(Open letter of the North Ossetian Regional Public Organization “Civil Initiative” to the parties and observers of the negotiation process on Georgian-Ossetian settlement).
North Ossetian Regional Public Organization “Civil Initiative” has been dealing with the problems of Georgian and South Ossetian refugees for many consecutive years. We have firsthand knowledge about the fate of dozens of thousands of refugees and understand the reasons that impelled them to leave their homeland. Today we wish to draw the attention of all the parties involved in the settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict to another humanitarian problem that emerged due to the activities of the Georgian leadership.
For more than a week the capital of South Ossetia lives under the conditions of artificially organized “water blockade”. A prerequisite for its lifting (the condition for the water supply resumption in Tshinval), as put forward by the Georgian side to the population, is to recognize the puppet “temporary administration of South Ossetia” appointed by Tbilisi. In other words, Georgia deliberately politicizes the “problem of water supply” transforming it into the factor of pressure on South Ossetia.
It is not the first time that the population of South Ossetia faces economic, humanitarian, psychological and military blackmail on the part of Georgia. Only during the last two years, under the present Georgian leadership, South Ossetia witnessed the attempt of military blitzkrieg, economic and transport blockades, seizure of hostages and humanitarian cargoes, assassination of peacekeepers, regular provocative shelling. All these amenities of Georgian policy are done under the cover of different types of sounding initiatives related to “plans of settlement” and promises of “the widest autonomy” for South Ossetia.
North Ossetian Regional Public Organization “Civil Initiative” appeals to all solid politicians who carry authority over the process of conflict settlement to cast away the hypocritical position of indulgence to the continuous efforts to destroy South Ossetia, of forcing out the South Ossetians from their homeland. Gentlemen, do realize at last the difference between Tbilisi’s ear-caressing liberal rhetoric and what is really happening in South Ossetia and around it. Under the pretext of “restoration of the South-Ossetian autonomy” a fictitious structure has been created with the main goal of destroying the Republic of South Ossetia and transferring the conflict into an inter-Ossetian confrontation. Isn’t it the continuation of Tbilisi’s policy directed at destruction of the conflict counterpart? Instead of improvement of the dialogue with the South-Ossetian counterpart and search of real compromise Georgian politicians pursue the same aim that was attributable of the previous regimes: destruction of South Ossetia as is, as the form of political SELF-DEFENSE of its nation.
One cannot help wondering that the international organizations supervising the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, national governments of the states involved in this process do not want to see the connection between multifarious forms of continuous pressure over South Ossetia and the real quality of the “autonomy within Georgia” that is promised to the people of South Ossetia.
The fact of closing the water supply itself is the direct evidence of the way Georgia understands the absoluteness of its sovereignty and the way Tbilisi visions the process of “restoration of sovereignty over South Ossetia”. It is obvious for the South Ossetians that the forms and methods of such pressure from the Georgian side will pertain to any future model of autonomy under the jurisdiction of this country. In case of any status subordination of South Ossetia to the Georgian state machine the consequence will be the appearance of steady regime of informal dictatorship and enforcement. Where are you driving South Ossetia? What guarantees will its people have in this country? If even today when Georgia, at least being formally limited in its despotism in South Ossetia and when it needs to enlist the support of her plans of incorporation of South Ossetia (and needs to look decent), - if even today Tbilisi is not shy of claptrap actions like “water blockade”, what may await South Ossetia in case of full-fledged “restored Georgian sovereignty”
North Ossetian Regional Public Organization “Civil Initiative” wishes to draw the attention of all parties interested in the peaceful settlement of the opposing sides that the main problem of this settlement – both political and humanitarian – lies in answering the question whether Georgia is in principle able to form such types of relations with South Ossetia, when the latter would not need military, political, diplomatic or other resources, that would allow to neutralize the adventurism, ambitions and mere foolery of Georgian politicians? If the international community wants to deprive South Ossetia of such SECURITY RESOURCES then what does it offer instead?
