Chechens from Pankisi Gorge Demand Resettlement to a Third Country

This morning six Chechen refugees from Pankisi, two little children among them, appeared in front of the building of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kazbegi Street # 2. They demand resettlement to a third country and until they receive positive answer they are going to sleep in the street.

“Initially, in the middle of May, seven families, nearly 33 people, arrived in Tbilisi. We demanded resettlement to a third country. Most refugees returned to Pankisi, but we have lived in Samgori district in Tbilisi where a local resident let us live in his empty house since that time. He was sorry for children and offered us to live there. Now they are going to sell the house and unfortunately we had to leave the flat. Thus we came here because we do not have anywhere to go. We will stay here until our problem is resolved. Our principal demand is resettlement to a third country. In European countries our children will have chance to live and study in normal situation. We do not have many complaints. We have already got used to living in all kind of conditions. So it will not be difficult to sleep in the street. We will not return to Pankisi. There we are not protected and our life is in danger,” said Muhamed Gazaev.
At the moment UNHCR does not make comment on the situation. Their representative said that their office will make comments regarding the situation tomorrow.

Nino Tarkhnishvili