ETHNIC ARMENIANS SAID STAGING ANTIGOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA

Kavkas-Press, Georgia
Oct 5 2005

Tbilisi, 5 October: Up to 10 shops have been closed in Akhalkalaki
[mainly ethnic Armenian-populated town in southern Georgia] after the
arrival there of tax service officials from Tbilisi. About 300 town
residents then gathered outside the Akhalkalaki District administration
to protest about the actions of the Georgian government. Local police
officials broke up the protest using rubber truncheons. They also
fired several shots in the air.

Several people were hurt, some of whom were admitted to hospital.

More residents of Akhalkalaki and nearby villages are gathering in
the town centre. The situation is very tense.

Heads of Armenian public organizations in Javakheti are convinced
that the closure of Armenian-owned shops and the brutal break-up of
the protest are aimed at exerting pressure on Javakheti’s Armenians
following demands by a forum of local public organizations on 24
September for Samtskhe-Javakheti to be granted autonomous status.

Such aggressive behaviour by the Georgian government will destabilize
the whole region because the region’s Armenian population is left with
no choice other than to use force to protect its interests and dignity,
heads of public organizations believe, according to Javakhk-Info
[news agency].

The deputy governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Papuna Khachidze, has
told Kavkas-Press that governor Goga Khachidze is currently in
Akhalkalaki. “We do not have more details yet, so we would refrain
from further comment,” he said.

A source in the Georgian law-enforcement agencies has told Kavkas-Press
that governor Goga Khachidze is conducting talks with local people
who have grievances against the Georgian tax service.

The source confirmed that shots were fired in the air but said that
they were fired by one of the protesters.