Georgia Marks 25 Years since Abkhazian War
August 14, 2017 marks 25 years since the conflict in Abkhazia, after which it became a breakaway region of Georgia.
The confrontation started on August 14, 1992 and lasted for 13 months and 13 days. It was one of many conflicts precipitated by the breakup of the Soviet Union, and left around 300,000 people displaced and more than 10,000 dead.
Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili have issued special statements regarding the conflict.
“The day will come when we will build a strong, developed, democratic and peaceful state together with the Abkhazians and Ossetians,” the president stated.
The statement reads that Russia also played a huge role in the escalation of the conflict.
“Territorial conflicts and their consequences remain a major challenge for our state and society. The answer to this challenge is the protection of peace with international and neighboring politics, restoring trust and cooperation with our brothers and development of the country,” he added.
The PM stated that August 14 is a very tragic day in the modern history of Georgia, which saw tragic consequences for both sides.
“We should not have to live in such a reality. We should not allow a third party to stand between us. It is harmful for us - for Georgians and Abkhazians, and for the future of our children,” the PM said and expressed hope that one day Abkhazians and Georgians will live together with respect in a strong and united Georgia.
Significant human rights violations and atrocities were reported on all sides, and peaked in the aftermath of the Abkhaz capture of Sokhumi – the main city in the region - on September 27, 1993. This was followed by a large-scale campaign of ethnic cleansing against the ethnic Georgian population, according to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Relations between Russia and Abkhazia improved in the late 1990s and after the Georgia-Russia August war in 2008, the Russian Federation recognized Abkhazia as an independent state.
Around 2,000 Georgians still remain missing after the conflict.
By Thea Morrison