Abkhazia: origins of independence
Today Abkhazia is celebrating 16th independence anniversary. On
September 30 1993 Abkhaz troops defeated the numerically superior
forces of the adversary, the republic's "big brother" - Georgia.
Abkhazia paid a high price for its freedom: according to unveiled data
over five thousand Abkhazians were dead in the course of the conflict.
The names of these heroes are commemorated today in Sukhum, Gagra and
other towns of the independent country Georgia Times reports.
On August 14 1992 the National Guard
of Georgia entered Abkhazia after the local government revalidated the
Soviet republic's constitution and its autonomous status on Georgia's
secession from the USSR. It took three thousand soldiers led by Defense
Minister Tengiz Kitovani three days
to occupy most of the Abkhaz territory. However light-armed resistance
forces of the autonomous republic were not going to surrender. On
August 31 assisted by volunteers from Chechnya and Adygei the militia
squads defended Lower Eshers village marking the start of the
victorious counter-offensive of the Abkhaz troops.
Earlier in September 1992 the resistance forces won away Gagra after
which the town's interim commandant Georgy Karkashvili threatened
genocide. "I can assure the separatists that with overall 100 thousand
victims among Georgians all your 97 thousand (i.e. the whole Abkhaz
nation - ed.) will be dead", - was the Georgian general's TV address to
the resisting Abkhazians.
Karkashvili's speech wasn't effective. On the contrary the militia
troops got even more ferocious. Day after day they occupied strategic
altitudes and gradually approached the capital of Abkhazia. Sukhum was
the scene of the historic battle that actually signalized the
republic's liberation from the Georgian troops, as President Sergey
Bagapsh said.
In September 1993 the resistance troops fought off Sukhum compelled
to oppose the aviation forces and 12-thousand group of Georgian troops.
By September 30 the Abkhazians were in control of the whole of the
autonomy.
"On that day we erected a state flag on the Abkhaz border on the
Ingur river" - Caucasian Knot quotes Givi Agrba, combatant, the hero of
Abkhazia.
In later years Georgia made three failed attempts at restituting
Abkhazia. The Abkhazians didn't give away both Gal district and Upper
Kodory gorge. The proud autonomy, as Sergey Markedonov says, was a
"suitcase without a handle" for Tbilisi: much desired but hard to
lift...
Today Abkhazia is celebrating the 16th anniversary of the victory commemorating those who stood to defend their motherland.
http://www.moscowtopnews.com/?area=postView&id=1612
