvili said in my presence and also in presence of other Georgian participants of the meeting that was held in Moscow [referring to a meeting co-organized by Institute of Contemporary Development], including Zurab Abashidze, former Georgian ambassador to Russia and Davit Aprasidze [chairman of the Tbilisi-based think-tank Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development], that the Georgian side was capable of taking over Tskhinvali in three hours; when I told him that Russia would respond, Iakobashvili said: ‘Russians will not even move their fingers about it.’"

Article with good local quotes

A couple good articles taking in different perspectives have come out. Here are a couple of quotes from one I recommend (full article here):

"The war with Russia last August did not come near the capital, but this part of Tbilisi looks bombed out all the same. What happened? It's just decay, they say. Much worse than during the Soviet era. "Just look at the state of the buildings," says Alexander. "It was never like that before. No one has work."

The Americans gave $22m during the war in August and promised another $1bn in September. That came on top of $1.6bn in outside investment in 2007, much of it from the US, a 40 per cent increase on the previous year. The foreigners are to blame for this whole mess, Alexander asserts, because they prop up dodgy regimes.

"Our government is more corrupt than any other in the world. And the US and the UK support them in their corruption."

The American money has not benefited the likes of Alexander. To reach the capital's Armenian quarter from the international airport there is only one route: straight down President George W Bush Street, the only pothole-free highway in town, festooned with pictures of a waving Bush. But Alexander can't afford to travel abroad and doesn't expect to be able to find the money any time soon, so he has never driven along the route.

****
If the situation with Russia is not resolved quickly, says Darjani, his business could dissolve:

"Russia spits on the world and on any- one who gets in the way of their great empire. The current government has ruined years of friendship between Georgia and Russia. I don't blame ordinary Russians, though. I have a lot of friends living in Moscow and Leningrad. But the people of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are Georgians. Their nationalities have been artificially created by the Russians - they give them passports and money and promise them autonomy. So then of course they want to be Russian. But what about the fact that it is our territory and there are Georgians living there?"

Many of these South Ossetians and Abkha zians have sought refuge in Tbilisi, living in hospitals and schools. Their numbers are estimated at anything between 20,000 and 60,000.

singers in a refugee camp

Of the many tidbits of news I receive from Georgia, this vignette stuck out:


"Yesterday I was invited to a small concert. My host once made his living as a professional singer. He's been unemployed for some time now. With 4 other (unemployed) professional singers they formed a small ensemble. They're currently singing in a restaurant, making about $30/week -- which goes nowhere here. The building where they rehearse is an arts school, with a small stage and various classrooms and rehearsal rooms. Since this conflict/war, about 100 refugees from the Tskhinvali region were moved into the arts school. Now everyone's making do with a less than ideal situation.

As the singers began to sing, refugee children and adults crowded around the door, finally about a dozen of them coming in and enjoying the concert. What a picture of modern day Georgia - for all too many people! Very powerful moments.

I hope you will prayerfully consider supporting the work of the American Friends of Georgia.
May God bless you and yours!"

Mat. Jan

Help Gori area students

Here is one good initiative that I've learned of in the conflict affected area: two former Peace Corps volunteers, whose program was suspended due to the war this summer, have started a non-profit to help students get back to school. They're looking for donations, here is the blurb:

Gori Regional Education Fund

Posted by: "jeremy_bauman" baumanjeremy@hotmail.com jeremy_bauman

Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:57 pm (PST)

I'm a former US Peace Corps volunteer who lived and worked in Gori.
My sitemate and I had our service interrupted because of the war, and
when Peace Corps decided to suspend our program, we chose to return
to help in any way the wonderful community that had supported us and
that we had grown to love.

We sought to help address a need that no other organization or group
was meeting. After consulting with colleagues, friends and community
leaders, including the Rector of Gori University, we learned that
over half of the students at Gori University could not pay their
tuition because of the effects of the war.

Therefore, we started the "Gori Regional Education Fund," a legally-
registered NGO in Georgia that provides scholarships for Gori
University students. We have announced our first round of
scholarships, to be issued December 8th. Students must complete an
application and interview, and will be selected by a committee that
is not affiliated with the University. Scholarships are awarded based
on academic performance, need and merit.

For more information, or to make a donation, please visit our website
www.gorifund.org (still some glitches, but functioning) or email us
at info@gorifund.org.

Many thanks,
Jeremy

Jeremy Bauman
Assistant Director
Gori Regional Education Fund