The Coalition for Justice (CFJ) responds to the recent visit of Dr. Dieter Boden to the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia

The Coalition for Justice (CFJ) would like to respond to the news of a recent visit of Dr. Dieter Boden—a former Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict (1999-2001) and Former Head of the OSCE Special Mission in Georgia (1995-1996)—to the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia.

CFJ is disturbed by certain of Dr. Boden’s recent remarks, that seem to undermine Georgia’s sovereignty—sovereignty that is based in international law and has the support of almost the entire international community.

Of particular interest is Dr. Boden’s reported statement claiming that the idea of the return of Abkhazia and South Ossetia into Georgia’s fold is “an illusion.” (Dieter Boden: Stiff resistance from Georgia; Echo of the Caucasus; 19.11.2010 22:04). This appears to be an attempt to legitimate the status quo created by Russia’s military actions. Such a statement also can be construed as an attempt to persuade the international community that the reunification of Georgia and the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced to their homes is destined to fail. There is simply no evidence of this.

CFJ deems it unacceptable that Mr. Boden, despite his years with the UN and OSCE, does not give due consideration to the grave humanitarian situation and gross violations of human rights committed by Russia and its proxies on Georgia’s territories. From a humanitarian standpoint, the just resolution of Georgia’s conflicts is based on the return, in safety, and with dignity, of hundreds of thousands of internally displace persons (IDPs) and refugees—the people who suffered most from the Russian invasion and policy of ethnic cleansing. The ongoing and systematic human rights violations suffered by the ethnic Georgian residents of the occupied territories—and the blanket ban on the return of the displaced to their homes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia—do not seem to be priority issues for Mr. Boden.

CFJ also strongly disagrees with Mr. Boden’s comparison of Georgia and Nazi Germany (Dieter Boden: No re-freezing of the Conflicts; Echo of the Caucasus; 26.02.2011 02:55). Georgia has never endorsed or carried out a policy of persecution or destruction against any ethnic, social, cultural, or political group—a claim that the de facto authorities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia cannot make about their own behavior. These secessionist regimes carried out ethnic cleansing and forcibly removed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, the majority of whom were ethnic Georgians from the aforementioned territories. Regrettably, this policy of ethnic cleansing continues today, with IDPs barred from returning to their homes and are prevented from participating in the political, social, and economic life of these regions.

CFJ would like to call on Mr. Boden to offer a more accurate assessment of the situation and to promote a balanced approach to conflict resolution in Georgia.

 

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PETITION ON RESPECT FOR AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED ERRITORIES OF GEORGIA

Coalition for Justice is sponsoring this petition to urge you to work with the member and observer states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to stop human rights violations taking place on the occupied territories of Georgia.

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