When Russians occupied and devastated Chechnya, many people said, Georgia may be the next. The common reply of the Europeans was"Georgia is a different story, it is an independent recognizedcountry".when Russians occupied and devastated Georgia, many people said,Ukraine may be the next. The common reply of the Europeans was"Ukraine is a different story, it is a big country".when Russians will occupy Ukraine, many people will say, Estonia maybe the next. The common reply of the Europeans will be "Estonia is adifferent story, it is a NATO member country".when Russians will occupy Estonia, many people will say, Germany maybe the next. The common reply of the Europeans will be "Germany is adifferent story, it is a part of old Europe that never was underRussians". They will forget German history of the last 60 years.
Prof. David Tarkhnishvili
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Yesterday while wandering Ossetians, Russians, etc saw a car in the garden, started it and drove away. They take everything one can take with them wherever they come across. No matter the owner is at home or not. They are a danger to young people but not to old people. The young people are hiding in cribs. Several persons remained there and can't get away. One boy was killed by a bomb and his relatives had to cover his body with linen and run away. One boy from Gori was injured, he died in Tbilisi and it is impossible to move his body back to Gori for his funeral.
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Being just three years old little Shotiko has seen a lot of things already. Currently he is at the safe place in one of the kindergartens in Tbilisi, but just few days ago bombs were exploding very close to his house. He was barely saved by his mother.
- We were at home, suddenly we heard explosion, the noise was so great that the walls started shaking, I rolled down the stairs with my child in my hands, rand outside, the panic has started... I walked several kilometers to a bus... People say that my house is ruined... I left everything there...
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Father of little Shotiko remained in the conflict zone. He was a military servant and has been internally displaced twice already. First, they had to leave Abkhazia, and now their family is one of those 72000 ergistered internally displaces persons.
- I brought only this bag alongside, I left everything there, the first thing I grabbed by hand was the baptism towel of my child. I remembered nothing else... These things have been brought here by people.... People bring food as well....
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This lady – little Shotiko's grandmother has been living in the village Achabeti, 8 kilometers away from Tskhinvali. She remembers that they left the village at the midnight, when the bombs have been falling on every step in the area populated by the civilians.
In that Georgian village, 8 kilometers away from Tskhinvali, she left her 81 year old mother in law, being seized by panic, she was unable to bring her mother in law, who is sightless, alongside her. According to her only the old people remain in the village and the houses are all destroyed completely.
- It was midnight when we left the village, it was impossible to stay there any longer, everybody ran, I was staying with my friends when the explosion destroyed the balcony. My mother-in-law begged me not to leave her alone, but how could I bring her along. She may not be alive now, she is sightless and cannot even cook for herself... I barely reached Gori, then Tbilisi. My husband is still there, I have not heard from him for 5 days already.... What do they want from us, what did we ever do to them...
There are thousands of families with similar stories in Georgia. Some of the stories are even more tragic. No one knows how the story of the Khetaguri family, the three members of which still remain in the conflict zone, will end.
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An elderly man from Kekhvi, Tskhinvali region; didn't give a name
I was there when the houses were being bombed; bombs were droppiong on every square meter. Three aircrafts and two „MIGS" were bombing. I was sitting there in a cellar like a rabbit and waiting for death. Heavy shootings were on for several days. I had a car of my son at home, so I decided to leave with the car. I ot up very early, at 5 in the morning hoping to get away before shootings started. But I think they wre waiting for me (similing): as soon as I got up, they started bombing. Bpmbs were coming down like rain. Houses were being blown up. Very scared I ran into the house, grabbed whatever I could, dumped in the car and started. I was together with a neighbor guy.
We met Russian troops in Achabeti. The forest nearby was occupied by Chechens. I thought if I managed to get where Russians were based, they wouldn't drop bombs on me and I'd survive. And I was right.
When I got to Russians, they searched me. I had a couple of shirts with me, I think they liked them and took. Then they looked at me and let me go. I don't know why, probably because I was an old man they pitied me.
After that I met Chechens on a hill. They stopped me. I got out of the car, walked up to a Chechen soldier and hold him: „how are you, drug?" Then they asked me what I was taking with me. I said I had 10 bottles of wine and offered it to them. They didn't take. Then they searched me and the car, one of them liked one t-shirt of mine and put on. Then they let me go.
After this I arrived in Gori. My family members had left before. My wife had gone to a nearby village Tkviavi to a funeral couple of days ago, a young guy died there. She's still there and cannot get out because the tanks are already based there. I cannot get in touch with her anymore. Looks like she's hiding somehwere and cannot get to Gori.
My house was not destroyed when I left, but as I know it got burnt yesterday or the day before yesterday. People who are still there are informing us about situation there: they burn any house where they find military uniform or police uniform. They loot, rob and kill people. In most cases they rob houses and after that burn. Ossetians are doing this. My tractor was stiolen and they took 400 liters of wine from my house (smiling).
They took the cattle to Vladikavkaz. Ossetians are backed by Russians, so they are free to do anything. I remember a case many years ago, when Ossetians took our cattle. Then some peacekeeper helped our people find them, people recognized their cows and took back. Now if I see that someone has my Chrela and Nisha (names of cows) in Orjonikidze (old name of Vladikavkaz), wouldn't they feel ashamed?
Three Ossetians lived in our village, we were on evry good terms with each other. Ossetians from Tskhinvali were quite different but our Ossetians were good.
And you know what? Russians killed Ossetians themselves. We watched it with our own eyes. Six aircrafts were bombing Tskhinvali. They did it on purpose – to make it look like as if Georgians did it. But we know the truth – it was Russians, our aviation was not there!
Right now what I'm asking everyone of is to let me go back home. I'll just put up a roof and sit under it, that's all I want. I cannot stay here, I cannot breath here, I cannot sleep here, I want home!
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Eshmakurashvili Galina, 61 years old
I am from village Shindisi, Gori. I was down in the bakery when intensive bombing started, six bombs fell right next to my house. I don't know why I didn't hear the sound, I must have been very upset and confused. I was alone at home, I opened the doors and was just standing there, for some time I couldn't even move. I couldn't see anything in the yard. When I went to street, I saw my neighbors down on earth – the blow from bombs had swept them from their feet. I couldn't see some of the guys (neighbors) and I was afraid for them. But then it turned out they'd gone to the next village and came back.
My house was not destroyed yet when we left. But the furniture, glasses, dishes were all broken. Still we didn't leave that day. I was thinking that it would get better. So we were hiding in a neighbor's cellar for 2 days and nights.
My daughter-in-law and two grandchildren had already left couple of days ago. So we were alone – my son and me. My son stayed there when I left on the 10th. And he left to Sachkhere – where his wife and children are – next day.
There are relatives and neighbors who stayed there, we cannot get in touch with them any more – electricity is cut off and they cannot charge their cell phones.
Here we are more or less ok thanks to god and people. We have enough food now – bread and sausages. We can stay one week more. After that we hope very much that we'll be able to get back. The villages maybe mined but hopefully they'll clean it. As long as the walls of our houses are there we don't need anything else, if nothing worse than this happens we'll be fine!
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Beka and Giga, brothers, 11 and 10 years old
Beka: we used to live in Kekhvi. I'm a sixth-grader and Giga is a fifth-grader. We used to go to Achabeti – a neighboring village to play football and take wresting classes. We used to walk there. We both love football. Chelsey is my favorite team.
They say our school was blown up. I don't know exactly. I don't like going to school that much, but still it's bad if it's true. I only like literature classes.
My grandma stayed in the village. We don't know anything about her now. Some people say Russian troops are withdrawing. My father called grandma and she said she's together with a neighbor woman and they are ok. She said they only burn houses of those people where they find military uniform or guns. So our house should be ok now. I think they took only clothes and a\other stuff.
I don't like living in Tbilisi, I prefer home. I used to live here for a year and didn't like it at all. I've got a lot of friends there, in my village. I don't know where they are right now. I only know about two of them. We went to city council building to ask government for help yesterday and there I met one of my classmates who also escaped with his family. I was so glad to see him.
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