From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 8/15/2007 11:20 AM

15/08/2007

Abkhazians commemorate the war

Sukhum / Agency Caucasus - Abkhazians commemorate today the war that lasted from 1992 to 1993 and left thousands dead. Public marches from three different sides of the country initiated the 15th anniversary commemorations on August 14, a date in 1992 when the Georgian occupation of Abkhazia began.

 
Marchers arrived in the Red Bridge today. They first stood in a one-minute silence in honour of those who died and then listened to speeches from Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh, war veterans, families of the war victims and some young people.  

The organization is intended to bring the entire Abkhazian youth together, said Shamil Adzinba, Head of the Abkhazian Youth Committee, and stressed the importance of marching additionally in the Georgian-majority province of Gal as well.

There is a growing increase in trouble between the two governments of Georgia and Abkhazia 15 years after the war broke out, said President Bagapsh. The Georgian government intends to have the new Georgian generation accept chauvinism, the president argued, and pledged to struggle for the national independence of Abkhazians.

“Abkhazians cannot share the same roof with Georgians; Abkhazia could at best be a good neighbour to ,” said Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Sergei Shanba. Commemorators then laid a wreath at the war grave.

Georgians commemorate too

Just as Abkhazians, the Georgians commemorated in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, their own victims of the war. Vahtan Gotseridze, relative of a war victim, told Anatolian Agency that whatever happened at that time was a complete tragedy. Someone else, Tarash Gvadzabiya, also told Anatolian Agency how painful it is to remember the killing of as many as 100 000 Georgian troops. Gvadzabiya was, however, bitterly disappointed at the low turnout for commemorations.

http://www.ajanskafkas.com/haber,16643,detay.htm