Opposition Mounts Pressure with ‘Town of Cells’

Opposition activists and supporters, mainly those who have arrived from provinces in recent days, are keeping night vigil in over hundred improvised cells mushroomed on Rustaveli Avenue and Freedom Square.

Most of metal-framed boxes with ropes to imitate a prison cell are equipped with at least two mattresses and are coated with polyethylene to protect ‘inmates’ from rain.

Row of ‘cells’ on the Rustaveli Avenue starts immediately from outside the Tbilisi Marriott Hotel down towards the Parliament and then continues towards the Freedom Square, blocking traffic in the area and in nearby streets.

A space immediately in front of the Parliament and slightly beyond, of about couple of hundred meters in length, is left free of ‘cells’ leaving room for protesters, who are gathering there late in every afternoon.

Similar cells, but fewer in numbers are outside the government’s and Prime Minister’s office, close to the Parliament also blocking traffic on the adjacent small street; as well as outside the public TV headquarters, blocking traffic on key thoroughfare and at the presidential residence.

Opposition leaders, behind the ongoing protests, say that the campaign would continue unless President Saakashvili resigns. The authorities say dialogue is possible with the opposition on any major issues, except of the President’s resignation.

Most of the opposition leaders are striking an optimist tone in their routine speeches at the daily protests rallies saying that their struggle would accomplish “soon” and other saying – “in several days.”

Davit Usupashvili, leader of Republican Party, part of Alliance for Georgia, said in his extremely rare address to protesters late on April 24 that he is often asked by foreign journalists how close the opposition was to achieve its goal.

“But we are not asking this question: how close the goal is; because this is a goal, which needs to be achieved no matter how far it might be,” Usupashvili said.

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