The workshop on dealing with the past in the Georgian/Abkhaz context was held in Belgrade from 11th to 14th June. Workshop participants were representatives of civil society from that region who are currently investigating the possibility of developing own work on tackling issues of the violent past and trying to learn about it from experiences collected elsewhere in the world. In regard to numerous parallels between the conflicts in the Caucasus and the Balkans, the initiative to learn something from the Balkan experience is understandable. However from Balkan perspective it may appear that there is nothing to be learned from us, or that it is better not to learn from us, considering how little we have achieved.
It should be noticed that Georgia is a former Soviet republic and Abkhazia had the status of an autonomous republic within it. After the collapse of Soviet Union, in 1992 the war started because of the conflict regarding future status of Abkhazia. It lasted over a year and thousands were killed, while hundreds of thousands had to flee from their homes. A proportion of those displaced by the war have returned to one region – but the Abkhaz authorities resist large-scale return, fearing that ethnic Georgians would become a relative majority in Abkhazia. Today, Abkhazia operates as an independent state, recognized by only several countries in the world, while Georgia aspires to “return Abkhazia under it’s wing.” Unlike the Balkans, neither domestic nor international tribunals dealing with war crimes exist there. Furthermore, while Georgian authorities claim to support reconciliation, in Abkhazia it is seen as an assimilation attempt. Direct cooperation is minimal, even between representatives of civil society.
The Belgrade workshop was organised by Conciliation Resources (CR) from London, while CNA had a supporting role in organising and conducting it. For many years CR has supported civil society organizations in the Caucasus. This workshop drew on the experience of previous workshops, including one held about a year and a half ago, in Switzerland. This time, Rachel Clogg from CR and Diana Francis facilitated the workshop, and Ivana Franović from CNA acted as resource person. Sandra Orlović from the Humanitarian Law Center presented the organisation and RECOM initiative within one working session.
It was very interesting to participate in this workshop, and to see how people from the Georgian-Abkhaz context map the problems and look for ways to fight with former and current injustices, as well as to learn from them and to recognize the similarities and differences between our contexts. It was also interesting to note that there appears to be much more space for the Georgians to work on dealing with the past, although it requires a lot of strength and courage, and for the Abkhaz, of course, it’s much harder, because aspirations to build a state do not sit easily with simultaneously dealing with the past.
I am very curious to see the development, whether people from the Caucasus will find an inspiration in this seminar. Either way, I wish them much strength and happiness in their future work, and most importantly, not to surrender and give up under various pressures.
I.F.