At the round table in Tskhinval, organized by the Ministry of Defence as part of series of events devoted to the struggle of the people of South Ossetia for independence and freedom, were discussed the events of the late 1980's, early 90's, when Georgia had launched a military aggression against South Ossetia.
To participate in the discussion were invited the women - participants and witnesses of those events. Nine activists, whom the people called the "9th Regiment," equally with men rose then in defense of their homeland.
The event was opened by a representative of the Defense Ministry of South Ossetia Galina Guchmazova, which noted the courage and bravery of these women who had set the highest goal of their life -to defend the interests of their country.
Participants of the discussion shared their memories of the period of the struggle for freedom and independence of South Ossetia; they told about the attempts of the Georgian authorities once again to destroy the Ossetian people.
"In 1989, the Georgian authorities organized the alleged "peace march" on Tskhinval, in fact, the 40000th column came to the outskirts of the town, consisting mostly of members of the Georgian armed nationalist formations. Our guys did not have weapon, they blocked the way to the armed enemy, having only the iron bars and wooden sticks, ready to defend their landat the cost of their lives, "- has told the participant of the events, a holder of an order "Uatsamonga" Zara Chochieva.
According to her, the Georgian authorities announced then real hunting for the Ossetian patriots and began arresting them.
" All the leading positions in South Ossetia at that time were held by Georgians. And we feared for our children, that they could be arrested, taken away to Georgia and killed. Therefore, we, the women, have decided to be always in the forefront of the defense, in every way to help the guys, fight with them for our freedom,"- said Chochieva.
Another representative of the "9th Regiment" Lena Kochieva has recalled as the women went on a hunger strike, demanding to stop the bloodshed and destruction of the Ossetian people.
"I remember that we, exhausted and emaciated by a hunger strike, were lying in the hospital; once, in the morning we were showered with congratulations. It turned out, at night, by the light of kerosene lamps in the Regional executive committee had been made the decision on the proclamation of the Republic of South Ossetia. This news made us so happy! Now we had a hope for the future! "- says Kochieva.
The brave defenders of the motherland have told how the Georgian informal people tortured and killed the men, abused women, as they under a hail of bullets were delivering cartridges and food to our fighters to the Pris height.
"We love our land as a child loves his mother, and we were even willing to die just to protect it. We left our families, our children; we lay under the tanks, we beat the enemies. Some of us were seriously injured ", - says Galina Dzhioeva.
The event was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, the memories of the hard times brought tears to the eyes of the courageous women, who now expressed strong determination and willingness, if necessary, to fight for their homeland to the end.
