PROFILE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT : GEORGIA Compilation of the information available in the Global IDP Database of the Norwegian Refugee Council (as of 18 March, 2004) Also available at http://www.idpproject.org Users of this document are welcome to credit the Global IDP Database for the collection of information. The opinions expressed here are those of the sources and are not necessarily shared by the Global IDP Project or NRC Norwegian Refugee Council/Global IDP Project Chemin Moïse Duboule, 59 1209 Geneva - Switzerland Tel: + 41 22 799 07 00 Fax: + 41 22 799 07 01 E-mail : [email protected] CONTENTS CONTENTS 1 PROFILE SUMMARY 7 GEORGIA: NO IMPROVEMENT IN RETURN CONDITIONS DESPITE DECADE-LONG CEASEFIRE 7 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND OF DISPLACEMENT 10 BACKGROUND 10 BASIC FACTS ON GEORGIA (1995) 10 ETHNIC DIVISIONS IN ABKHAZIA DURING THE SOVIET ERA (1920-1989) 10 THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION: A MAJOR ACTOR IN THE ABKHAZ CONFLICT (2001) 12 ARMENIA EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER THREAT AGAINST ARMENIAN MINORITY IN ABKHAZIA (2001) 13 THE SEVERE ECONOMIC BREAKDOWN SERIOUSLY AFFECTS THE STATE'S CAPACITY TO CARE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE (2002) 13 ABKHAZIA 15 SIX YEARS OF ON-AND-OFF WAR (1992-1998) 15 DISPLACEMENT AND "ETHNIC CLEANSING" (1992-1999) 16 TENSIONS ALONG THE CEASEFIRE LINE BETWEEN ABKHAZ AND GEORGIAN SIDE (2001-2003) 19 THE PEACE EFFORTS: THE CHALLENGE OF IDP RETURN (1994-2002) 20 DEVELOPMENTS IN 2003: INTERNATIONAL ATTEMPTS TO SUPPORT THE ABKHAZ-GEORGIAN DIALOGUE 22 NEW GEORGIAN LEADERSHIP MAINTAINS FOCUS ON THE ABKHAZ ISSUE (2004) 24 SOUTH OSSETIA 26 SOUTH OSSETIA: PEACE EFFORTS UNDER THE OSCE MEDIATION (1992-2002) 26 SMALL STEPS DONE THROUGH THE EU SUPPORTS TO REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES IN SOUTH OSSETIA (2002-2003) 28 OTHER GEORGIAN REGIONS 29 NEED FOR DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION IN OTHER GEORGIAN REGIONS (2000) 29 POPULATION PROFILE AND FIGURES 31 GLOBAL FIGURES 31 TOTAL INTERNALLY DISPLACED POPULATION: 260,000 PERSONS AS OF SEPTEMBER 2003 31 DISAGGREGATED DATA 33 ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE IDPS LIVE IN COLLECTIVE CENTRES BUT UPDATED FIGURES ARE NOT AVAILABLE (2003) 33 SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS LACK OF CONSISTENT FIGURES ON IDPS (2002) 34 DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED POPULATION DIFFERS NOTICEABLY FROM THE REST OF THE POPULATION (2000-2002) 35 THE NUMBER AND ETHNIC ORIGIN OF THOSE WHO HAVE FLED ABKHAZIA, HAVE REMAINED OR HAVE RETURNED IS A HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL POLITICAL ISSUE BETWEEN ABKHAZIA AND GEORGIA (2000) 36 DISTRIBUTION OF THE DISPLACED BY TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION (NOVEMBER 1999) 37 DISPLACEMENT OF GEORGIANS (1992-1997) 38 DISPLACEMENT OF RUSSIANS, ARMENIANS AND GREEKS (1992-1993) 38 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 40 GENERAL PATTERN 40 DISPLACEMENT PATTERNS LEAD TO A CONCENTRATION OF IDPS IN A NUMBER OF GEORGIAN CITIES (1997) 40 DISPLACEMENT OF ABKHAZ POPULATION (1992-1999) 40 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 42 GENERAL 42 CRIMINALITY REMAINS HIGH IN SOUTH OSSETIA (2003) 42 INSECURITY IN ABKHAZIA: A CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF RETURNEES (2003) 43 MINES IN THE GALI DISTRICT: AN OBSTACLE TO RETURN (2002) 46 RETURNEES TO SOUTH OSSETIA REMAIN EXPOSED TO HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE (2000-2001) 46 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS (HEALTH NUTRITION AND SHELTER) 48 HEALTH 48 HEALTH CONDITION OF IDPS IN COLLECTIVE CENTRES BELOW AVERAGE (2002) 48 FIELD SURVEYS REVEAL PSYCHOSOCIAL TRAUMA OF DISPLACED PERSONS (2002-2003) 48 ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES IS GOOD DESPITE LOW STATE FUNDING (2000-2003) 49 DETERIORATING HEALTH SITUATION IN SOUTH OSSETIA: (2002) 51 DIFFICULT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR THE DISPLACED AGGRAVATES EFFECTS OF POOR LIVING CONDITIONS (2000) 51 FIELD SURVEY BY SAVE THE CHILDREN IN WESTERN GEORGIA HIGHLIGHTS HEALTH NEEDS OF THE DISPLACED (2000) 53 FIELD SURVEYS REVEAL PSYCHO-SOCIAL TRAUMA OF DISPLACED WOMEN AND MEN (1995-2000) 54 SHELTER AND NON-FOOD ITEMS 55 DONOR AGENCIES CONSIDER PRIVATISATION OF COLLECTIVE SHELTERS (2003-2004) 55 IDPS IN COLLECTIVE CENTRES: SUBSTANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS (2001-2002) 56 INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION ON LEGAL REGIME DETERS IDPS FROM PURCHASING PROPERTY (2000-2002) 57 IDPS LEAVE HOST FAMILIES AND MOVE TO COLLECTIVE CENTRES (1994-2003) 59 INSUFFICIENT FIREWOOD TO FACE WINTER HEATING NEEDS IN SOUTH OSSETIA (2002) 60 IDPS HAVE SAME ACCESS TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AS THE REST OF THE POPULATION (2002-2003) 60 IDP COLLECTIVE CENTRES HIT BY EARTHQUAKE IN TBILISI (2002-2003) 61 PRECARIOUS HOUSING CONDITIONS OF THE DISPLACED (2000) 62 2 SHELTER NEEDS IN SOUTH OSSETIA: A PREREQUISITE FOR RETURN (2000-2001) 64 COLLECTIVE SHELTERS IN WESTERN GEORGIA NEED MAJOR REPAIRS (2000) 64 THE SITUATION OF UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AND ELDERLY IDPS (1999) 65 FOOD 66 INDICATORS SHOW LOWER NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF IDPS (1999-2002) 66 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 67 GENERAL 67 ISSUE OF LANGUAGE OF EDUCATION IN ABKHAZIA: A DECISIVE FACTOR ON RETURN (2000-2004) 67 DISPLACED CHILDREN FACE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS AT SCHOOLS (2000-2003) 68 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 71 SELF-RELIANCE 71 MANY BARRIERS TO THE AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE DISPLACED POPULATION (2000-2003) 71 POOR ECONOMIC SITUATION IN SOUTH OSSETIA HAMPERS LARGE-SCALE RETURN OF THE DISPLACED (2000-2002) 73 ACCESS TO INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES: HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG IDPS (2000- 2002) 74 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OF THE DISPLACED ARE CONSTRAINED BY THE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC SITUATION (2000) 76 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 77 RECENT REFORM OF ELECTION CODE RESTORES IDPS' VOTING RIGHTS (2002-2003) 77 IDPS IN COLLECTIVE CENTRES ARE SOCIALLY ISOLATED (2000-2002) 78 IDPS STAGE DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST NATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS (2001-2002) 79 PARALLEL STRUCTURES OF GOVERNANCE FUNCTION AS AN ASSISTANCE NETWORK FOR THE DISPLACED FROM ABKHAZIA (2001) 80 DISPLACED PERSONS UNDER PRESSURE NOT TO DEMAND THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE (2000) 80 MARGINAL POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF DISPLACED WOMEN (2000) 81 DOCUMENTATION NEEDS AND CITIZENSHIP 83 GENERAL 83 MANY IDPS HAVE LOST THEIR PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS (1999) 83 ISSUES OF FAMILY UNITY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE 84 GENERAL 84 FATE OF GEORGIAN AND ABKHAZ MISSING PERSONS WHO DISAPPEARED DURING THE CONFLICT IN ABKHAZIA STILL UNKNOWN (2002) 84 CHANGING GENDER ROLE: DISPLACED WOMEN BECOME THE MAIN HOUSEHOLD INCOME EARNERS (2000) 84 3 MARITAL STATUS OF IDPS: SURVEYS INDICATE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF SINGLE PARENTS HOUSEHOLDS (2000-2002) 87 PROPERTY ISSUES 88 GENERAL 88 IDPS PURCHASING PROPERTY DO NOT LOSE THEIR IDP STATUS (2003) 88 LAND ALLOCATION TO IDPS: INCONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION (1992-2003) 88 PRIVATISATION IN SOUTH OSSETIA: RIGHTS OF IDPS AT RISK (2002) 90 PROPERTIES LEFT BEHIND: UNCERTAINTY ON THE RESTITUTION PROCESS (2002-2003) 91 INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROPOSES CONCRETE LEGAL AND POLITICAL MEASURES TO RESOLVE THE HOUSING AND PROPERTY ISSUE IN GEORGIA (1998) 93 RIGHT TO PROPERTY RESTITUTION: GEORGIAN NGO SUBMITS DRAFT LEGISLATION (1999) 94 DISCRIMINATORY IMPLEMENTATION OF HOUSING CODES COULD IMPEDE IDP RETURN TO ABKHAZIA (1999) 95 PATTERNS OF RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 97 RETURN PROSPECTS 97 RETURN HAMPERED BY WIDESPREAD POVERTY IN SOUTH OSSETIA (2003) 97 UN ENDEAVOURS TO PUT RETURN ON THE NEGOTIATIONS' AGENDA (2003) 98 UN SUPPORTS CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES TO IMPROVE SECURITY IN RETURN AREAS (2003) 99 UN CONTINUE TO MONITOR RETURN CONDITIONS IN GALI AND ZUGDIDI SECTORS (2002) 101 INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS HAVE BEEN MANDATED TO ASSIST IN CREATING CONDITIONS FOR RETURN (2000-2001) 102 JOINT ASSESSMENT MISSION TO THE GALI DISTRICT EVALUATE CONDITIONS FOR THE RETURN OF THE DISPLACED (NOVEMBER 2000) 103 INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES ARE RELUCTANT TO UNDERTAKE PROGRAMMES THAT MAY ENCOURAGE RETURN TO UNSAFE AREAS (2000) 104 UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE CONDUCTS BILATERAL CONSULTATIONS ON KEY ISSUES, INCLUDING RETURN TO ABKHAZIA (2000) 105 SOME INTERNALLY DISPLACED HAVE OPTED FOR RESETTLEMENT (2000) 106 DE FACTO ABKHAZ AUTHORITIES TAKE UNILATERAL INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE RETURN TO THE GALI REGION (JANUARY 1999) 106 RETURN MOVEMENTS 107 RETURN TO ABKHAZIA CONTINUES DESPITE INSECURITY (2003) 107 UNHCR FACILITATES RETURN TO SOUTH OSSETIA (2003) 108 SEASONAL NATURE OF RETURN TO THE GALI DISTRICT (2000) 109 DE FACTO ABKHAZ AUTHORITIES ALLEGEDLY EXAGGERATE NUMBER OF GEORGIAN RETURNEES IN GALI (1999) 110 UNHCR 1994 RETURN PLAN FAILS (1995) 111 HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 113 GENERAL 113 SECURITY CONSTRAINTS AFFECTS DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO ABKZAZIA AND WESTERN GEORGIA (2001-2002) 113 4 NGOS DENOUNCE CORRUPTION (2002) 114 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES 115 NATIONAL RESPONSE 115 GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO THE IDP SITUATION -STRUCTURES AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK (1992-2003) 115 NEW APPROACH TO IDP ASSISTANCE: AN ADVOCACY INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE SELF-RELIANCE OF IDPS (1999-2003) 117 IDPS PROTEST AGAINST THE SLOW PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCES (2003-2004) 119 INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 119 UNHCR SCALES DOWN DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO IDPS (2004) 119 UNOMIG'S PRESENCE CONTRIBUTES TO THE RETURN OF THE DISPLACED TO THE GALI DISTRICT (1993-2004) 120 EXPANDING HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES IN ABKHAZIA (2003) 122 LOW INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN SOUTH OSSETIA (2003) 124 UN SPONSORS REVIEW OF IDP RIGHTS (2003) 125 UNHCR: SCALE OF OPERATIONS IN RESPECT WITH IDPS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE IN 2003 127 THE HUMAN RIGHT OFFICE IN ABKHAZIA: A COMPONENT OF THE UN OBSERVER MISSION (1996- 2003) 128 THE GEORGIA SELF-RELIANCE FUND (GRSF): SUPPORT TO INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR IDPS' INTEGRATION (1999-2003) 130 WFP EXTENDS ITS FOOD ASSISTANCE TO VULNERABLE GROUPS (2003) 132 PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR IDPS: A SWISS-SPONSORED PROGRAMME (2002-2003) 133 DONORS DO NO LONGER EXPLICITLY TARGET