Public Defender Presented Report on IDPs

Tamta Tvalavadze

Public Defender of Georgia presented Report about human rights situation of internally displaced people in the country. Lack of adequate accommodation, unemployment, unavailability of medical care – these are those key problems, Ucha Nanuashvili focused on in his report.

According to the report, despite some progress in the field, the situation of IDP population is still urgent. Public Defender’s report states that unavailability of adequate accommodation for IDPs is still a problem – despite the recommendations of many international organizations, IDPs have not been yet resettled from the demolished premises, and process of providing IDPs living in private sector with relevant accommodations has not started yet. As the report states, issues related with long-term resolution of IDPs’ problems – employment, profitable activities and access to healthcare – are still urgent.

The Public Defender’s report underlines that lack of systemic approach of the state to the problems of internally displaced people still causes concern.

“Government of Georgia declared several times that it is urgently important to resolve IDP problems for long term perspective. In accordance to international documents, long-term resolution is achieved when IDPs no longer need concrete assistance and security related with their internal displacement. Unfortunately, long-term resolution of IDP problems has not taken place in Georgia so far,” the report reads.

Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe also indicates at long-term resolution of the problem.

“Government of Georgia shall continue its effort to ensure satisfaction of the needs of IDPs living in private sector, rehabilitate some part of premises in collective settlements or to roof or privatize new settlements,” the resolution reads.

In his report, Public Defender also mentioned the fact when different categories of IDPs broke into and occupied spaces in several buildings. This process had illegal character as the Ministry of IDPs from Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees evaluated.

“Government shall satisfy internally displaced people with accommodations so that they will no longer need to break into buildings and use extreme measures to protect their rights,” the report reads.

As for the conditions of the people living close to administrative border line, a separate chapter was dedicated to the issue in the report. Monitoring group of the Public Defender’s Office worked in the villages of Ditsi, Ergneti, Mereti, Gugutiantkari and others in the buffer zone of Gori district. Their monitoring showed that local families live in poor social-economic conditions and level of unemployment is critically high.

The report also underscores the steps taken for the resolution of IDP problems. One of them is working on new law on IDPs because in the current law, definition of the IDP contradicts the international standards and it does not conform to reality.