Shortly
after arriving I entered an upscale hotel in the center of town
hoping someone behind the desk could not only speak English but would
direct me to the street where my intended homestay was located. I
found my paladin in the form of a woman named Alana. Not only did she
call someone to pick me up and bring me to the homestay (she was
friends with the wife of the son of the owners or something along
those lines) she also changed money for me, called the Ministry Of
Foreign Shit on my behalf, and even smiled. I am amazed how much I
have come to appreciate a smile. Sometimes it pays to be tall and
helpless.
Upon
arriving at the homestay I discovered that the owners' daughter also
spoke English. It was like friggin Christmas. At one point the
owner/mother of said daughter made an attempt to warn me about the
Russian miscreant in the room adjacent to mine. Apparently, he was an
unsavory type. She kept advising me to lock my door, put my bags in
the wardrobe, and keep my window locked. The truth is my Russian is a
little non-existent so you could say I was a teensy bit confused. At
one point her husband put a screen of metal bars (I helped) on my
window. Who the hell was this guy? Hitman? Bank robber? Insurance
salesman?
Strangely
enough I was unable to get my Abkhaz visa for another two days as I
arrived on a Saturday and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not
open until Monday morning. Likewise with the banks. To make matters
more complex there are no ATMs in Sukhumi and credit cards are
accepted nowhere (I thought about calling Visa and telling them they
are a bunch of bloody liars. Clearly they are not everywhere I want
to be). Luckily, my new friend Alana changed enough money to tide me
over. And so I began to wander.
Before
arriving I had a read a little about the Georgian-Abkhazian
Conflict, the
War
in Abkhazia (1992-1993),
and the Sukhumi
Massacre.
A campaign of ethnic cleansing began before, during, and after the
fall of Sukhumi on September 27, 1993 perpetrated by a combination of
Abkhaz separatists, northern Caucasian peoples, Cossacks, and
Russians. In accordance with a cease-fire brokered by the UN and
guaranteed by Russian peacekeepers Georgian military forces withdrew
all tanks and heavy artillery from the city. Many ethnic Georgians,
putting their faith in the agreement, remained in hopes of a peaceful
resolution. It was not to be. On September 27th Abkhaz separatists
violated the agreement and began their siege. As the city was overrun
so began the systematic torture, rape, and murder of ethnic
Georgians.
As I
wandered the streets I tried to imagine the horror that unfolded
during those dark days. Not terribly easy when confronted with the
throngs of Russian tourists plying along the beach and all around the
city. Yet there are still monuments to war strewn about the city, not
the least of which is the Abkhazian government building that was
gutted during the conflict. Many members of the deposed Abkhazian
government refused to flee, a decision that led to their not so
glorious deaths.
The
ruin still stands, serving as a grim reminder to the tragedy that
unfolded all those years ago. I wonder if the burned out shell
remains as a sort of monument to independence and victory over the
Georgians. Directly in front of what is left of this building is the
'Alley of Glory' monument dedicated to Abkhazia's fallen war heroes.
It is hard to believe that its location in front of a visible remnant
of Georgia's defeat is mere coincidence.
The
derelict building is open to anyone that wishes to explore the
premises. I'd half expected someone to come along and thwart my
reconnaissance mission but it never happened. I had free run of the
place and even made my way to the roof at one point. Wandering
through the debris one cannot help feel haunted by what must have
occurred there and elsewhere throughout the city. It was a little
unsettling wandering the halls of a burned out war-torn building
alone, even during the day. The large volumes of trash and hypodermic
needles speckled about the lower levels did little to quell my
anxiety. However, I had the place to myself. Just me and the
phantoms. Thankfully, they were invisible, at least to me.
Thankfully, they were not looking for me.
 |
| Notice the 'Fuck Georgia'. Succinct and to the point I suppose. |
 |
| Elevator shaft. I took the stairs. |
Although
signs of improvement are everywhere there are still constant
reminders of days past. You can find destroyed houses and bullet
ridden walls right in the center of the city not five minutes from
the seaside promenade. And although Sukhumi exhibits signs of a
subdued vibrancy it still has a quasi-deserted feel to it, as if
something is missing, as if something is not quite right. Just a
product of my heightened state of awareness? Perhaps. But then again.
If
only I could speak Russian. The stories these people must have locked
inside them. It is these moments where I find myself wallowing in
self-condemnation for not being brighter, for not possessing enough
language proficiency to engage the locals. Damn me.
 |
| My homestay |
 |
| Rise up this mornin', Smiled with the risin' sun, Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin' sweet songs |
 |
| Just can't seem to let go |
 |
| I'm going out a limb here and surmising that this is not an authorized dealer. |
 |
| PETA would not be amused. |
I
also spent a lot of time patrolling the seafront. How many hours did
I consume sitting on a bench staring blankly out to sea letting each
thought fade into the next along a random chain almost completely
devoid of coherence? Of course, my existential reveries had the
assistance of local homemade wine. You'd be an asshole not to sip the
local brew. There are worse ways to spend your time. Believe me. As I
sat there, paddling the depths of my own consciousness I tried to
envision the rescue operation that ensued long ago as a flotilla of
ships attempted to save desperate civilians from impending doom.
The
beach is a bit underwhelming, rocky and a tad forlorn, although the
hordes of sunbathers seem to mind little. I believe the concrete two
story structures lining the beach have something to do with the
construction, docking, launching, and loading of ships although I
cannot be sure being the landlubbing scallywag that I am. What I do
know is that the majority of these structures are in a state of
advanced decay although the teenagers using them as a diving platform
appear to have no complaints.
At one end of the beach rests the rusting, burned-out corpse of a small petroleum tanker not two hundred feet from frolicking beachgoers. Not sure why it is there but not climbing aboard and playing shipwreck was deemed inexcusable by my inner child. Never flout your inner child. [Author's Note: It appears that the ship has now been removed as a perusal of satellite imagery has failed to located the wreck.]
 |
| Oh, the irony. |
Sometimes, exhausted / with toil and endeavour, / I wish I could sleep / for ever and ever; / but then this reflection / my longing allays: / I shall be doing it / one of these days.
************************
Someone
was not pleased with this post. I received the following e-mail to
someone I will refer to as Ms. A:
Dear
Sir,
I just
read your travel diaries in Abkhazia and I am not surprised that all
your sources comes from Georgian side which is all biased and also
Wikipedia which is not a reliable source.
For
example: Before arriving I had a read a little about the
Georgian-Abkhazian Conflict, the War in Abkhazia (1992-1993), and the
Sukhumi Massacre. A campaign of ethnic cleansing began before,
during, and after the fall of Sukhumi on September 27, 1993
perpetrated by a combination of Abkhaz separatists, northern
Caucasian peoples, Cossacks, and Russians. In accordance with a
cease-fire brokered by the UN and guaranteed by Russian peacekeepers
Georgian military forces withdrew all tanks and heavy artillery from
the city. Many ethnic Georgians, putting their faith in the
agreement, remained in hopes of a peaceful resolution. It was not to
be. On September 27th Abkhaz separatists violated the agreement and
began their siege. As the city was overrun so began the systematic
torture, rape, and murder of ethnic Georgians.
I
strongly recommend you to talk with the scholars whom are the expert
on Georgian - Abkhaz conflict.
I
should remind you that Abkhazians are lost 4% population in that war
and the most important thing is Abkhazians did not seek this war but
it's imposed on them by Shevardnadze.
I
strongly recommend you watch the documentary film "Absence of
Will" by Georgian director Mamuka
Kuparadze: http://vimeo.com/8826939
And
here is an excellent commentary about the
documentary: http://www.abkhazworld.com/articles/analysis/406-absence-of-will-commentary.html
This
is what Georgian General Karkarashvili says:
[11.52
sec.] Gia Karkarashvili [General - Army Commander of the State
Council of Georgia]: In the first place, the Ossetian war [1991-92]
in Tskhinvali had just ended. The Georgia National Guard suffered
heavy losses. We were exhausted. That’s why I thought it was
reckless to go into Abkhazia. But I was told that the 13th-14th
August was a good time to launch a military operation because the
Russian Parliament was in recess. Unfortunately, we entered Abkhazia
in a very disorganized way. We didn’t even have a specific goal
[REMEMBER the claims about protect the railway] and we started
looting villages along the way. As a result, in the space of a month
we managed to make enemies of the entire local population, especially
the Armenians(*).
And
here is an excertp from UNPO's report:
‘...When
Georgian troops under general command of Defense Minister General
Tengiz Kitovani first entered Sukhumi on August 14, Georgian soldiers
attacked non-Georgian civilians, beat them, killed many, robbed them,
and looted their houses and apartments. Reports of attacks on
Abkhazian, Armenian, Russian, and other non-Georgian minority
civilians, including killing, torture, and burning, looting or
smashing of houses or other belongings, originate from many regions
of Abkhazia under Georgian military control and for the entire period
since August 14.’ [UNPO: November 1992 Mission to Abkhazia,
November 1992, b. Human Rights and Cultural
Destruction] http://www.unpo.org/downloads/AbkGeo1992Report.pdf
Unfortunately
you completely rejected the Abkhazian side and used only biased
Georgian sources. Probably you even didn't research on what you read
in Wikipedia but just accepted all of them as a truth.
I hope
that you can use more academical and reliable sources to see
different otherwise you will be one of the victims of Georgian black
propoganda.
Like
as we see an excellent example
at: http://www.rustavi2.com/news/news_text.php?id_news=42812&pg=1&im=main&ct=0&wth=
Who invaded Abkhazia in 1992?
Please
read what Shevardnadze
says: http://www.abkhazworld.com/articles/analysis/406-absence-of-will-commentary.html
Regards,
A.
TO
WHICH I REPLIED:
Dear
Ms. A,
Wikipedia
is not research, nor do I base anything solely on it or any
encyclopedia for that matter. I merely provide links for those folks
that know little or nothing about the conflict, i.e. just about
everyone in the west. If anyone draws ultimate conclusions from
Wikipedia or from one or two blog post (i.e. mine) then they are
idiots. I am not a historian. I am not an expert. I am merely
an average person trying to understand the seemingly
irrational. I did more than just read, I actually took the time to
visit. I would have spent much more time there but
unfortunately I do not speak Russian and Abkhazia is cut off from the
international banking system so money was an issue.
Both
sides committed terrible acts. Nothing about what has
occurred in that region over the last twenty years is simple and
cannot be stated, by anyone, in black and white terms. I do not
reject the Abkhazian side because the Abkhazian side has so
many intricate facets. There were not just Abkhazians involved but
a motley crew of unsavory elements from all over the Caucus
region. Many innocent Abkhazians, as well as innocent Georgians, were
caught in the middle of a terrible ordeal. Shevardnadze was
a scumbag but in that conflict there is plenty of blame to
spread around on both sides.
I will
check out all the information you have provided and I certainly
appreciate your time and effort. If I could I would return to
Abkhazia right now so we could sit down and discuss the history of
it. I would have given anything to meet a person like yourself while
I was in Sukhumi but I was not so fortunate. I have an extremely open
mind and will listen to anyone that want to discuss such issues. In
the next few days I have a few more posts concerning my visit to
Abkazia being published on my site. Please read them and let me know
your views. When I have time I will incorporate the information
you have below into my postings. I recommend that you copy
and paste your e-mails into the 'Comments' section beneath each post.
This will give anyone reading my blog posts a deeper understanding.
Thank
you for contacting me. I do appreciate it.
Best
Regards,
Rich
TO
WHICH SHE REPLIED:
Dear
Richard,
I am
not living in Abkhazia but in Hague, Netherlands. Let me know if you
get here. I would like to talk with you.
I've
visited Abkhazia several times as you did and focused on
Georgia(n)-Abkhazia(n) confict (but NOT Georgian-Russian conflict in
Abkhazia). Unfortunately many Westeners using only Georgian sources
which is have lots of biased information and completely reject
Abkhazian side.
I
am glad that you will check the links which I sent you. Especially
the commentary can be very useful to understand the
conflict. http://www.abkhazworld.com/articles/analysis/406-absence-of-will-commentary.html
You
can read also Ucha Nanuashvili's
letter: http://www.abkhazworld.com/articles/analysis/396-why-i-apologize-to-abkhaz-people.html
And
please check end of this
page: http://www.abkhazworld.com/articles/conflict/299-fact-seet-on-the-refugee-situation-in-abkhazia.html
you will see how the Georgian propoganda machine works.
There
are many things to say about that, I don't know which one I should
mention.
Regards,
Regards,
A
TO
WHICH I REPLIED:
A,
You
took the time to contact me and I must repeat my gratitude for your
insight and willingness to exchange views. I do appreciate it. I
believe that anything less than complete candor and frankness
concerning on my part would be disrespectful to you so here goes:
Firstly,
I believe you took some of what I wrote out of context. The excerpt
you provided from my blog was referring to the fall of Sukhumi
specifically which would naturally focus on the actions of the
Abkhazians and their allies as they retook the city. There is little
doubt that horrible atrocities were committed during that
operation just as there is little doubt that the Georgian
army committed horrible atrocities when they
entered Abkhazia. I don't believe you read my post the
day before where, in addition to the Wikipedia articles, I also had a
link to the Human Rights Watch report and
to a book ("Georgia
Diaries")
written by American journalist Thomas Goltz who spent years covering
the Caucasus region. Also, although Wikipedia is merely
an encyclopedia it does provide references with which to
delve deeper into the research. Wikipedia is not the final word on
anything, only the beginning, and should only be used as a tool
to get started.
Second, although I
found "Absence of Will" to be interesting it was, in my
opinion, not terribly enlightening and a bit naive. In my opinion it
was not a professional effort and was more anecdotal than it was
hard-hitting journalism. It breezes right over all the intricate
complexity that was part and parcel of not only the conflict but of
the Caucasus region in general . So many different forces
were at play at that time it is difficult, even now, to adequately
grasp the situation. The former Soviet Republics (Georgia,
Azerbaijan, Armenia) in the area were in chaos back then. The fall of
communism blew the lid off years of repression and discrimination.
It was a free for all and everyone was attempting to fill the vacuum
left by the Kremlin. This included elements of the Russian
government. It was a complete mess and, as a result, a lot of people
did a lot of terrible things.
If
you read all of my blog posts concerning both Georgia and Abkhazia
you will see that my view is not one-sided at all and that I made an
attempt to understand all sides. Mistakes were made by many
but I cannot, after all that I have read, place the onus of
responsibility on Georgia. I am not even sure what 'Georgia', or
'Abkhazia' for that matter, was back then. Who was really in
control? What was the level of Russian interference? American
interference? It is difficult to say but I can tell you this: At no
time did I come to a final conclusion regarding the Georgia-Abkhaz
Conflict. Much more research would be needed. Any sympathies I have
for Georgia stem much more from its recent relations with Russia.
This is a gross oversimplification but Georgia wants to 'Go West'
(i.e. join NATO, the European Union, etc.) and Russia does not like
it one bit. This is at the heart of the recent war between
the two. Another book I would highly recommend is "A
Little War That Shook The World" by
Ronald Asus.
Bottom
Line: I think the origin of that conflict lies within the
complex geopolitical make up and history of the region and cannot be
summed up neatly into bullet points. And, truth be told, how
different are Georgians and Abkhazians, really?
I hope
this helps to elucidate my position a bit more clearly. Again,
I appreciate the discussion and find it to be quite
stimulating.
Best
Regards,
Rich
TO
WHICH SHE REPLIED:
Richard,
Here
you are:
And
please, ask this question yourself: Who started the war?
Georgi
Anchabadze gives answer in "naive" documentary:
[21:12 sec.] Georgi Anchabadze [Historian]: Perhaps they wanted complete independence from Georgia. They certainly didn’t want to join Russia again. Even now they don’t want that(*). They wanted more real political rights within Georgia.
Anchabadze: They offered three choces:
1. Georgia should become a federation with Abkhazia.
2. Abkhazia should become a republic within Georgia.
3. A two-chamber parliament should be set up.
Georgia said no to all of these things.
Georgians have big power to spread what happened them also their black propaganda. Their backers help them as well. Abkhazia trying to tell their point of view but others even doesn't listen them.
At the end of "Absence of will" documentary can be naive... How pity...
A.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzvtaZIMy98
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'Love me or hate me, but spare me your indifference.' -- Libbie Fudim