Impoverished Population from the Gorge Visit the Governor in Gori

Residents from the village of Charebi in Patara Liakhvi Gorge arrived in Gori to urge the Shida Kartli Regional Administrative Board for help. However, their arrival ended in failure. Later, a kind man advised them to see a journalist who promised to inform the authority about their problems.

The village of Charebi is situated in the Patara Liakhvi Gorge, in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. It is in the mountainous part of so-called Gverdistdziri. This village is called "Lafachi" in Vakhushti's work of "Description of the Kingdoms in Georgia", and it has the same name on the map. Eventually, the village changed its name. However, the residents of the village have retained the surnames of Lafachi.

The village of Charebi is situated on the right bank of the river Charebuli and is divided into Zemo and Kvemo Charebi. There is a historical monument of the 13th-14th centuries in the village. The village and the surrounding area were badly damaged during the earthquake in 1991. Vasili, Mania, Zauri, Gocha, Margarita, Irma and Lili Lafachi visited Gori for the purpose.

Vasil Lafachi said, "I returned to my native village having lived for some time in Tbilisi. The earthquake in 1991 had damaged my house, but nobody helped us. My wife and I cannot afford to repair our house. The only thing the local government did was to collect our documents, but we do not know where they have sent them."

The local authority promised to help the villagers. The government opened accounts with the banks in the villagers' names in order to transfer money from the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation to them. The allowances should have amounted to 5,000 GEL for each family.

Vasil Lafachi said, "They have not kept their promise. The money was apportioned only to the people in the villages of Satskheneti and Atsriskhevi. We ask the regional administrative board for help now."

Mania Lafachi's house and barn were destroyed and all her livestock in the barn died.

Mania Lafachi said, "My son lived in Tskhinvali with his family. After the conflict, he left the house and moved to his wife's parents' house, because I had no place for them. My house is a wooden hut and leaks."

The Lafachis say that the villagers are leaving the village. The president's program against poverty has not helped the village of Charebi. Only one minibus runs in the village, and the trip to Gori costs 1.5 lari. Previously, the villagers had to walk seven kilometers to the village of Ksuisi.