Georgian Soldiers Shooting near Davit Gareji

Salome Achba

The Ministry of Defense categorically denies the renewal of the military trainings near Davit Gareji military shooting-range. The crew of TV-Company Maestro observed the explosions near the monastery and informed the public on the corresponding on March 20th in the reportage covered by the studio GNS.

As the Maestro journalist inform, the monks from Davit Gareji monastery state that they permanently hear the sound of explosions and shootings in the territory of monastery complex.

According to the art critics, the military trainings and the vibration caused by the explosions might endanger the unique monument of the sixth century, the Davit Gareji Monastery complex and may even cause its destruction.

The information on the renewal of military trainings near Davit Gareji was followed by the harsh criticism of the oppositional parties. Nika Vacheishvili, the director of National Agency of Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia accuses them in politicization of this topic and states that the monastery complex and the place where the military trainings are underway are far afield and correspondingly the monastery cannot be under danger.

According to the member of Georgian Party Sozar Subari, the court decision also states and there are the conclusions of four scientific institutions that the vibration caused by the explosions might be a lot more dangerous for the monasteries carved in the sandstone than the earthquake of the same strength and amplitude.

The shooting-range situated several km afar from Davit Gareji monastery complex was operating in the Soviet times. However, in 1988, it was abolished as a result of mass protest rallies. Georgian society protested the existence of shooting range as the vibration caused by the explosions endangered the monument of sixth century.

One of the active members of the protest wave of that time, a member of New Rights Party Pikria Chikhradze requests the establishment of civil council and the urgent abolishment of the military trainings.

“During the Soviet period military shooting-range of Soviet army was operating in the surrounding territory of Davit Gareji Monastery Complex. The cannons of Soviet Army were destroying this unique historical and cultural monument. After years, Soviet period is renewed in Georgia, now in the conduct and thinking of government of independent Georgia. The conduct of Georgian government and Defense Ministry is ten times more vandal and immoral than that of Soviet army,” – states Pikria Chikhradze.

“1997 court decision that prohibits the use of surrounding territory of Davit Gareji Monastery Complex as a military shooting-range seems to be a blank paper for today’s government. The fact is that the military trainings with the use of artillery are ongoing intensively,” – Sozar Subar is alarmed.

Art critic Gogi Khoshtaria considers that the military trainings might seriously endanger the unique monument of sixth century: “It is understandable that the military shooting-range is already arranged there and holding military trainings will cost less money but the damage that it can cause in priceless! They cannot comprehend its value.”

Though in the reportage of the studio GNS covered near Davit Gareji Monastery Complex the sound of explosion is clearly audible, the Defense Ministry categorically denies the existence of military shooting-range in the surrounding territory of Monastery Complex and explains that it is not the shooting-range, but the camp of reservists. And the reservists do not use large caliber guns while trainings.

“No shooting-range is there and no heavy military technique operates. Those tents belong to the camp of reservists who are going through the first phase of trainings,” – states the press speaker of the Defense Ministry Salome Makharadze.

Salome Makharadze categorically excludes that the sound of explosions observed by the studio GNS comes from the reservist camp located near Davit Gareji. On the question of the journalist – where does the sound of explosions and shooting comes from then – the press speaker has no answer. The Defense Ministry should be primarily informed about the reasons and placement of explosions near the Monastery complex.

The director of National Agency of Culture Heritage Preservation of Georgia Nika Vacheishvili responded to the information spread by maestro two days later and accused the oppositional parties in the politicization of Davit Gareji topic. According to him, Davit Gareji monastery complex and shooting-range are situated a lot afar and there is no danger to the Monastery: “I would like to state with the full responsibility that Davit Gareji shooting-range has nothing to do with the antiquities situated nearby. The ongoing trainings have nothing to do with the old monasteries due to the territorial distance and relief. I will tell you more.  I would like to confirm once again that our militaries and the priesthood of the monastery are good friends with each other. Thus, the talk about the dangers of training is exaggeration.”

As for the 1997 decision of the Supreme Court according to which, any military training is prohibited in Davit Gareji, Vacheishvili explains that Davit Gareji desert is situated on a vast territory and the decision concerns only the surrounding territory of the Monastery.

“We should not speculate with the name of Davit Gareji. We are talking about a large territory. Let us recall what was happening during the Soviet times: these Monasteries were the exact targets of the Soviet military trainings. They were the targets of military shells. The Soviet Army units were deployed under them. Georgian military training base is located in completely different territory and has nothing to do with the Monastery,” – states Vacheishvili with interpressnews.

With humanrights.ge Sozar Subari assures that the territory where the reservists are camped now is exactly that territory where the Soviet shooting-range was located before.

Several days ago Subari visited Davit Gareji comples and personally studied the situation: “The place where the trainings are underway is exactly that territory where the shooting-range was operating earlier. It is just that the part of the old shooting-range belongs to Azerbaijani territory now and the other part falls inside Georgian borders. In 1997 Court abolished this shooting-range and prohibited the conduct of any military training. I visited the field several days ago and studied the situation. The monks confirmed that sometimes they hear the sound of explosions. The sound of explosion observed by the crew of Maestro and GNS studio is recorded in Dodo Garejeli Monastery. This monastery is one of the 14 monasteries and is situated the most far off from where the military trainings are underway. If the sound of explosions is so audible at the territory of Dodo Garejeli Monastery (which is situation approximately 20-25 km afar from the shooting range), then it means that in other monasteries i.e. Monastery of John the Baptist (which is just 4-5 km afar from the shooting-range), the sound of explosion and the vibration caused by it will be a lot stronger.”

It is hard to say whether or not the public will have to resume the protest rallies held 23 years ago with the request of stopping the military training at Davit Gareji. The contradictory statements spread by made makes this issue vague. However, the active members of public can study the situation on the field and undertake relevant decision.