Georgia-Abkhaz Conflict
Georgia is a nation found at the intersection between Asian and Europe which was formerly a member of the Soviet Union with its capital at Tbilisi. The official languages are Georgian and Abkhaz. On the other end, the republic of Abkhazia, a de facto state, is located in the Northwester Georgia, and the south of the greater Caucasus Mountains. Both Georgia and Abkhazia were formerly a Soviet Union territories but after it collapse they went into separate ways. Georgia has been recognized as a sovereign state globally and has been claiming Abkhazia to be part of its territory which have not resonated well with Abkhazians. This situation has led to conflicts which have lasted for over five decades. However, in 2008 another conflict erupted involving Russia, South Ossetia, Abkhaz, and Georgia. In the conflict Russian forces and Georgia were fighting in and around South Ossetia. The issue was Russian coming out officially recognizing Abkhazia as a sovereign state and pledging their support to protect Abkhazia. In this context the conflict tree will have effects, core, problem, and causes as reflected in Woodrow (2015 p. 41). The effects included citizens becoming internally displaced persons and refugees, damage of property, deaths, disrupted economy, the culture of exclusions and domination perceptions by Abkhazia, mistrust, prejudice, mistrust, and continuous violence, and revenge among other. The core problem was Russian active involvement in the conflict but siding and supporting Abkhazia which is a region that Georgia believes is part of its territory a notion that led to the initial conflict. The conflict was fueled by Russia’s military occupation in Abkhazia. The causes of the conflict included unequal recognition of sovereignties, Russian military involvement, threat to Abkhazians heritage, patriarchal culture by Georgia, manipulation of history, and favoritism by Russians towards the Abkhazians. The efforts of the Geneva International discussions (GID), UN, EU, and OSCE to promote peace in 2008 failed, and the Geneva international discussions (GID) the only platforms to provide Georgia/Abkhaz a solution to the conflict.
The Key Actors and Their Contribution to the Driving Factors
The key actors in the conflict include primary actors, Georgia and Abkhazia. The secondary actors’ include Russian, South Ossetia, and other smaller states that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. The tertiary parties are the international organizations which include UN, GID, OSCE, and EU. These groups contribute individually and jointly to the situation experienced by Georgia and Abkhaz. The driving factors included the refusal of Abkhazia to recognize the domination by Georgia. Moreover, Russia, south Ossetia, and other form Soviet Union states have decided to recognize Abkhazia as a sovereignty state which has further fueled the conflict further. Georgian government has been fighting with Russian over their military activities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia among other former states of the Soviet Union has been supporting Abkhaz in the conflict. Also there has been the involvement of international organizations (UN, GID, OSCE, and EU) which has been neutral in the talks aimed at culminating the situation. However, all parties have welcome the international peace-keepers to hold productive negotiation and improve security during the talks. The EU has been utilizing the non-recognition and engagement strategy involving public diplomacy by trying to de-isolate the conflicting territories. The aim is to enhance co-existence between the conflicting parties (Kirova 2012). The UN has been supporting humanitarian services such as providing medication and security to the conflicting regions while holding meetings to design strategies for ending the conflict (Council of Europe 2018, p. 23). The OSCE through its international high commission for minorities said that to solve the Gali issues the parents should determine the language they prefer their children to use when learning (Hammarberg and Grono 2017, p. 8). Moreover, USA has been recognizes the sovereignty and territorial boundaries of Georgia as internationally recognized. It also called for Russian to honor its obligation for ceasefire in the 2008 conflict and withdrawal of the forces to the positions before war. The GID has provided platform of stakeholders in the matter to discuss the solution to the problem.
The Relationships and Dynamics among the Factors and Actors and Their Interaction
Forces for peace against conflict ≥
Forces for conflict ≤ -- against peace
Key Actors
UN meetings and humanitarian support.
OSCE recommendations on Gali situation about the language to use in schools.
EU on the ground activities for peace and humanitarian support.
Georgia, South Ossetia, and Abkhaz accepted the suggestion and involvement of international communities in settling the matter.
USA support through various UN agencies to promote peace and settle the suffering communities.
P
E
A
C
E
The Russsian open support of the Abkhaz sovereignty.
The Russian and South Ossetia military bases at Abkhaz.
The Russian effort to undermine the Georgian heritage in the education system at Gali.
The Key actors include
Georgia
Abkhazia
Russia
South Ossetia
Other former soviet union states
UN
GID
USA
OSCE
EU
What should be Stopped and Factors Spearheading the Conflict?
Since the formation of the UN, its efforts have been to enhance peace in nations and promoting the integrity of boundaries for sovereign states. Thus, it is time to take active measures based on its policies to solve the issue. There are various activities that can be stopped to ease the conflict. First any military activities that are either pro- Abkhaz or pro-Georgia, such as those by Russia and South Ossetia in support of Abkhazia should stop. Second, Russia should stop fighting with any of the conflicting parties for instance, it should stop fighting to control Abkhazia and Georgia as seen it has been trying to include the adoption its culture in Gali and has stationed a military camp in Abkhazia. Third, Russia and other former soviet unions which are not neutral in this conflict should be purged to create a conducive atmosphere for handling the problem.
What Is the Conflict NOT About
The conflict was ethnopolitical where Georgia wanted to assert dominance over the Abkhaz region. However, the activities by Russian at socio-political and economic levels against Georgia and in support for Abkhaz has been viewed by critics including the Georgian ambassador to Great Britain as a trick for Russia to annex the embattled territory. This is a misconception since the treaties and agreements that Russia has signed with Abkhaz aimed to support the independence of Abkhaz. Moreover, Abkhaz main goal is not to have an independent government but a leadership system that will protect their heritage which they perceive Georgians plan to destroy (Akaba and Khintba 2011, p. 12).
The Regional and International views Of the Conflict and the Consequences
The regional reason for this situation is the demand for each region to be free from the influence of another since they were all under the Soviet leadership and now want to be recognized as sovereign (Tarkhan-Mouravi 1998, p. 16). Also, from the international perspective, the interference by Russian in this regions using its secret service, military presence, and propaganda have fueled the conflict in the region. For instance, Russian is seen fueling the Georgia-Abkhaz conflict through military support and trying to change the culture in Georgia all sparking hatred and continued conflict between the two parties (Tarkhan-Mouravi 1998, p. 19). The outcome will be a fruitless discussion, heightened aggressiveness, and wastage of resources by involved parties trying to resolve the situation.
What Has Already Been Tried and the Outcome
The UN, EU, GID, and OSCE have been very instrumental in designing solutions for Georgia-Abkhaz conflict. UN through its Security Council resolutions has been supporting the ceasefire agreement between the two parties and has been increasing reinforcement conflict erupt in 2008 between one side Russian and Abkhaz and on another Georgian government. The EU has been encouraging the non-recognition and engagement strategy to obtain access to the conflicting regions and gathered information about the cause and probably the solution. The outcome has been encouraging other stakeholders to remain neutral as a way of reliving the already piling tension when international action take sides. There was a time the UN and OSCE appeared to be competing in solving the matter and to end this the former was allocated Georgia-Abkhaz region while the later took South Ossetia. The Geneva International discussions has been providing platform for stakeholders co-chaired by EU, OSCE, and UN for discussing solutions to the problem. During the GID the discussion on consequences and recommended remedy for of the 2008 Georgia conflict were considered (Nichol 2008, p. 7. These discussions and resolution has been integral in promoting a peaceful atmosphere during the discussions. For instance, it recommended the release of prisoners kept by both Abkhazia and Georgia as a humanitarian gesture. Such acts are meant to enhance the trust between the conflicting which has been broken initially. Also, the issues of Russia-occupied regions both in Abkhazia and Georgia was discussed and was urged to retreat to former position where there was no war. There was a suggestion to create an international security in the breakaway Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions (Allison 2008, p.1143). Also, there was a non-use of threats and use by Georgia and Russia which the later contested heavily and later the USA decided to support Georgia on the issue which created a balance of power in the Region. This move by USA allowed the GID platform to include USA in the discussion since it was perceived as a reliable force in solving the matter.
References
Akaba, N. and Khintba, I., 2011. Transformation of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict: rethinking the paradigm. London: European Union.
Council of Europe., 2018. Consolidated report on the conflict in Georgia.
Hammarberg T. and Grono M., 2017. Human Rights in Abkhazia Today
Kirova, I., 2012. Public diplomacy and conflict resolution: Russia, Georgia and the EU in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. CPD Perspectives on Public Diplomacy. Retrieved from http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/sites/uscpublicdiplomacy.org/files/useruploads/u35361/2012%20Paper%207.pdf
Tarkhan-Mouravi, G., 1998. The Georgian-Abkhazian conflict in a regional context. Georgians and Abkhazians. The Search for a Peace Settlement. Köln: Bundesinstitut fur ostwissenschaftliche und internationale Studien. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/129623897.pdf
Woodrow P., 2015. Conflict Analysis Framework: Field Guidelines and Procedures Conflict Analysis Field Guide. Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Con.
Nichol, J., 2008, October. Russia-Georgia Conflict in South Ossetia: Context and Implications for US Interests. Library of Congress Washington Dc Congressional Research Service. Pp 1-39
Allison, R., 2008. Russia resurgent? Moscow's campaign to ‘coerce Georgia to peace’. International affairs, 84(6), pp.1145-1171.
