Tshinval/Agency Caucasus – Both Ossetian and Georgian women in South Ossetia have joint together to reinforce their contribution to peace in spite of rumors that a war is likely to break out in the Caucasus.
Tshinval/Agency Caucasus – Both Ossetian and Georgian women in South Ossetia have joint together to reinforce their contribution to peace in spite of rumors that a war is likely to break out in the Caucasus.
Ossetian and Georgian women were brought together to form a peace club of women within the framework of what is called the Cross-Border Security program. This program was initiated with support from a Swedish non-governmental organization, called ‘Kvinna till Kvinna’ in Swedish, or ‘Woman for Woman’ in English. It was established in 1993 with a view towards giving support to the women who had found themselves in the middle of war and fighting just after the Balkans had fallen into a chaos.
The club was granted support even by the administration of South Ossetia, said Lira Tshovrebova, chairwoman on the Union of South Ossetian Women for Democracy and Human Rights, a social organization that helped the club to form.
Members of the Peace Club of Women think that they will play a significant role in re-establishing the mutual trust between Georgians and Ossetians in South Ossetia.
The Ossetian administration would grant members of the club a special license with which to move without hindrance along the border between Georgia and Ossetia, said Tshovrebova, and added that the club would undertake the task of delivering aid to the needy.
Tshovreba made a complaint about efforts at governmental level to separate Georgians from Ossetians: "There has not been such a gross level of alienation between Georgians and Ossetians since 1992. The re-establishment of mutual trust between Georgians and Ossetians is surely damaged by some powers that the new Georgian government tends to exercise, by the closing down of the Ergneti village, by the formation of new check points, by the concrete blocks that are designed to separate Georgians from Ossetians, by the arrest of Ossetians young people, and by fire opened at some cities and villages in South Ossetia."
Tshovrebova described the activities undertaken as part of the Cross-Border Security project to help break the deadlock between Ossetians and Georgians as follows: "Both Georgian and Ossetian women meet and discuss certain issues pertaining to their areas of interest. The members also have meetings with the administration representatives. And meetings are being held with women who come from Tbilisi, capital of Georgia."
Members of the Peace Club of Women met a short while ago in Tshinval, capital of South Ossetia, with President Eduard Kokoiti. They had also met with local administrators of Georgian villages before. The meeting with the president hosted women who had come from Tbilisi, as well. The meeting placed the emphasis on how contribution could be made towards the strengthening of peace as well as how wars could be stopped from harming women, children and their relatives. Kokoiti was called on to try establishing peaceful negotiations with Georgia. "It is the time to actively strive for peace. The South Ossetian administration supports your call for peace," replied Kokoiti. KU/ÖZ/FT
