Defiant Georgians: 'This is an attack on democracy'

Matthew Collin in Tbilisi and Jonathan Steele

The Guardian,Monday August 11 2008

Gori, the Georgian town close to the border with South Ossetia, waslargely deserted last night after thousands of residents fled fromRussian air attack."The town and many nearby villages are too dangerous. [People] aresleeping in the open," Saba Tsitsikashvili, editor of Kartlis Khma, alocal paper, said in a phone interview. "There are also many woundedin the villages. They need help. No one knows how many are dead."Gori is the Georgian army's main staging post on the way to and fromthe frontline. Russian bombers had been heard every night since thecrisis escalated, Tsitsikashvili said, and were in the air again lastnight, in spite of a ceasefire on the Georgian side, he added.

In Tibilisi, the Georgian capital, people were angry at what they sawas a Russian invasion aimed at undermining the country's sovereigntyand bringing it to heel."What is happening is not because of the separatist regions, whichhave been a headache for Georgia for over a decade now, but because ofdemocracy in Georgia," said Giorgi, a 30-year-old lawyer. "Russiahates democracy, it's always been an authoritarian state and alwayswill be. This Russian aggression is a fight against democracy, and theworld must defend democracy."

"Russia has always wanted to see Georgia on its knees, but it willnever achieve that," vowed Emzari, a 45-year-old technician. "I hopethat Russia will retreat. I hope it will break its neck here in theCaucasus."Hundreds gathered for a second day of anti-Russian protests in thecentral Rose Revolution Square after a text-message campaign. "Let'sstand together against Russian aggression and occupation, and cheerour troops!" the message read.

Many people were also disillusioned by what they considered the feeblereaction of the west - particularly the United States, Georgia's maininternational ally. Many complained that Georgia had sent 2,000 troopsto fight in Iraq, but when Georgia came under attack, Washington couldonly offer words in return.

"We've been hearing all these years that we've got strong and powerfulfriends across the ocean but it turned out these stories were just abluff," said unemployed Valiko, 57.

"We may be stupid, we may have made mistakes, but will the US andEurope really let Russia get away with attacking another country?"demanded 26-year-old student Vakhtang.