Mounting Popular Protest Vows to Go to End
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Inside the Parliament building three members of the outgoing Parliament went on hunger strike demanding Shevardnadze’s resignation. Protesters vow to go to the very end.
“If we step back now my child will live in corrupted, impoverished Georgia, like it is now. So I am going to be here and stand beside these people, who, despite rain, protest against this corrupted government and president, who humiliated us and stole our votes [on November 2 parliamentary elections],” Tbilisite Merab, 24, says, standing beside the fire lit in front of the Parliament by the protesters to make a chilly November night warmer.
The November 2 parliamentary elections differed from the previous elections in Georgia. Elections showed that some things do work in this troubled country and the people and civil society are what these things make work.
On the elections’ day the voters had to wait for hours in long lines to cast ballots, hoping that these elections would finally bring some changes. And thousands went out to the streets right after announcement of the preliminary results, to protest against the fraudulent elections, condemned by the international observers as well.
“I put aside all other businesses on the elections day and went to vote. I stood in a queue more than two hours. I have never been so active during previous elections, but this time too I did not get much. Now I can only stay here, in front of the Parliament and defend my vote,” Tbilisite Tamar Kantaria, 56, says.
There are not only the Tbilisites gathered at the Parliament’s building. Despite the restrictions, many people have come to the capital from the provinces. The police keeps blocked the main roads in the country for several days long, preventing inflow of people to the capital city.
“I came [to Tbilisi] from Bagdati [western Georgia]. First I took a bus, but it was stopped at the city entrance and they did not let us any further. Then several of us took a car, thus we made it to Khashuri. From there we took a train to Tbilisi to participate in the rally. The government can’t stop us now,” says 23 years old David from Bagdati. He added that there were others from Khashuri on the same train, whose bus was also stopped and turned back.
“I am happy to be here. Ever since we were expelled from Abkhazia, I was dreaming of standing with people to express my protest to this government. I am happy to have such opportunity now,” 69 years old Nino Khurtskaia, displaced person from Abkhazia says.
The protesters spend the nights singing and dancing to cheer-up mood. During the day time they hear speeches of the opposition leaders and wait for the new developments. An outdoor screen was installed on the Parliament building’s wall so the protesters could watch the Rustavi 2 TV news programs.
Many famous Georgian actors, writers, directors, filmmakers, intellectuals and civil society leaders are among the protesters.
“I do not want to live in a country where people can not express their opinions and where elections would change nothing. Even when the people say “No” to the government, nothing changes. This is just too cynic to me,” young novelist David Turashvili says.
“Eduard Shevardnadze was not born as a president. I also used to be a leading actor in my theatre, but when I saw I could not play any more as good as I used to, I left the theatre. This is so natural, this is the way of life,” says actor Ramaz Chkhikvadze, who was also among the protesters.
The mood of protesters stretched among many Georgians currently living abroad. More than thirty Georgian students, currently studying in the Unites States, concerned with the ballot fraud, sent an open letter to Chairperson of the Central Election Commission Nana Devdariani, urging her for timely, fair and accurate vote tabulation.
Director Dito Tsintsadze, whose film Gun-Shy has recently won the 51st San Sebastian International Film Festival golden award, lives in Germany for many years already.
“We, all the members of my family, went to the Georgian embassy here in Berlin to cast ballot, with the hope that elections would bring changes. But what the authorities did it was disgrace. I was humiliated. What I want now is to come to Tbilisi and stand right beside the people protesting on the Rustaveli Avenue,” Dito Tsintsadze told Civil Georgia in the phone conversation.
Observers say that such an outbreak of the social response was anticipated, “as the people are extremely unhappy with the current government and situation.” Gia Nodia of the Caucasus Institute of Peace, Democracy and Development says that the citizens had great expectations about these elections. “After such a disappointment they have only one way to protect their rights – go out to the streets,” Gia Nodia told Civil Georgia.
“The only positive thing about these elections was that the society showed great interest in the elections. Despite all the activity and involvement of the people, these elections changed nothing and this might end up with revolutionary events, which would be quite justified and fair in such situation,” Gia Nodia added.
“The society woke up after 10 years of hibernation and tries to oppose undesirable actions of the government. Now they express their demands openly and loudly,” sociologist Gigi Tevzadze told Civil Georgia.
“If not the activity of the public, the opposition parties would not do so much. It is evident that the people have mobilized themselves to express their position as never before,” he added.
Observers also say much depends on opposition leaders. “The opposition should be active and organized. If it will be disorganized, the government will surely take advantage of it,” Gia Nodia said.
“We have no other choice but to remain standing here. I hope that the opposition leaders will not turn their backs on us and let us down now and lead the process to the end,” 20-year-old protester Salome says.