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'There Is no Way to Peace; Peace Is the Way' - An Appeal to the Georgian Nation


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Abkhazia Way
“Georgia, We Love You,” write Abkhazian Children (in Russian).

Marika Shonia, Tbilisi

“Abkhazia is our land and we must return it - these words are often heard in Georgia. Unfortunately, we speak less about the people than about the larger events that control their lives.  When I arrive in Sokhumi I am often asked whether we want Abkhazia if it is empty of the Abkhaz people. And I do not know what to answer because I feel we have not settled ourselves what we in fact want-to get the land back or reconcile with the people,” said Mrs. Esma who was born in Abkhazian family and now she is a mother of Georgian children and lives in Tbilisi.

This is the first question that must be answered. When we greet Abkhazia with songs we should also make sure that the Abkhaz people feel that this greeting is not only for white sanatoria and sea gulls but to those people with whom we have lived for many years. Our respondents consider that reconnection of these severed links is the shortest and the best way back to Abkhazia.
 
“Although there was war and it is too difficult to overcome all the pain, I cannot remember the warm and particular relations that once existed, there was such a geniality that existed between us. I do not want to delete all these because of the mistakes of some …and we the people should not lose each other because there were shared and like relationships that brought us that much  closer than just a common land,” said Mrs. Esma.

Esma Kokoskeria, editor of the Abkhazian “Moambe” (news program) that is part of Georgian Public Broadcasting spoke about these relationships. The program, Mrs. Esma and her colleagues  prepare seeks to restore such links and relationships; it has been demonstrated that the work they do has already had some results. Mrs. Esma said that their program is watched with great interest in Abkhazia. However, the signal reaches only as far as the Ochamchire District but the program is also watched from satellite in other parts of Abkhazia. As it was considered, the Abkhazian populace is particularly keen on the part of their program that reveals the lives of IDPs from Abkhazia. However, news item are not that much interesting for them to watch.

“People have chance to see familiar faces:  faces of those that they are missing; former neighbors, relatives, friends…and when we show that these people are alive, they are able to remember Abkhazia and those former relationships that they miss the most. Naturally it causes an appropriate reaction from the other side too.”

Although old generations knows each other and have much to recall about another time in their lives, the same is not true for the new generation. They have never had any links with each other, and they were even born during a period of brutal hostilities. What do young Abkhaz people know about Georgians other than we started war in the first place?

 Mrs. Esma answered this question:

“Abkhazian youth have never seen live Georgian in Abkhazia. They have no information about the mentality of their Georgian friends; their positions, etc. I remember one occasion when several years ago one young boy told me in Abkhazia how he could sleep peacefully if he knew that a Georgian was living next to him…When people do much effort to reinforce the image of enemy the result is always similar. The point is that, we, people on Georgian side, managed to overcome the tragedy during fifteen years. However, life continues. There was different situation in Abkhazia; and it is as if time has stopped; they now live in a locked environment; when you are shown terrible pictures of the war everyday and the youth are told all of what happened and how they should never forget it, it certainly has an impact on the psychic.”

Three years ago, with the initiative of the Georgian-Abkhazian Relationship Institute with Zurab Shengelia as the director, we invited a group of Abkhaz youngsters and warriors were among them. They attended Rugby match in Tbilisi and saw a musical clip of Nikolshow and liked it very much. Abkhaz youngsters said they would also like to have similar clip in Abkhazian language. We grabbed the idea and started to realize it. Besides Nikolshow’s clip we recorded seven more Georgian songs into Abkhazian. Among them are songs of Georgian singers, Utsnobi, Lela Tsurtsumia, Mtsvane Otakhi and others…we took those records to Abkhazia. And do you know what their first reaction was?! “They seem to be talented people,” they were surprised. 

Just imagine the lack information that they have about us. There were songs that were so popular in Abkhazia that it was listened everywhere, in bars, restaurants, cars, wedding-parties… People guessed that neither Utsnobi nor other singers were politicians. People sang those songs warmly and expressed their true feelings; their songs were void of any slogans, appeals or secret ideas. Thus, no government and politics could prevent people from sharing in the songs. But as soon as they detect something political or similar in the song they perceive it with suspicion. I have heard that people expressed their willingness to organize concerts with Georgian singers in Abkhazia. However, it may impossible to make this reality now because it can only be accomplished with the collection will of a society

Besides that I want to recall celebration of Abkhazian Days in Ethnographic Museum last year. We have invited nearly ten people from Abkhazia and they arrived to us. Everything was done in Abkhazian style for the event: in the Abkhazian hut, with Abkhazian furniture, Abkhazian dishes and even an Abkhazian goat was brought from Abkhazia for the occasion. The Georgian National Anthem was performed in Abkhazian language; there were lots of Abkhazian songs, dances were performed. Our guests were crying and saying they would have never imagined in Sokhumi that a similar event could be arranged in the centre of Tbilisi.

Two years ago a very good exchange program was implemented. Fifteen Georgian children went to Sokhumi over the summer for two weeks; approximately fifteen Abkhazian youngsters of 16-17-years-old had a rest in Bakuriani (mountainous resort in Georgia) during the winter. Finally, the children were given sheets of papers where they wrote their impression. One of them wrote: “Georgia, I love you.”

These children saw that life continues on the other side of the River Enguri. As a result of their activities they were able to leave Tbilisi with a happy feeling. However, as far as I know these children have some problems in Sokhumi because of their trip. The main point is that they would never forget the warmth they experienced in Tbilisi.

Consequently, I think these people need more information and have more positive experiences. I think the main point that makes problems and creates obstacles between us is the level of mistrust; they do not believe that we care about something more than the territory in Abkhazia and not its people. They say they know what Russia represents and in fact why Georgians, who were once their brothers, have doomed them such a similar fate? Abkhazian people are looking in the direction of Russia, not because they love Russia more than Georgia, simply they do not believe Georgians; I cannot believe that they love Russia.

However, it must be pointed out that recently the ordinary contacts between the sides are on the increase; people are coming from Abkhazia. People need medical treatments there and they have not been provided the opportunity receive proper assistance there; treatment in Russia is too expensive; they prefer to arrive here. Only recently nearly fifteen people arrived for medical assistance in Georgia. They were suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, drug-addition and some other serious health problems. I would like to thank to the Ministry of Healthcare for implementing various programs that paid for the medical treatment of these afflicted people. It was important because Abkhazian people should see that their lives can continue in Georgia and would be better off than what they might have been in Russia. We should attract these people with something to offer.  I think that similar attractions are appearing more often. I cannot say that similar positive changes are all that frequent but we have several examples thus far.

For example, this year two Abkhazian youngsters took Georgian National Exams and entered universities. One of them is a boy from Gagra and the other, girl was from Sokhumi. Although they could not get 100 % to qualify for a scholarship grant they did pass the exams; in Georgian language they received 28 points and I was very impressed and surprised with such result. As far as I know these children are assisted partially by the Ministry of Education and their universities in being able to pay for the tuition fees.

I think similar initiatives must be fully appreciated. In parallel, we should point out that nobody has more responsibility in front of the international society to take care of Abkhaz people than the Georgian state.

We must not forget that we share the same historical and cultural cradle. Our traditions and customs are identical; particularly those demonstrating the Megrelian and Abkhazian traditions. Although I am neither a historian nor an ethnographer, I have traveled around Georgia and nobody can assure me that Megrelian person is closer to Kakheti resident than with one who is Abkhazian. The links between these people are so colossal; for example customs of organizing, funerals, wedding parties or throwing of ordinary parties.”

Other respondents are in agreement with the thoughts of Mrs. Esma. Mrs. Shorena Pilia, who represents a mixed Georgian-Abkhazian family, and serves as the director of the non-governmental organization “Pirispir” (an organizations that brings Abkhaz women who reside in Georgia closer together); this organization also considers that the links between Abkhaz and Georgian people are based on deep historical and cultural roots and how these must be protected.

The organization “Pirispir” published a book “Fate of Women” which retold the tragic stories of mixed Georgian and Abkhazian families during the war. The book was distributed in Abkhazia too and many took a substantial interest in the book. It exposes that the war brought pain to both the Georgian and Abkhazian sides. However, our respondents, who have endured all aspects of the disaster themselves, consider that it is a common pain that should not make the two nations stay split and to continue to treat each with such cruelty.

Shorena Pilia: “I want my children to be able to travel to Abkhazia and I want them to know that they have relatives there who love and miss them. They are already grown up but still recall the period when they were having a rest in my native village of Likhni with my Abkhaz relatives. My children miss those times.”

Lolita Urushadze: “I was born in a mixed family. My mother is Abkhaz, Tina Mukba. My father was Georgian. When the war started and Georgian supported Georgians, Abkhaz people considered that they also had to protect themselves but in fact what did we have to fights over? I am sure if armed forces had not involved the situation there the situation would never have so much provoked. The people were forced to join-in the hostilities … t caused a great deal of pain for all sides….  Today, when landscapes of Abkhazia are shown on TV I try to show them to my child. I want him to know that it is his homeland and that his relatives living there…. I want him to love everything that is Abkhazian. I wish Abkhaz children also were brought up with similar attitude towards things in Georgia.  They must also be reminded that they have relatives, friends on our side too … and that not hostility is the answer. We need to know the love that has also existed between us.”

Marina Arshba: “My son Giorgi was a health and first aid instructor.  He died during the war. He always tried to reconcile the opposing sides. He went to the war for that very purpose and did not want to fight but to find reconciliation.  Although there is nothing more precious for the mother than a son, I think the pain should not make us cruel towards one another. I do not think somebody wanted to kill the sons that belonged to others.

Despite all my pain, I support the idea of teaching our children how to love Abkhaz people. I think we should organize meetings of the younger generations. For example, I have grandchildren of the age of 7 and 12. It would be nice if they met their pals from Abkhazia. They would not tell anything insulting to each other if we, adults, would not teach them to hate.

I remember so much kindness and love from Abkhazia. My father, Sokrat Arshba, was a famous surgeon. Initially he worked in Abkhazia and later in Tbilisi. He and his family were always respected and well loved. I remember this very well – something that I will never forget.”  

30 Apr. '08

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