Guram Odisharia: “We Will Have Permanent Problems with Abkhaz People Until Our Policy Becomes More Human”
Tako Khutsishvili
“Today,
many people make slogans to restore territorial integrity. However, the
main purpose is restoration human unity and relations. We do not need
return of Abkhazia in square meters but first of all we should gain the
trust of the people back. Unfortunately, politicians do not see the
human factor at all. They just see politics and certain schemes,” said
writer from Sokhumi Guram Odisharia in his interview with the
humanrights.ge
Guram Odisharia
finished both secondary and high school in Sokhumi. He has been writing
poems from childhood. However, his paintings were published earlier
than his poems. By profession he is historian and linguist. He was
advisor of the Union of Writers in Abkhazia and was active journalist
in Sokhumi. Since 1987 he was editor of the magazine Ritsa in Sokhumi
which, as he said, was a bridge between Georgian and Abkhaz peoples.
After the fall of Sokhumi, he fled to Tbilisi via Caucasian range.
Nowadays he is busy with writing novels. His book “Return to Sokhumi”
was published 5 times and has become one of the reasons to start
negotiations between Georgian and Abkhaz peoples. The writer has a lot
of Abkhaz friends and still continues his relationship with them. Guram
Odisharia believes that doors are never closed for human relations.
-Mr. Guram, you often visit Abkhazia. What kind of relation do you have with local people; have your relations changed?
-Our relation is
very sincere. I often receive Abkhaz friends. Even completely unknown
Abkhaz people visit me. Many Georgian and Abkhaz people visit each
other. They are not famous people; and Georgian-Abkhazian Commission
assists them too. I have friends and acquaintances almost in every
field. I started negotiations with Abkhaz people in 1997. First I met
them in Sochi. We have met in Tbilisi and other countries of the
Caucasus. I was in Sokhumi on January 10, 2004 for the first time after
the war.
-Wasn’t it difficult for you?
-It had its own
pre-conditions. They had already read my books in Abkhazia. “Return to
Sokhumi” was translated in Russian and they accepted this book very
well. In the book I described my memories about beautiful city of
Sokhumi, which they also miss. After the war, cities rapidly changed.
Sokhumi has changed too. Thus, they read the book with nostalgia.
People are fed up with tension and controversy. My book is full of
sympathy and pains of both sides. In 1997, when first meeting of
Georgian and Abkhaz public diplomacy was preparing, Abkhaz side wished
to meet with me. I have my childhood friends in Abkhazia – they are
Abkhaz, Greek, Armenian, Ukrainian and Jewish. We were very close to
each other in the city. Current government of Abkhazia is also my
generation. I avoid political meetings but they still invited me
several times. I am not a politician or decision-maker. When elections
are approaching, members of various parties call me and they request me
to stand with them to show that they negotiate with Abkhaz people. But
it is temporary action. After elections finish, they forget
Georgian-Abkhazian relations. Abkhaz people know that I am independent
writer and painter and sincerely understand their grief. So, it makes
my relation with them easier. I can tell them some bitter truth
directly, though they will not accept it from other person. One Abkhaz
woman told me: I am happy and proud that I am member of Sokhumi
literature circle.
-Do you
think there is real resource for the reconciliation of Abkhaz and
Georgian peoples? Maybe, you have thought of it quite often.
-After each
conflict, there always exists resource for reconciliation because
politics are changed and everything can happen very suddenly. We lived
in Sokhumi before war and saw how situation was getting tenser. But
neither we nor our Abkhaz friends believed similar war would break out.
Unfortunately, neither party had leaders who could find a common
language. It was a period of illusions. When time passed, these
illusions disappeared. Everybody is aware of global politics. My
friends and I think we will take honorable place in global politics
with the support of our wisdom, historical experience, love and
sympathy. Even a child knows the aggressive policy of Russia. They also
feel Russian invasion on Abkhazian territory.
Today, many people
make slogans that restoration of territorial integrity is very
important. However, restoration of human unity and relations are most
important. We do not need to return Abkhazia in square meters; but
first of all we should gain back the trust of the people.
Unfortunately, politicians do not see the human factor; they just see
global politics and certain schemes. We cannot speak with the people
with whom we co-existed and built churches during many centuries in
accordance to these schemes. This genetic memory exists in people but
many of them do not use it. We will have permanent problem with Abkhaz
people until we make our policy human.
-The Human
Rights Center started Sorry Campaign in 2007. People say Georgian
people do not have anything to apologize for. What do you think about
this campaign?
-I have information
about this campaign and I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I do not know
the reaction of Abkhaz people about it. Though, I know reaction of
Georgian people – many of them get angry saying we have nothing to
apologize for and they should apologize, etc. We both had radical
leaders. Unfortunately, the leaders have not reached an agreement yet.
When a person, even if he/she is not guilty at all, apologizes to
another; it warms relations. I am one of those people who think that we
could avoid the war. We must speak about our mistakes. We cannot
achieve the goal unless catharsis does not occur in our hearts.
-Position
of Abkhaz elderly people is very important for Abkhaz people.
Reportedly, 20 years ago, at the so-called Likhni meeting, they had
anti-Georgian position. What is their current position, how do they
assess the reality?
-Unfortunately, in
the current situation the opinion of Abkhaz elderly people is not that
important and significant. Abkhazian society is small and still
controversial. They see problems in various ways. Many Abkhaz people
want to settle the complicated situation and are ready for dialogue.
They want to find a common starting point for communication that will
be good for both Abkhaz and Georgian peoples. There are also radical
opponents of this relation who do not wish to negotiate with Georgian
people. However, the recent events in Abkhazia, recognition of their
independence by Russia and violence of Russian soldiers changed their
opinion. It is urgently necessary that decision-makers do their job.
But it is bad that the political elite has not analyzed the period of
two years ago. They have not studied the causes of tensions and
military operations. Unfortunately, they have not considered the
opinion of people who had relation with opposite side.
-Did you visit your house in Sokhumi?
-I have not
visited my house since the war and I am not going to before everybody
returns there. Before arrival in Sokhumi I visited North and South
Caucasus; I saw many impoverished IDPs and realized one thing – unless
people find a common language, my house is a composition of just sand
and bricks for me which was standing and will stand in future too. Many
people lost properties during the war but cemeteries and memory are
most important for me; they should not disappear. My Abkhaz friend
looks after my father’s grave; even the stone has not moved from the
place. And it is the most precious thing for me.
We live in
ultra-political space where there is small place left for human
relations which was particularly important for us and the Abkhaz people
before. Many people say that Abkhaz people hate us. This is not true.
When you arrive there and get rid of newspapers and television, only
ordinary relations remain. First lady of Abkhazia is Georgian – Shonia.
It is a big resource. Doors are never closed for human relations. We
have not only common cuisine but our songs and dances are also similar.
Our world-view is also common; I mean, we equally honor bravery, love
and faith. Abkhaz people have not changed their Apsuara – unwritten
moral law.
12 Mar. '10 ...back
|