LOCAL REFUGEES REACT TO RUSSIAN/GEORGIAN CRISIS
Morgan White, morgan.white@wbko.com

WBKO
Aug 12, 2008
KY

As tension between Russia and Georgia continues, area refugees react
to the violence.

The women we spoke with came to the U.S. in the 90’s, but say the
violence in Eastern Europe still hits close to home.

"It’s a nightmare because we are talking about more than three thousand
people who have been killed in 24 to 48 hours, and most of them are
women and kids," says Evelina Gevorgiyan who came to the U.S. as a
refugee eleven years ago and has since made Bowling Green her home.

"Bowling Green is a small town, but we love this town," she says. "It’s
quiet, especially if you have kids."

Evelina lived in Armenia in Southern Russia, and says coming to a
new country has had it’s challenges.

"Everything is new for you as immigrants here in the U.S. It’s a new
culture, new language, and everything is new. But people are very,
very nice," Evelina says.

Among those who have befriended Evelina is Oksana Barko who came to
the U.S. as a refugee in 1995. She says news of the Russia / Georgia
conflict hits close to home.

"I was shocked. It was terrible, and I cried because I feel so
sorry for all those people who lost their lives at the horrible,
horrible event."

Evelina has been in the U.S. since 1997, but her sister and mother are
still in Eastern Europe which makes the hostility there particularly
difficult for her to watch as the situation unfolds.

"It’s just hard to explain the way you feel," Evelina says. "It’s
just not right, and I wish there’s going to be someone who is held
responsible for all of this."

Both Oksana and Evelina say watching news coverage of the Russian /
Georgian conflict is difficult. They’re also receiving opposing facts
from family members still living in Eastern Europe.