UN Aid Convoy Allowed into Russian-Occupied Villages

The first UN humanitarian convoy was allowed to enter Russian-controlled areas north of Gori on September 11, the UN said in a press release.

On September 8 Russian soldiers at a checkpoint in the village of Karaleti, seven kilometers from Gori, turned back a UN convoy of four vehicles carrying flour, pasta, sugar and other products. Russia cited that the UN convoy failed to produce documents to the Russian forces stating the purpose of the trip, as well as a list of facilities to be visited.

Robert Watkins, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Georgia, said on September 11 that the entry of the UN aid convoy into Russian-occupied villages south of breakaway South Ossetia was “a first step which we hope will lead to free and unimpeded access to previously inaccessible areas in Georgia.”

“Humanitarian assistance must be provided to anyone wherever it is needed,” he added.

The UN said four tons of assistance was delivered to the village of Patara Garadjivari.

“Residents said their key concern continues to be their personal safety, along with access to health, food and shelter,” the press release reads.

Russian forces are expected to withdraw from this area between the South Ossetian administrative border and the town of Gori within ten days after EU monitors are deployed there. According to the September 8 agreement EU observers should be deployed there no later than October 1.

Meanwhile, two rights groups – the New York-based Human Rights Watch and Moscow-based Memorial – reported on September 11 on a joint trip to South Ossetia.

“South Ossetian authorities are not ensuring the defence of property of residents of Georgian enclave villages or the safety of people remaining there,” Alexander Cherkasov of Memorial was quoted by Reuters as saying. “Currently the Georgian villages we visited…are practically burnt to the ground. Now, a month after military operations, the final houses are being torched, and every day we saw new fires."

Tanya Lokshina of Human Rights Watch said that during the visit to South Ossetia they saw armed irregulars looting furniture, fixtures and valuables from homes in the area. “The [Georgian] enclaves are still burning, and they made no attempt to hide it,” she was quoted by Reuters as saying.

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