Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Cost of the Conflict

December 15, 2016
 
Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

“Cost of the Conflict – Unsaid Stories in the Georgian-Ossetian Context” – it is the name of the book, whose authors are Georgian and Ossetian people. They wrote about the conflicts of 1990s and 2008. 8 Georgian and 8 Ossetian citizens wrote stories about the conflict. Journalist Goga Aptsiauri also participated in the collection of unsaid stories.

“The purpose of the book is to understand each other’s pain and opinions about the conflict resolution. Ossetians mostly focus on the past and tragic stories, though they also recall positive examples of coexistence. Georgian people mostly speak about the ways to solve the problem. Both parties view the future through solution of conflict and co-existence. The desire of the authors of unsaid stories is to be heard,” Goga Aptsiauri, reporter of the Radio Liberty, told humanrights.ge. 

The book was presented in Gori on December 9. Representatives of the government and nongovernmental organizations, ordinary citizens attended the presentation, which was followed by the discussion about current situation in the Georgian-Ossetian relations. Gela Mindiashvili said that it is necessary to restore the trust between ordinary citizens, which was very strong years ago. However, he noted that he continues over-phone communication with his relatives and friends in Tskhinvali region.

“We no longer have close connections with the people on the other side of the occupation line after the wire-fences were set up. However, there are modern technologies that allow us to communicate our old friends but cannot meet them personally. You all know what is the situation on the so-called border line, which is controlled by Russia,” Gela Mindiashvili said.

Representative of the office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Zviad Zviadadze said the Government of Georgia works on two directions – fights against occupation of the Georgian territories and tries to rebuild trust with the Ossetian people living on the occupied territories.

“First problem is occupied territories and conflict-affected regions, which we have in both directions. The role of the state is particular in the solution of any conflict and particularly in our reality. The state does its best to address this problem. You are well-aware who stands on the other side – it is almost impossible to reach any agreement or common solution with them but we do our best to reach some common sense through peacebuilding initiatives, communication with grass root population and offering support to the people on the other side of the ABL. Maybe we will reach the end of this conflict one day,” Zviad Zviadadze said.

The book – “Cost of the Conflict – Unsaid Stories in Georgian-Ossetian Context” was translated in three languages: Georgian, Russian and English. The Russian version will be disseminated in Tskhinvali; English version will be sent to international organizations. As for the Georgian version, the first circulation was not enough and it is planned to publish more books in Georgian. 

News