HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER "MEMORIAL"
103051, 12 Maly Karetny per, Moscow, Russia
tel.: +7 (495) 225-31-18, fax: +7 (495)
624-20-25
September 11, 2008
Special Press-release by Memorial Human Rights Center
A Month after the War
Violations of Human Rights and Norms of Humanitarian
law in the Conflict Zone in South Ossetia
On September 3-8, 2008 representatives of Memorial Human Rights Center and of Human Rights
Watch carried out a field mission to the area of armed conflict in South
Ossetia. Apart from the capital of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, we visited the
villages to the west of the town -Novy Tbet, Khetagurovo, Ubiat, Archneti,
Avnevi, Mugut, to the east - Eredvi, Sarabuk, Vanati, Ortey, Dmenis in the
Bikarsky Gorge of Leningorsky district, to the north-villages Tamarasheni,
Achabeti, Kurta, Kekhvi; as well as Dzhava and the village of Sinagur in
Lesegonsky Gorge in the west of Dzhavsky district.
We interviewed residents of towns and villages,
policemen and militia, Ossetian and Russian military servicemen.
We met with the Ombudsman, Deputy Prosecutor of
the Republic, head of republican Committee for information and press, other
representatives of state agencies of South Ossetia.
On the basis of this fieldwork Memorial is
making the following conclusions:
1.
At
night of August 7/8 armed forces of Georgia carried out an attack on South
Ossetia. Indiscriminate use of force was applied. Tskhinvali and villages where
civilians remained were subjected to fire with weapons of indiscriminate
effect, primarily from multiple rocket launchers “Grad”.
2. This caused fatalities among the civilian population of South Ossetia. At the moment it is not possible to identify the exact number of the killed. Until now some official agencies speak of thousands of killed, however, it is still impossible to find the source, which would validate such a calm. Moreover, the Investigative committee of Russia reports 137 killed. Only publication of verified list of victims can clarify this issue. An internet publication by “Public committee for investigation”, which lists 311 killed can be regarded as a step forward in this direction. Unfortunately, we were not able to find representatives of this committee in Tskhinvali or reach them by telephone number indicated at the website in order to inquire about the methodology of compiling this list. As of today, no credible verified lists exist. However, we are confident that among the deceased there were tens of civilians, including women, children and elderly. Such fatalities are great for small Ossetia.
3.
From
interviews with residents of Ossetian villages and residents of the most badly
damaged regions of Tskhinvali we learnt that most of the killed were the
representatives of armed resistance. The majority of the civilian population
had left town during the week before the attack, the remaining people were
hiding in cellars. We have registered several cases of firing at these houses
at the level of cellars. However, most of the civilian fatalities happened when
people were getting outside of cellars - to save a burning house, to get water
or in order to use the “humanitarian corridor” allegedly opened at night of
August 8-9.
4.
In
Tskhinvali we registered one attempt at hostage taking by a crew of a damaged
Georgian military vehicle. Retreating from the villages, Georgian military
servicemen also took captives and hostages. We have registered several cases of
cruel treatment of hostages. We have not carried out targeted interviews
specifically on this issue in the villages, which used to be under control of
Georgian troops, however, while talking to people we have not revealed cases of
torture, beatings and other forms of cruel treatment of women, children,
elderly by the Georgian infantry. Georgian military servicemen told many
civilians that they had a strict order not to inflict any damage to these
groups of the population. Residents of villages where according to the Russian
media “people were burnt in churches”, have not confirmed such information.
Moreover, during the conflict several badly injured Ossetian civilians were
taken to the hospital of Georgia where they received medical care. Reverse cases
were registered as well, when the Ossetians helped the elderly Georgians who
remained in the villages.
5.
Residential
and administrative buildings in Tskhinvali have been seriously damaged during
the shelling and bombing by Georgian armed forces. Certain damages could have
been inflicted by the artillery, but the residents reported only damages during the attacks on the night of 7/8
August, when the Russian army had not yet approached Tskhinvali. Earlier the
Russian Minister of Emergency Situations, Sergey Shojgu, estimated that the
number of houses in Tskhinvali which could not be repaired amounts to 10%;
housing which required reconstruction-to 20%. These estimates are questionable.
Evaluations made on the basis of photographs made by Sputnik can underestimate damage, since when tank shells hit a
multi-storey building, its roof can remain intact, and such damage is not being
registered from the space.
6.
On
August 13, two hours after the Russian army established control over Georgian
enclaves, it has undertaken effective measures aimed at protection of the
remaining civilian population and their property: looting and arson was
stopped. Moreover, Ministry of Emergency Situations forces discovered and
evacuated to Georgia at least a hundred residents of these villages – these
were Georgians who had not left their houses. This successful attempt at
controlling the situation shows there can be an effective solution to such
problems. However, approximately five days later the checkpoints were
dismantled and demolition of villages continued.
7.
Presently
the Georgian villages (the ones we have visited-Kekhvi, Kurta, Achabeti,
Tamarasheni, Eredvi, Vanati, Avnevi) have been virtually fully burnt down.
Presently, a month after the end of warfare the last houses are being burnt-
everyday we witnessed new fires set in these villages. There are villages with mixed population,
where the Georgian residents remained and they are currently secure (village
Artsnevi, Georgian khutors of Bikarsky Gorge, villages in the South-West of Dzhavsky
district).
8.
Georgian
population had virtually completely left the enclave villages on the eve of the
Georgian attack on South Ossetia, persuaded to do so by the local pro-Georgian
administration, which promised them a rapid return. Only those remained in the
villages who for various reasons were unable to leave, mainly Georgian elderly
and three ethnically mixed families (they are now under protection of
International Committee of Red Cross, they either receive humanitarian aid or
have already been evacuated. On September 8th only, the ICRC
evacuated 29 people). However, its not only the Georgian and mixed families who
are endangered, but also Ossetian residents of these villages are subject to
looting. Some of the marauders enjoy the impunity to loot and burn not only
neglected Georgian houses but other houses as well. There is no effective security at the entrances and exits to
villages- only once we saw a Russian-Ossetian checkpoint, where servicemen
checked documents, but it had not remained there for longer than for a day.
Even captured looters are not punished adequately, they escape, charged with a
small fine.
Leadership of South Ossetia does not ensure
protection of property of residents of Georgian enclaves and the security of
people remaining there. Russian security servicemen have also given up on these
functions. The situation in such villages is totally unacceptable. It is
necessary in the nearest future to carry out a door-to-door monitoring aimed at
discovering residents of villages who are alive and of dead bodies. This can be
carried out by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations Forces based in
Tskhinvali together with the South Ossetian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
9.
Units
of the Russian 58th Army currently stationed in South Ossetia are
getting gradually demoralized, having found themselves in a wine producing
region. Hospitality and gratitude of the Ossetian population make them not only
inefficient, but already dangerous for themselves and for people around. It is
necessary to urgently prevent this potential problem.