UN In The De Facto Republic Abkhazia
Observing But Powerless - Another UN Failure To Act
Dec 3, 2008
The de facto Republic of Abkhazia is a breakaway region in the north eastern corner of Georgia, adjacent to the Russian Black Sea border. It has been a forgotten wasteland until the recent Russian aggression in South Ossetia has brought it into the political limelight.
The current military peace, it could be argued, has been ensured by the presence of a small United Nations Military Observer Mission based on both sides of the ceasefire line. However, the situation os far from calm and quiet, with kidnappings, extortion and killings continuing to be a daily event in the area surrounding the ceasefire line.
The principal problem stems from the fact that the area adjacent to the ceasefire line is not populated with ethnic Abkhaz. Rather, it is predominantly ethnic Mingrelians, who very much consider themselves to be Georgian and see the presence of the Russian military and Abkhaz militia as occupying forces.
This reticence to support the Abkhaz cause has caused misery to many of the inhabitants of the area who have seen their villlages burnt; sons, daughters, husbands and wives killed; infrastructure torn up; and, more recently subjected to extortion, extreme violence and murder.
Moreover, Shamba, the de facto republic's foreign affairs representatives has ordered the Halo Trust to stop de-mining the ceasefire line around the village of Zeni 2. This has caused several villagers to lose cattle, who freely wander the streets and riverbank. Given that a cow represents a long-term income for these penniless people, the loss of any livestock has the simple effect of hampering the local's chance chances of surviving the winter.
The United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) has been entirely powerless to stop this extortion and, in some cases, has acquiesced to demands from the de fact authorities to stop patrolling some areas altogether. The Mission is currently operating without an effective Mandate from the Security Council following the seismic shift of the realities in the area as a result of the Russian agression towards Georgia in August 2008.
The Mission is now operating under a "Technical Rollover" whilst the United Nations attempt to craft a suitable and effective new Manadate under which UNOMIG can operate. However, this will be a particularly difficult enterprise given that the presence of the Mission perhaps inhibits the worst of the Abkhazian militia's, and therefore the Abkhaz authorities, extortion activities. Perhaps this can be seen as an echo of the United Nation's failures in the Balkans, and the United Nations Headquarters in New York will need to give the Mission a sufficiently robust Mandate if it is to improve the situation on the ground for the ordinary citizens.
