Why I Apologize To Abkhaz People

Why I Apologize To Abkhaz People
 
Wednesday, 30 December 2009 10:39

Choice for Georgia: Georgian Chauvinism or Abkhazia?

Ucha Nanuashvili, Initiator of “Sorry” Campaign
Executive Director of the Human Rights Center

December 29, 2009
“Sorry” Campaign was launched in March of 2007. It is not easy to apologize as well as to accept an apology.

The aim of the Sorry Campaign is to change the dynamics and direction of the relationships that have been established between Georgians and Abkhazians during recent years. The “Sorry” Campaign is not in any way connected with politics; it is a movement against war, as we consider that there is no alternative to peaceful dialogue and mutual settlement of the conflict.


The Campaign envisages the reestablishment of confidence between Georgian and Abkhazian people and to break through the informational vacuum. We want to encourage people to think about the horrors of war and the mistakes we have made.


When you toss a pebble in the water, the circles are produced; we hope that the Sorry Campaign will serve as a pebble in solving the problem.

These words launch the website of the “Sorry” Campaign www.apsni.org. Much was written and said on this topic particularly in internet and public discussions because leading media sources (among them so-called independent ones) systematically blocked information about this campaign. Not only the Campaign but even discussion of this idea had opponents. And yet, why do we apologize to Abkhaz people? I want to clarify this issue more in order to make everybody think about those mistakes that led us to the current conditions. We have not realized our mistakes yet and still continue living in the world of myths. Georgian people live with Georgian myths and Abkhazian people with Abkhaz myths.


Dialogue Which Does not Exist

Today, Georgian society lacks the opportunity to speak with Abkhaz people directly and vice versa.

For many years certain authorities have been leading Georgian society in the wrong way and they have constantly sought and continue to seek the avoidance of direct and open dialogues between the sides of the conflict. Consequently negotiations are being artificially hindered in the process. Shevardnadze was implementing similar politics during many years; after the Rose Revolution, particularly after 2005 – Saakashvili started it. Almost all leading political and public forces simplified this idea in Georgia.

Unfortunately, politicians do their job poorly or do not do at all. Extremely complicated situation is result of their poor work; the society sacrifices its life to these mistakes. It is natural to ask: Why should our people become victim of dirty games of our politicians?

Georgian and Abkhaz peoples need only peace and dialogue. Why cannot those powers realize it who dares to represent the will of the people? Everybody admits it superficially but what is happening in reality?

Whose orders do politicians obey?

Politicians are obliged to obey the orders of the people and do their utmost to offer the people the way which will lead everybody out of this deadlock and transfer Georgian-Abkhazian relationship into a new phase. Unfortunately, most part of politicians does not express public interest; though they have appropriated the right to speak in the name of people. As a rule, public opinion is neglected. Nobody has asked people whether they wanted to start war in Abkhazia 17 years ago. Those formations, which initially raided Samegrelo and then Abkhazia, were called Georgian armed formations and acted in the name of Georgian state. Number of incidents was provoked in the name of Georgian state.

see full article: http://www.abkhazworld.com/headlines/396-why-i-apologize-to-abkhaz-people.html