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Paths to Peace?

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Paths to Peace? Georgian findings Paths to Peace? A survey of public attitudes towards potential transformation of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict Cover image: Seagulls © Ibragim Chkadua Preface ,QVXPPHUUHVHDUFKZDVFRQGXFWHGRQ both sides of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict into public attitudes towards a range of potential steps that could contribute to transforming the Georgian–Abkhaz conflict. The idea to conduct this research arose out of a process of cross-conflict exchange and GLDORJXHIDFLOLWDWHGE\&RQFLOLDWLRQ5HVRXUFHV and its partners. One of the key topics that emerged in the dialogue was the overall lack of progress in the peace process. It was seen as a challenge to introduce even small changes LQSROLF\RUEHKDYLRXUZKLFKZDVFOHDUO\ hampering prospects for development and for building more constructive relationships in future. Some participants in the dialogue often referenced public opinion in trying to explain the lack of progress – attitudes held by the general SXEOLFZHUHDQREVWDFOHKROGLQJEDFNDWWHPSWV by officials and decision-makers to make bolder moves. Having identified this tendency in the dialogue SURFHVVZHGHFLGHGWRWHVWRXUDVVXPSWLRQV and to enquire through a process of focus group discussions and interviews about the opinions of a range of people on both sides of the conflict. :KDWGRSHRSOHUHDOO\WKLQNZKDWKRSHVDQG Footbridge in Abkhazia © Ibragim Chkadua IHDUVGRWKH\KDYHDQGWRZKDWH[WHQWDUH predominant attitudes in the societies presenting understand better the areas that are better left an obstacle to moving forward? How broad is the for a later stage in the process. We wanted to see UDQJHRIRSLQLRQVWKDWH[LVWLQVRFLHW\DQGKRZ whether there was common interest in making have they changed in relation to a dynamic and changes in some specific areas: which are the changing political context? Can we be sure that issues where interests overlap? On which issues we are not basing the discussions in our dialogue are sides too far apart for the dialogue to lead to processes on attitudes that are already out of tangible result at this point? GDWHWKDWZHDUHQRWPLVVLQJWKHQXDQFHLQWKH debate within the societies? Participation in the research provided an opportunity for people to structure their thoughts &RQFLOLDWLRQ5HVRXUFHVɋORFDOSDUWQHUVGHFLGHG on the conflict. The topic is rarely discussed to conduct the research in parallel so that we on either side of the conflict with a view to FRXOGFRPSDUHWKHUHVXOWVWRJHWKHUDQGH[SORUH finding practical and constructive ways forward. to what extent opinions on either side of the Discussions in the focus groups provoked serious conflict converge or diverge. The research WKRXJKWRQWKHLVVXHDQGHQFRXUDJHGSHRSOHWR WHDPVDJUHHGIRFDODUHDVIRUWKHUHVHDUFK think creatively about what might be possible WKRXJKTXHVWLRQVZHUHIRUPXODWHGVHSDUDWHO\DV and whether change could indeed be achieved. appropriate to the distinct contexts. We focused )RUPDQ\WKHDVVXPSWLRQLVWKDWQRWKLQJFDQ on themes that arose frequently over the course be done. Daily life has adopted a pattern that is of the dialogue. What are the obstacles cited now habitual and that makes it hard for people as standing in the way of change? What are the even to imagine that it could look very different possible steps that people see as desirable or if the conflict were resolved. Taking part in the feasible? We wanted the results of the research UHVHDUFKEHJDQWRRSHQXSSRVVLELOLWLHVJLYLQJ to help us to understand which areas may be the people a sense that in fact some steps can be most appropriate for taking first steps and to WDNHQDWWKLVSRLQWLQWLPHDQGWKDWWKHVHPLJKW Paths to Peace? A survey of public attitudes towards potential transformation of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict ɒ Georgian findings shift the dynamic in a more constructive direction. Most participants identified three areas with 2QWKH*HRUJLDQVLGHDWWKHWLPHWKHUHVHDUFKZDV fairly high potential for confidence building and FRQGXFWHGLQWKLVZDVDLGHGE\WKHUHODWLYHO\ transforming the conflict in a positive way where UHFHQWFKDQJHLQJRYHUQPHQWZKLFKJDYHVRPH progress would be achievable in the short term: people in society a sense that a new approach to 3 Access for Abkhaz (students) to education the conflicts may be possible. Looking back at abroad; this period now that parliamentary elections have 3 DJDLQWDNHQSODFHLQ*HRUJLDLQ2FWREHU Facilitate international engagement to support some today speak of yet another political cycle of development in Abkhazia. missed opportunities; others recognise the small 3 5H HVWDEOLVKELODWHUDOIRUPDWVIRUGLVFXVVLRQ EXWVRPHWLPHVVLJQLILFDQWVWHSVWKDWZHUHPDGH and/or contacts among Georgian and GHVSLWHDQXQVWDEOHSROLWLFDOFRQWH[WWKDWSURYHG Abkhaz officials. more problematic to navigate than many had perhaps expected. Additional issues were also categorized as ‘less FRQWHVWHGɋEXWRSLQLRQVGLIIHUHGZLWKUHJDUGWR The broader context for the research was the potential impact on trust and overall conflict predominantly an overwhelming feeling on dynamics. A number of them require further both sides of the conflict that so much time has clarification: SDVVHGDQGVRPDQ\RSSRUWXQLWLHVKDYHEHHQ 3 5HVWRUDWLRQRIWKH$ENKD]DUFKLYHZDV PLVVHGWKDWLWLVKDUGWRHQYLVDJHZKDWFKDQJH perhaps seen as the least contested action LVSRVVLEOH7KHRXWFRPHVRIWKHUHVHDUFKLQ SRLQWRIDOO+RZHYHUZKLOHWKH$ENKD]IHOW OLJKWRIWKLVZHUHVXUSULVLQJDQGSDUWLFLSDQWVLQ it would have significant impact in terms of the dialogue had mixed responses to the results. SHDFHEXLOGLQJVRPHZLWKLQWKH*HRUJLDQ 6RPHTXHVWLRQHGWKHILQGLQJVDQGGLIIHUHQW group were more sceptical; participants drew different conclusions as to 3 Both groups thought it would be possible to which issues emerged as priorities. come to some agreement over co-operation ,QRQHGLDORJXHVHVVLRQLQ*HRUJLDQDQG on issues of security in the Gal/i region. But Abkhaz participants were asked to place issues the Georgians tended to give this higher that had been explored in the research on a priority in terms of confidence building than grid. They placed the issues according to their the Abkhaz; potential to build confidence across the conflict 3 The Abkhaz group pointed out the significance GLYLGHRQWKHRQHKDQGDQGWKHGHJUHHWRZKLFK of granting UNESCO access to Abkhazia WKH\PLJKWEHFRQWHVWHGRUFRQWURYHUVLDORQWKH in the broader context of preservation of other. Although this exercise proved extremely cultural heritage and building trust. Some FKDOOHQJLQJDQGIUXVWUDWLQJIRUVRPHHYHQWXDOO\ Georgian participants felt they needed more the groups managed to identify a clearer clarification what this type of work may look picture of issues that had the potential to build like in concrete terms; WUXVWDQGOHDGWRORQJWHUPSHDFHDQGWKDW 3 6LPLODUO\ERWKJURXSVFRXOGLPDJLQHWKDW could be prioritised in terms of practical action symbolic steps could be taken to address or and advocacy. DFNQRZOHGJHJULHYDQFHVRIWKHZDU+RZHYHU The research challenged the apparent reluctance this area requires further elaboration DWWKHSROLWLFDOOHYHOWRSXUVXHFKDQJHVDQGWDNH and needs to be fleshed out with more creative steps. Some dialogue participants had concrete ideas. held the view that resistance among the wider Three issues were discussed as potentially populations was holding back initiatives and having a fairly high impact on confidence action at the political level. Others were of the between Georgians and Abkhaz and view that the governments were lagging behind FUHDWLQJORQJWHUPVWDELOLW\EXWSDUWLFLSDQWV their populations in terms of readiness for bold acknowledged it would be difficult to move VWHSV7KHUHVHDUFKSURYRNHGLQWHQVHGHEDWH forward on them in the current political climate: and challenged some of our assumptions. 3 2YHUDOOLWGHPRQVWUDWHGDGHJUHHRIUHDGLQHVV Finding an agreed definition of the status of among some groups in the societies to resolve Gal/i residents and officially recognizing the FHUWDLQLVVXHVDQGWRVHWWOHSUDFWLFDOFRQFUHWH fact of return. TXHVWLRQVHYHQLQWKHDEVHQFHRIDQ\SURJUHVV Although the field research was conducted in toward political settlement. DQGWKHMRLQWFRQFOXVLRQVZHUHGUDZQLQ 4 ɒ Conciliation Resources ZHIHHOWKDWWKHILQGLQJVUHPDLQUHOHYDQW by both societies. We hope that research such and have decided to bring them to the attention as this can help to overcome the sense of inertia of a wider circle of people. The protracted nature VXUURXQGLQJWKHFRQIOLFWDQGFRQWULEXWHWRD RIWKHFRQIOLFWDQGWKHDSSDUHQWODFNRISURJUHVV PRUHREMHFWLYHDVVHVVPHQWRIZKDWLVEHLQJGRQH can result in pessimism regarding prospects for and can be done. FKDQJH,QGHHGHYHQWKHSRVLWLYHVWHSVWKDWDUH The main conclusion we draw is that there is an being taken are not always given the credit they DJHQGDIRUDQRQJRLQJFURVVFRQIOLFWGLDORJXH GHVHUYH7KH*HRUJLDQJRYHUQPHQWɋVFHVVDWLRQ DQGWKHUHDUHWKLQJVWKDWFDQEHGLVFXVVHGDQG of subversive activity in the Gal/i region in recent EROGHUVWHSVWKDWFRXOGEHWDNHQLQRUGHUWR \HDUVIRUH[DPSOHRUWKHGHPRQVWUDWLRQRI make real progress. JRRGZLOORQWKHSDUWRIWKH$ENKD]ZKHQWKH\ agreed to release Georgian prisoners in 2016 as The full reports are available on our website: DUHVXOWRIQHJRWLDWLRQVZHUHODUJHO\RYHUORRNHG www.c-r.org/resources/paths-to-peace 5HVHDUFKPHWKRGRORJ\ We conducted qualitative research with a 1*2UHSUHVHQWDWLYHVXQHPSOR\HGSHRSOHDQG relatively small sample audience. We wanted displaced people and youth. to explore the main tendencies in the initial 2QWKH*HRUJLDQVLGHEHFDXVHRIWKH responses that people had to particular fundamental recent changes in political life in suggestions. We wanted to get a feel for the kind *HRUJLDDWWKHWLPHWKHUHVHDUFKZDVFRQGXFWHG of issues that emerge from a focused discussion respondents fell more or less into two camps RIWKHFRQIOLFWVZLWKDURXJKO\UHSUHVHQWDWLYHRU
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