письма из Тбилиси и Лондона
Aug. 15th, 2008 12:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maryxmasвчерашшние.
Лика Цуладзе, преподавательница социологии из Тбилисского государственного университета:
At the moment there is a report from West Georgia that the Russian troops have just occupied Poti port and are exploding whatever they find on their way. They are gradually occupying West Georgian villages and attacking peaceful population. Meanwhile, other Russian military forces have again occupied Gori and it is not controlled by the Georgian side any more. Will this nightmare end at any point?
Yesterday evening they attacked the villages around Gori, raped women, killed men, kidnapped peaceful population, burnt their houses, destroyed playgrounds and robbed churches (they, barbarians, of the same religion!).
It is not only cruel but also ridiculous that the government of the huge country with the population over 150 millions is fighting a tiny country with the population under 4 million that can be erased from the earth just in one day! People, wake up, mere talks don't help! While you are negotiating the issue of how to stop Russia, Georgia is completely devastated!!!
Thanks to everyone supporting Georgia, but if it doesn't stop right now, very soon it may be very late...
Британская актриса Caryne Chapman Clark написала:
Dear Friends,
Thank you for contributing your messages of support. All of our friends in Georgia are so heartened by this massive response from around the world.
And so am I.
As many of you know, over the years, Tbilisi has become my second home. I just returned to London 2 weeks ago after a particularly wonderful 7 weeks there. Recently, on a sultry summer’s evening, at a party I hosted on the balcony of my Tbilisi flat, 25 of us ate, drank, toasted and laughed a lot, as we kept remarking on how much better the quality of life was generally in Georgia and specifically in Tbilisi. During this last trip I witnessed so much optimism, hope, regeneration and ongoing development that was beginning to reap tangible rewards after so many years of uncertainty. Among my wider circle of Georgian friends, many were immersed in a variety of innovative entrepreneurial projects and businesses with further ongoing ideas in planning mode. There was a real buzz of excitement in the air and a sense that positive change could finally translate into exciting possibilites for the future of Georgia.
And then suddenly on Friday the 8th day of the 8th month ‘08, what happens?
I receive a text message from a very dear Georgian friend that reads: “Bombs, bombs, bombs...........real war!!!!!”
The front pages of all the newspapers explode with shocking headlines.
“HUNDREDS DIE AS GEORGIAN WAR WIDENS” - sunday times
“RUSSIAN TANKS ROLL INTO GEORGIA AS CITIES BURN” - observer
“THE WEST CAN NO LONGER STAND IDLE WHILE THE RUSSIAN BULLY WREAKS HAVOC” - guardian
It’s so hard to watch television footage; Georgia forced to suffer at the hands of the mighty Soviet military machine, always ready to provoke, torment and terrorize; to bring this small country to it’s knees. It seems that as soon as Georgia begins to make real progress as a soverign state, the ‘Russian bully” comes along to demoralise, humiliate and knock down all the building blocks yet again. This certainly isn’t the first time but will it be the last?
After 3 days of harrowing media reports and eye witness accounts, late last night a frightening rumour sweeps through Tbilisi that the Russians are on their way to take over the capital. Throughout the night during several skype conversations with various Georgian friends in Tbilisi, I listen helplessly as they tell me that:
“The rumour is they (the Russians) are on track to Tbilisi. I cannot describe the quality of fear I am feeling. I am calm outside but inside........”
“Our president Saakishvili says: I assure you nothing will happen for the next 9 hours. Stay inside and be calm.
9 Hours? What does he mean by that? I cannot go to sleep tonight and yet I am exhausted!”
“Mama is surprisingly calm. She sits and sews her carpets, sews and sews.........”
“We know the Russians are coming – we just don’t know when.
People are panicking- queues of cars at all the petrol stations are filling up their tanks so if they need to leave they can. But leave for where?”
“I’m trying to stay very calm because if the worst happens to the people around me, they will need my help.”
“It’s so unbelievable that in the 21st century, a neighbouring country that is a major international player can invade and bomb this small country of ours.
Every international organisation that Russia is connected to must expel them from membership!”
This evening, on the news there is talk of a cease fire as Medvedev says:
“I’ve decided to finish the operation to force the Georgian authorities to peace. The safety of our peace keeping forces and civilian population has been restored. The aggressor has been punished having sustained considerable losses. It’s armed forces have been disorganised.”
In the same breath he also goes on to say: “Should centres of resistance or other aggressive attempts arise you must take the decision to destroy them.”
His audacity is unbelievable.
Meanwhile there is a humanitarian emergency where 100,000 people have been uprooted by the conflict and are pouring into Tbilisi. Georgian towns and villages have been razed to the ground. There is a shortage of medical supplies and facilities. Many innocent civillians are dead and there are numerous wounded. And all this in less than 5 days!
If Sarkozy does broker some kind of peace aggreement between Russia and Georgia, there will be a temptation for the West to breathe a huge sigh of relief and quickly sweep this one under the carpet.
Please don’t. Remain vigilant. Remember that this war isn’t just about Georgia. It’s about all countries that aspire towards being democratic freedom loving nations. We are all being held to ransom by Russia in this instance and we all know that and we know why.
The question is what are we going to do about it in the long term?
Every time Russia flexes its muscles on Georgian soil its main aim is to crush the Georgian spirit. But they will never succeed. Of this I am sure.
Many years ago when I joined the women protesting against American cruise missiles at Greenham Common, we sang this song.
It suddenly comes to mind tonight as a fitting way to capture what I have come to know about the Georgia I love with all my heart.
“You can’t kill the Spirit
She is like a mountain
Old and strong she goes on and on and on”
Much love and light to all
Caryne
вообще, должна заметить, что ощущения у меня сейчас -- как перед началом Оранжевой революции. тоска. беспросвет. беспомощность. и злость на себя за беспомощность.
однако на этот раз я не лезу в споры с публикой, которая демонстрирует все симптомы классиеской чумки. брезгую.
но ощущение, что я тоже принимаю участие в информационной войне, меня не оставляет.
а я, между прочим, хочу про лингвистику писать. про феминизм, ага. про Америку.
да вот только дискурс сильнее.
Лика Цуладзе, преподавательница социологии из Тбилисского государственного университета:
At the moment there is a report from West Georgia that the Russian troops have just occupied Poti port and are exploding whatever they find on their way. They are gradually occupying West Georgian villages and attacking peaceful population. Meanwhile, other Russian military forces have again occupied Gori and it is not controlled by the Georgian side any more. Will this nightmare end at any point?
Yesterday evening they attacked the villages around Gori, raped women, killed men, kidnapped peaceful population, burnt their houses, destroyed playgrounds and robbed churches (they, barbarians, of the same religion!).
It is not only cruel but also ridiculous that the government of the huge country with the population over 150 millions is fighting a tiny country with the population under 4 million that can be erased from the earth just in one day! People, wake up, mere talks don't help! While you are negotiating the issue of how to stop Russia, Georgia is completely devastated!!!
Thanks to everyone supporting Georgia, but if it doesn't stop right now, very soon it may be very late...
Британская актриса Caryne Chapman Clark написала:
Dear Friends,
Thank you for contributing your messages of support. All of our friends in Georgia are so heartened by this massive response from around the world.
And so am I.
As many of you know, over the years, Tbilisi has become my second home. I just returned to London 2 weeks ago after a particularly wonderful 7 weeks there. Recently, on a sultry summer’s evening, at a party I hosted on the balcony of my Tbilisi flat, 25 of us ate, drank, toasted and laughed a lot, as we kept remarking on how much better the quality of life was generally in Georgia and specifically in Tbilisi. During this last trip I witnessed so much optimism, hope, regeneration and ongoing development that was beginning to reap tangible rewards after so many years of uncertainty. Among my wider circle of Georgian friends, many were immersed in a variety of innovative entrepreneurial projects and businesses with further ongoing ideas in planning mode. There was a real buzz of excitement in the air and a sense that positive change could finally translate into exciting possibilites for the future of Georgia.
And then suddenly on Friday the 8th day of the 8th month ‘08, what happens?
I receive a text message from a very dear Georgian friend that reads: “Bombs, bombs, bombs...........real war!!!!!”
The front pages of all the newspapers explode with shocking headlines.
“HUNDREDS DIE AS GEORGIAN WAR WIDENS” - sunday times
“RUSSIAN TANKS ROLL INTO GEORGIA AS CITIES BURN” - observer
“THE WEST CAN NO LONGER STAND IDLE WHILE THE RUSSIAN BULLY WREAKS HAVOC” - guardian
It’s so hard to watch television footage; Georgia forced to suffer at the hands of the mighty Soviet military machine, always ready to provoke, torment and terrorize; to bring this small country to it’s knees. It seems that as soon as Georgia begins to make real progress as a soverign state, the ‘Russian bully” comes along to demoralise, humiliate and knock down all the building blocks yet again. This certainly isn’t the first time but will it be the last?
After 3 days of harrowing media reports and eye witness accounts, late last night a frightening rumour sweeps through Tbilisi that the Russians are on their way to take over the capital. Throughout the night during several skype conversations with various Georgian friends in Tbilisi, I listen helplessly as they tell me that:
“The rumour is they (the Russians) are on track to Tbilisi. I cannot describe the quality of fear I am feeling. I am calm outside but inside........”
“Our president Saakishvili says: I assure you nothing will happen for the next 9 hours. Stay inside and be calm.
9 Hours? What does he mean by that? I cannot go to sleep tonight and yet I am exhausted!”
“Mama is surprisingly calm. She sits and sews her carpets, sews and sews.........”
“We know the Russians are coming – we just don’t know when.
People are panicking- queues of cars at all the petrol stations are filling up their tanks so if they need to leave they can. But leave for where?”
“I’m trying to stay very calm because if the worst happens to the people around me, they will need my help.”
“It’s so unbelievable that in the 21st century, a neighbouring country that is a major international player can invade and bomb this small country of ours.
Every international organisation that Russia is connected to must expel them from membership!”
This evening, on the news there is talk of a cease fire as Medvedev says:
“I’ve decided to finish the operation to force the Georgian authorities to peace. The safety of our peace keeping forces and civilian population has been restored. The aggressor has been punished having sustained considerable losses. It’s armed forces have been disorganised.”
In the same breath he also goes on to say: “Should centres of resistance or other aggressive attempts arise you must take the decision to destroy them.”
His audacity is unbelievable.
Meanwhile there is a humanitarian emergency where 100,000 people have been uprooted by the conflict and are pouring into Tbilisi. Georgian towns and villages have been razed to the ground. There is a shortage of medical supplies and facilities. Many innocent civillians are dead and there are numerous wounded. And all this in less than 5 days!
If Sarkozy does broker some kind of peace aggreement between Russia and Georgia, there will be a temptation for the West to breathe a huge sigh of relief and quickly sweep this one under the carpet.
Please don’t. Remain vigilant. Remember that this war isn’t just about Georgia. It’s about all countries that aspire towards being democratic freedom loving nations. We are all being held to ransom by Russia in this instance and we all know that and we know why.
The question is what are we going to do about it in the long term?
Every time Russia flexes its muscles on Georgian soil its main aim is to crush the Georgian spirit. But they will never succeed. Of this I am sure.
Many years ago when I joined the women protesting against American cruise missiles at Greenham Common, we sang this song.
It suddenly comes to mind tonight as a fitting way to capture what I have come to know about the Georgia I love with all my heart.
“You can’t kill the Spirit
She is like a mountain
Old and strong she goes on and on and on”
Much love and light to all
Caryne
вообще, должна заметить, что ощущения у меня сейчас -- как перед началом Оранжевой революции. тоска. беспросвет. беспомощность. и злость на себя за беспомощность.
однако на этот раз я не лезу в споры с публикой, которая демонстрирует все симптомы классиеской чумки. брезгую.
но ощущение, что я тоже принимаю участие в информационной войне, меня не оставляет.
а я, между прочим, хочу про лингвистику писать. про феминизм, ага. про Америку.
да вот только дискурс сильнее.
