Here is what the UN report has to say about the intensive Georgian media coverage of the Abkhazia conflict area in the recent months:
In recent couple of months the Georgian television stations have been extensively reporting about alleged declaration of a state of emergency in Gali; the deployment there of large Abkhaz forces and the closure of the ceasefire line around the time of the January 5 presidential election; the burning of seven houses in the villages of Otobaia, Nabakevi and Tagiloni by Abkhaz forces accompanied by the Russian peacekeepers, who allegedly detained eight local Georgian residents; the massive detention of Gali residents by Abkhaz forces; the vandalizing of road signs in the Georgian language and the burning of Georgian language books in schools by the Abkhaz militiamen, with the assistance of the Russian peacekeeping force.
…The Secretary-General’s report says that UN observers patrolling in the Gali district found that these media reports “proved mostly groundless.” “By and large, these patrols found that the information was sometimes baseless, sometimes only partially correct and, in some cases, misconstrued,” it said.
Who can be held responsible or asked to clarify this? Probably no one. In the meantime more “alarming” stories are to be expected.
Abkhazia is always on Georgia’s mind. Throughout the recent presidential elections in Georgia, the Abkhazia topic was probably more actual than 
what some of the presidential candidates had to communicate to their electorate.
The pro-Governmental Rustavi 2 channel was the most active in covering the Abkhazia affairs. For instance, on 21 December Rustavi 2 claimed that a fight broke out among the Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone, which resulted in 6 injured.
The peacekeeping mission in Abkhazia denied this information.
On January 5, similar story was aired: a fight broke out among Russian and Chechen peacekeepers who are under the same command. Allegedly the reason was that Chechens wanted to let through a busload of Georgians from Abkhazia who intended to vote in presidential elections. Later that day, it was claimed that two Russian officers died as a result of this incident.
This information was denied by the peacekeepers too.
Another news clip involved the Abkhaz burning Georgian houses in order to intimidate those who planned to vote. The argument which the Abkhaz used was that people of Abkhazia had to decide whether they lived in Abkhazia or Georgia. The burning of the houses has either not been confirmed or poorly followed up.
Even if indeed they were burnt (which wouldn’t be shocking as the situation is rather strained there), “the adequate reaction” promised by the Georgian side is yet to be unveiled. I would be upset if someone would promise some response to protect me and later just sent an email somewhere.
Continue reading ‘Chechens, Rustavi 2 and Elections in Georgia’
