GEORGIA
Police break up opposition protest
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Georgian police armed with batons have broken up a six-day protest calling for the resignation of President Mikhail Saakashvili, clearing about 100 demonstrators and hunger strikers from outside parliament.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
By Reuters
TBILISI, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Georgian police armed with batons
on Wednesday broke up a six-day protest calling for the
resignation of the pro-U.S. president, but opposition leaders
vowed defiance and called on supporters to rally again.
on Wednesday broke up a six-day protest calling for the
resignation of the pro-U.S. president, but opposition leaders
vowed defiance and called on supporters to rally again.
Police hit some of the protesters with batons when they
cleared about 100 demonstrators -- including 47 hunger strikers
-- from outside parliament, an opposition leader told Reuters.
cleared about 100 demonstrators -- including 47 hunger strikers
-- from outside parliament, an opposition leader told Reuters.
"There were about 1,000 police," opposition leader Tina
Khidasheli said. "They started operations at 8 a.m. (0400 GMT).
They beat us and detained two people, as far as I know."
Khidasheli said. "They started operations at 8 a.m. (0400 GMT).
They beat us and detained two people, as far as I know."
It was the first time the government had used force against
the protesters, who accuse President Mikhail Saakashvili of
corruption and authoritarianism, since the demonstrations
started last Friday.
the protesters, who accuse President Mikhail Saakashvili of
corruption and authoritarianism, since the demonstrations
started last Friday.
A Russian television crew told Reuters that police had taken
away pictures and video they had filmed during the operation.
away pictures and video they had filmed during the operation.
Tbilisi's police offered a different version of events.
"We didn't use force on the crowd, we just cleaned the
avenue of rubbish. Only some people, who tried to resist, were
detained," George Grigalashvili, a senior Tbilisi police
officer, told journalists.
avenue of rubbish. Only some people, who tried to resist, were
detained," George Grigalashvili, a senior Tbilisi police
officer, told journalists.
The six days of mass protests have posed the largest
challenge to Saakashvili since he swept to power in a peaceful
2003 revolution.
challenge to Saakashvili since he swept to power in a peaceful
2003 revolution.
Numbers have fallen since Friday's 70,000 turnout but
opposition leaders, several on hunger strike, have promised to
continue the protests until Saakashvili quits.
opposition leaders, several on hunger strike, have promised to
continue the protests until Saakashvili quits.
By mid-morning around 200 protesters had gathered in the
rain outside parliament facing a few hundred policemen wearing
yellow jackets. More people were joining the demonstrators.
rain outside parliament facing a few hundred policemen wearing
yellow jackets. More people were joining the demonstrators.
"SHAME AND FEAR"
An opposition leader urged supporters to mass at 2 p.m.
(1000 GMT) in force outside parliament.
(1000 GMT) in force outside parliament.
"Shame on you Mikhail Saakashvili," opposition leader Zviad
Dzidziguri shouted down a microphone. "You are afraid of your
own people, you are a coward."
Dzidziguri shouted down a microphone. "You are afraid of your
own people, you are a coward."
Saakashvili has not been seen in public since the mass
protests started. In a taped broadcast aired on Sunday, he
rejected the demonstrators' demands for spring parliamentary
elections and accused "dark forces" of being behind them.
protests started. In a taped broadcast aired on Sunday, he
rejected the demonstrators' demands for spring parliamentary
elections and accused "dark forces" of being behind them.
Georgia, a former Soviet republic, lies at the centre of the
Caucasus region -- a volatile area to the south of Russia which
hosts a pipeline pumping oil from the Caspian Sea to the West.
Caucasus region -- a volatile area to the south of Russia which
hosts a pipeline pumping oil from the Caspian Sea to the West.
The hitherto fragmented Georgian opposition united last
month after the arrest of former defence minister Irakly
Okruashvili, who had accused Saakashvili of corruption and
plotting murder on national television.
month after the arrest of former defence minister Irakly
Okruashvili, who had accused Saakashvili of corruption and
plotting murder on national television.
Okraushvili retracted the accusations before leaving jail,
in a statement his lawyer said was made under duress. After
being released on $6 million bail, he reappeared in Germany to
restate his original allegations against Saakashvili.
in a statement his lawyer said was made under duress. After
being released on $6 million bail, he reappeared in Germany to
restate his original allegations against Saakashvili.
Pro-Saakashvili politicians are frustrated by the protests
against a leader who has been feted in the West as a model of
democracy and economic reform.
against a leader who has been feted in the West as a model of
democracy and economic reform.
"The people are tired of the permanent experiments of
Patarkatsishvili and Okruashvili, every one of our citizens is
tired of everything," Tbilisi's mayor Gigi Ugulava told
journalists as he defend Wednesday's police action.
Patarkatsishvili and Okruashvili, every one of our citizens is
tired of everything," Tbilisi's mayor Gigi Ugulava told
journalists as he defend Wednesday's police action.
Badri Patarkatsishvili is a Georgian billionaire businessman
who has helped fund the opposition and used his television
channel to broadcast their statements.
who has helped fund the opposition and used his television
channel to broadcast their statements.
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Salome Zurabishvili
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