ABKHAZIAN REQUIEM
Irakli Tskitishvili
Experts’ club
_Expertclub/lang__en/tabid__2546/default.aspx
Feb 24 2010
Georgia
Abkhazia is on sale. Wholesale and retail. That’s how we can assess
a decision that leader of the Sukhumi puppet regime Sergei Bagapsh
had to make during his visit in Moscow.
In an article published several weeks ago we were warning Abkhazian
society that a campaign started by the Kremlin journalists Perevozkina
and Epifantsev in the Russian press regarding an issue of taking away
properties from Russians served only one purpose – to put pressure on
Bagapsh leadership for the latter to lift restrictions on purchase
of property by foreigners (in reality Russians). This will enable
Russia to appropriate all assets in Abkhazia, settle his citizens
there and thus carry out actual annexation of the Georgian territory.
Everything happened as we supposed. Bagapsh signed several economic
and military agreements with the Kremlin. And repayment for introducing
those economic agreements in life became lifting of the abovementioned
restrictions. Despite the fact that Bagapsh continues his pro-Russian
rhetoric and says that he sees nothing bad in disposal of property and
that lifting of these restrictions will give extra funds to Abkhazian
population facts demonstrate something entirely different.
We note that it has already been decided to approve the law but it
has not yet been approve. Therefore we are just giving preliminary
suggestions about this. But we will return to this topic after it
is approved. And we will discuss "how many Abkhazias were sold to
Russia". Let’s discuss possible scenarios against the background of
decisions that have already been made.
We learn from statements of Bagapsh that citizens of foreign countries
(probably only citizens of Russia as Russia is categorically against
settlement of citizens of Turkey and Georgia and Europeans are also
considered to be followers of Georgian interests) will be able to
purchases apartments only in new build apartment blocks. So in reality
the puppet regime hopes that nobody will force existing population to
sell their homes. Given Bagapsh’s words that "democracy in Abkhazia
is overflowing" we should suppose that the same rule applies to
properties of Georgians which today is left ownerless there.
Although…
Russia has the only goal – to carry out "sochization" of Abkhazia or
in other words, to eliminate and eradicate local population of the
occupied Abkhazia as it was done in Sochi where Georgians and Adyghe
people were local population. Coming from this we should suppose
Russia will not shy away from settling its citizens and for this it
needs appropriate housing.
Houses for Russians can be built in already populated or empty
territories. And their settlement can be done in various ways.
Abkhazia does not have relevant specialists for maintenance of the
railway which have already been handed over to Russia in exchange of
credit (!). Therefore the railway will be served by Russians while
Abkhazians, as it was announced, will be sent to high education bodies
of transport studies in Russia. And of course, Russians who will be
serving on the railway will not live in Siberia or Moscow so they need
accommodation in the occupied territory. If shortage of staff on the
railway is around 600-700 people then we should suppose that about
2 000 Russians (railway staff and their families) will be settled.
A couple of years ago there was active talks about settlement of
around 100 000 gastarbeiters (guest workers) near the Psou border in
Abkhazia. These are people who would be working on construction of
Olympic cites in Sochi. At that time Abkhazian society expressed
serious concern about this. Settlement of 100 000 people on a
territory population of which does not exceed 160-170 000 was not
a laughing matter. This would entirely change demographic situation
and Abkhazians would find themselves in such minority that they could
become the Red Book material. Then this issue was hushed up but with
the Sochi Olympics approaching it will come to the centre stage again.
It should also be taken into account that restrictions on purchase of
property in Abkhazia will not exist at that time and that will make
it easy for gastarbeiters to settle on the occupied territory. Russia
in any possible way will facilitate this process as these people in
future will be an avid supporters and followers of Russian interests
given their nationality and origin. Therefore we can suppose that
if not 100 000 at least 20-30 thousand will be willing to stay and
their numbers together with their families will reach 80-90 thousand.
Also interesting fact is that construction of Olympic facilities is
taking place on territories populated by people. Residents are given
"compensations" and their homes are being demolished. Main residents
of territories of Sochi Olympic facilities are Armenians. They are
also in large numbers represented in Krasnodar Krai. There were also
noted mass attempts of Armenians living in Krasnodar Krai to purchase
properties in Abkhazia. But as they had problems with legalization
of their purchase everything was registered in the name of Armenians
living in Abkhazia. As soon as the new law is approved they (as they
are citizens of Russia) will be able to legalize their property. They
will be followed by others. This would further aggravate demographic
situation of Abkhazian ethnos in favour of Armenian population,
number of whom according to various information already equals numbers
of Abkhazians.
It should also be taken into account that 1800 Russian military
contingent will be officially deployed in Abkhazia. Garrison and a
joint military base are already being built for them in Tkvarcheli and
Gudauta respectively. So these territories are considered as areas
of settlement for these militaries. There has always been multitude
of Russian militaries due to existence of Gudauta aviation base.
Tkvarcheli todsay is a deserted territory where there are no
Abkhazians. Mainly Turkish citizens are there working in mines. Also
those who are being used and made to work in mines as slaves. And,
as we already mentioned, a Russian garrison is deployed there. The
Club of Experts already wrote as to what Russian garrison is doing
in Tkvarcheli so we will not bore you about this.
It is well known that on April 30th 2009 leaders of the Russian
Federation of Abkhazia in Moscow signed an agreement "on joint
protection of the Abkhazian state border". It was underlined
in the document that in order to independently control "state
borders of Abkhazia" border department of Russia will be created in
Abkhazia. It will be filled with a large contingent of militaries
and their families and relatives sent to Abkhazia. 16th clause of
the agreement stipulates guarantees for safety, legal and social
protection of military personnel of the border department and their
families in accordance with an international agreement, parties of
which are declared to be sides who signed the agreement.
The above agreement aroused anger among Abkhazian "members of the
Parliament". They did not hold anything back when addressing Bagapsh
government. These "MPs" were Adgur Kharazia, Tamaz Ketsba, Lev Shamba.
Adgur Kharazia also said that with this agreement Abkhazians are losing
"jurisdiction". Although it is not clear how one can lose something
that one does not have. "We are losing jurisdiction on a certain part
of Abkhazian territory. Abkhazian authorities will be unable to step
on the territory where Russian border guards live. If they kill one
of us we will not be able to even charge them for this.
They can establish a bank that no one will be able to control. A state
is being created inside the state. How does all this correspond to
our interests?" Reactions of Abkhazian opposition can be viewed in
our article "Russian policy for the joint protection of borders in
Abkhazia has led to confrontation".
But noise in the separatist parliament looked more like "letting
steam out" as the document had already been signed and "victorious"
Abkhazians have to adjust to reality that with new law leaves them
completely without rights on a territory which they so far call
theirs. It is interesting to know will Abkhazian "MPs" be as critical
with regards to legitimization of the entire assets in Abkhazia to
Russians or fearing that this noise will make Georgians happy will
prefer to be silent? Will Abkhazian "MPs" demand from Bagapsh not to
destroy whatever is still left under their control?
There are several other scenarios of appropriation of assets in
Abkhazia by Russians. As it is declared that "foreigners" (it
is surprising why citizens of Russia are foreigners as the entire
population, apart from Georgians, are citizens of Russia) will be able
to purchase property only in new-built houses. As it is known nobody
repaired houses left by Georgians and even those that had not been
taken apart brick by brick were destroyed with time. We can suppose
that with time new houses will be built in their place in order to
make landscapes of destroyed towns and villages presentable. And
new houses are exactly the properties that Russians will be able to
purchase without problems. Thus "new Abkhazian Russians" will emerge
on former Georgian settlements which itself increases likelihood of
Russification and annexation of Abkhazia.
As you know there was an attempt in Abkhazia to protest the
privatization law. Then Georgians were again presented as a scarecrow.
The separatist press was already openly writing that shadows of
so-called "Abkhazpereselenstroi" of the Stalin era were cast upon
Abkhazia". It was about a bill about "privatization of municipal and
republican assets" that was debated in the "parliament" of Sukhumi.
A letter of protest titled "a shadow of "Abkhazpereselenstroi" that
was published in the Abkhazian press. It gave a detailed list of
issues that were not liked by the separatists in this bill.
"Foreigners are given the same rights as Abkhazians. It might take
only a hour for all assets of Abkhazia to appear in the hands of
foreign businessmen" – such phrases are plenty in the letter that was
signed by 18 people among which are not just the opposition members but
also such persons as Pavel Adzinba, former president of council of the
Abkhazian elders, "famous lawyer" Temur Ketsba, "human rights defender"
Tsiza Gumba and others. General pathos of the letter is expressed in
one of its phrases "Our homeland is being taken away from us".
Possibility of purchase of properties by Georgians caused fear in
Abkhazian society at that time. If we are realistic Georgians do not
intend to buy back their properties as they do not even doubt that
they are going to go back to their homes. So problem is Russia though
Abkhazians were wary to state that openly. It is interesting to know
what Abkhazian society will think today when in the near future their
worst fears will become a reality? Will they still be protesting or
refrain themselves from confrontation with the Kremlin? So what would
they put against "reproduction" of Russians on "Abkhazian ground"?
We can be sure that this time either Abkhazian will use Georgians as
scarecrow. Saying that excessive noise with regards to property issues
will play into the hands of Georgians and so they will shut up as it
has been more than once. And Russians will grab properties and assets
of silenced Abkhazians so they would not even be able to cry for help.
And after that they could insist "land is ours" and abuse Georgians…
The only thing that will so far be left Abkhazian will be
"constitutionally approved" post of so-called president. But when
percent share of Abkhazians will hit the bottom they will not be able
to stand against change of this situation and suddenly they might
find themselves with a Russian "president’ in Abkhazia.
Sounds of Abkhazian requiem are already in the air. Music is by Dmitry
medvedev and words belong to Vladimirr Putin, performer is Sergei
Bagapsh. It is likely that by such "rapid building" of "Abkhazian
democracy" Abkhazian ethnos will make us listen to "funeral march"
that they wrote for themselves.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress