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Internally-Displaced Persons (IDP) from Tskhinvali Are Left Homeless

November 24, 2006

vagoni1.gifIn Argvitsi Village in Small Liakhvi Gorge, the trailer of IDP Marusia Midodashvili burnt down, and she was subsequently left homeless. She lived fifteen years there. We have already conveyed the facts about the intolerable conditions the woman had to cope with, yet no one paid attention to her.  Several days ago, an electrical short caused a fire in her trailer. Marusia Midodashvili lost what little she had as a result.

Argvitsi Village is a mixed Ossetian-Georgian village that is part of the Beruli local government… Ossetians burned Midodashvili's house down in 1991 during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. It happened not more than 40 days after the brutal assassination of Spartak Midodashvili, [her son]. Marusia Midodashvili, stated that Georgians had betrayed her son when Ossetians captured and stoned him in Mamisaantubani Village.  Spartak Midodashvili was a sergeant at the National Military Academy. He took active part in the conflict. He was a decorated soldier. However, Midodashvili’s honors did not help his poor mother. Mariam Midodashvili said that former MP Gocha Jojishvili was the only person who aided her.

IDPs from Tskhinvali currently living in Gori talk about a new crisis they face.  Rumor has it that the Gori hotel, Kartli, is to be included on a list of privatized buildings and will be auctioned. The sale would not be a problem if IDPs were not currently living there. The IDPs pray that the government will not surprise them and evict them without notice.

Fikria Taruashvili, an IDP said, "We have been staying in the hotel since the conflict broke out. Despite many problems, we hope to return back to our homes someday. We learned about our possible eviction when IDPs were forced out from the hotel in Adjara. They told us that the Department of Internally Displaced People in Gori would do the same to us."

Liana Babutsidze, another IDP said, "We have been urging the Government to pay attention to our plight for years. Living conditions are terrible here.  Water comes only occasionally.  They make us pay electricity bills. If we refuse, they cut the power, and we have to live in total darkness for weeks. There are no jobs for us."

Most of the IDPs work around the Gori market. Now they cannot sell things in the Guramishvili Street since police have forced them to leave. IDPs complained that they have no chance to earn a living now. The people tried to hold demonstration in protest. Officials from the Gori Police Department stated that the Parliament has prohibited selling of things outside and there would be no exceptions made for the IDPs.   However, IDP Nadia Beruashvili said, “The police do not disperse sellers who sell near the Liakhvi River.  Gori market management even gave them vending stalls. This area is occupied by those sellers who used to sell inside the market. They used to pay half a lari for a place inside the market while now they pay 3 lari for a stall in the street. The police do not harass sellers around the Liakvi River even though the stalls made the street narrower and difficult for vehicles to pass."

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

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