OSCE: closure of the crossing points on ABL creates hardship for locals
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, September 16
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reports that the ongoing closure of the crossing points on the administrative boundary line with the Tskhinvali Region is creating additional hardship for the local people and is further raising tensions.
“We are in contact with all relevant actors, urging them to abstain from taking unilateral steps that have negative humanitarian consequences for conflict-affected people and undermine stability on the ground,” reads the press statement of the co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions.
The statement calls on all participants in the Geneva International Discussions to engage constructively within the existing security and dialogue mechanisms and to search for solutions to all issues of concern.
“It is in this respect essential that conflict-affected people are not subjected to additional hardship and that their human rights, including freedom of movement, are fully respected,” reads the statement.
The so-called Akhalgori checkpoint has been closed for more than 10 days. The State Security Service says that the occupation regime closed the border on September 4 and they have not been opened yet.
The de facto authorities claimed that the checkpoint would open on September 6, but later their representatives noted that they are waiting for the situation to calm, after which the so-called checkpoint will be open.
According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Georgia, some of the Akhalgori residents managed to leave the town before the closure of the so-called border, while the people who stayed are demanding to open the checkpoint. It is reported that locals are don’t enough supply of products and medication and they are seeking help.
The representatives of the State Security Service said that the hotline has been activated several times to resolve these problems and the co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions and the EU Monitoring Mission are being informed about the ongoing situation regularly. This issue will also be discussed at the so-called technical meeting of Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM).
The Official Representative of the Georgian Foreign Ministry also issued a special statement regarding the closure of so-called crossing points along the occupation line in Tskhinvali region.
“This illegal decision by the occupation regime constitutes a gross violation of fundamental human rights, restricts the freedom of movement and access of conflict-affected people to their homes and yards. The closure of the occupation line for indefinite timeline creates critical humanitarian conditions for the residents of the Tskhinvali region and impedes the effort of Georgia and the international community directed at peaceful conflict resolution and de-escalation of the situation,” reads the statement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls upon the Russian Federation to fulfill its international obligations and engage constructively in the Geneva International Discussions to find solutions on security and humanitarian problems of conflict-affected people.
The creeping occupation remains to be an unresolved problem for Georgia. Because of it, many families have lost their homes, it even managed to swallow numerous Georgian villages. The process started after the Russia-Georgian War, which was fought between Georgia, Russia and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of so-called South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
