Russia Rules Out Immediate Return of Georgian IDPs
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A man stands outside apartment building in Gori which was targeted in one of the Russian air strikes. Photo: InterPressNews
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Although the Russian Foreign Ministry downplayed the South Ossetian secessionist leader Eduard Kokoity’s statement that he would not allow Georgian displaced persons to return, it ruled out any possibility of an immediate return.
Kokoity said on August 17 that the South Ossetian authorities “will not let the Georgian refugees, who have fled their villages in South Ossetia, back” to their homes.
“This was an emotional statement made under the influence of existing situation against the background of Georgian leadership’s massive military attack on South Ossetia,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release on August 17. “Civilians and peacekeepers have been killed and significant material damage has been caused.”
The Russian MFA although said that return of displaced persons and refugees is guaranteed under the international law, it “as a rule is a long process.”
“For example, many people who became refugees as a result of the conflict in former Yugoslavia have not yet return to their homes, like Palestinian refugees,” it said.
“We should not also forget that feelings of people in South Ossetia after the aggressive actions of the Georgian leadership are exacerbated to the limits,” the Russian MFA continued. “Those who died have just been buried, the process of liquidation of damage and creation of elementary conditions for return of peaceful life has just started. Much still needs to be done.”
“It is clear that some time – and not a short period of time – must pass in order to heal the wounds and to restore the confidence. Only after this, the conditions will be created for discussion practical aspects related with the problems of refugees.”
UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported based on estimates provided by the Georgian government that up to 15,000 people have fled south from South Ossetia into Georgia proper. In addition, the agency said, some 73,000 people were displaced from the areas outside South Ossetia, including most of the population from Gori. Most of them have found shelter mainly in public schools and kindergartens in Tbilisi.
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