Final weekend, excessive drama unfolded in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, as voters headed to the polls in an election broadly seen as defining the nation's future.
However for the village of Mejvriskevi, solely 50 kilometers northwest of the capital, it might have occurred on one other planet.
Mejvriskhevi lies alongside what is named the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) that separates the 2 sides of one of many longest-running conflicts within the Caucasus: that between Georgia and South Ossetia. Because the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, long-standing tensions between ethnic Ossetians (centered within the Autonomous Area of South Ossetia, in north-central Soviet Georgia) and Georgians erupted into struggle. A cease-fire in 1992 left Ossetians de facto accountable for a lot of the Republic of South Ossetia, their breakaway state that had declared independence.
The world was comparatively quiet till 2008, when Russia launched a five-day invasion of the remainder of Georgia from the territory. For the previous 16 years, Moscow's troops have occupied South Ossetia, utilizing it as a Russian bridgehead into the center of Georgia.
Amidst this panorama of unresolved battle and displaced communities are a patchwork of Georgian villages, the place folks stay largely as they at all times have – besides, after all, for the semi-militarized ABL that runs via them.
Mejvirishev is such a spot. Sitting within the southeastern a part of the ABL, its 2,300 inhabitants make it the most important Georgian village within the space. It's additionally one of the vital susceptible: the unofficial line separating unbiased Georgia from Russian-occupied South Ossetia runs proper via it.
“We do not know the place precisely the 'border' line is meant to be,” says Spiridoni Gigauri, a 72-year-old resident of Mejvriskevi. “Take a look at that home proper over there,” he says, pointing to a dwelling on a hill just a few hundred yards away, seemingly adjoining to the remainder of the village. “It’s occupied by the Russians,” says Gigauri.
The uncertainty of the state of affairs and the precise location of the twisted boundary line results in common incidents. Whereas Mejvriskhev and its environment haven’t been subjected to Russia's notorious 'bordering' coverage – during which Russian troops instantly transfer in entrance of the barbed-wire fence that borders components of the ABL, successfully claiming new land in a single day – detention of native villagers are an everyday prevalence. The final one got here on September 17, when there have been two residents of Mejvriskevi arrested by Russian troopers.
Whereas South Ossetia presents itself as unbiased, the Russian army presence within the space is massive. Russian bases and installations dot the hillside, their intimidating towers seen even from Georgia's predominant east-west freeway, which passes inside a kilometer of ABL on the level. Speaking to native Georgians gives the look that Moscow troops have virtually fully changed the native South Ossetian militias that fought Georgian forces within the early 1990s.
“All of the patrols, all of the incidents – it's solely the Russian troops [who are involved]”, says Gigauri. Often they bring about two or three Ossetians with them, simply to point out they exist, however it's clear who's operating the present, he says.
Spiridoni Gigauri: “We don't know the place precisely the “border” line ought to be.
Regardless of all this, the October 26 election nonetheless went forward right here, because it did in the remainder of Georgia. As in lots of locations within the countryside, the ruling social gathering Georgian Dream (GD) appears to have dominated.
“I voted for GD”, says Gigauri. “I wasn't bribed or something – it was my alternative. “I felt they have been going to win anyway and that they’ve the perfect hope for future, however it's nonetheless unlikely that we'll ever get these lands again, ” he says, gesturing in the direction of South Ossetia.
Others have been extra enthusiastic. In an apple orchard exterior Mejvriskev, a gaggle of 20 residents have been taking a lunch break from the autumn harvest, sharing bread with brine. assault cheese and spicy pink adjika sauce – and, after all, a bottle of home-made wine.
“We’re all glad with the outcomes [of the election]”, says a girl, whereas a few of her colleagues nod in settlement. “I don't consider this opposition propaganda about Russia. “We’re a welcoming folks – we love everybody right here, whether or not they’re from Europe, Russia or anyplace else,” she says.
“I like the concept [Georgia] membership within the European Union,” says one other man. “Virtually every thing about it’s good, apart from this homosexual marriage nonsense. “We don't want that right here.”
There are few indicators of the final vote right here. A handful of GD posters have been plastered throughout street indicators and public buildings, together with the native police station. They aren’t related to any of the 4 predominant opposition coalitions.
For a lot of others in Mejvriskhevi, it's clear that whoever guidelines Tbilisi doesn't care a lot, given the overarching safety points on their doorstep.
“No politician got here right here to speak to us [before the election] – not from the federal government or the opposition”, says Tamara Merabishvili, an aged villager. “It’s clear that nobody cares about us. So why ought to I care about any of them?” she says.
Why ought to we apologize to them?
Merabishvili has two sons, each of whom work in Tbilisi as bus drivers. One of many two was arrested by the Russians a decade in the past after inadvertently getting into Russian-controlled territory within the village. He was held in a Russian jail for a month and a half earlier than being launched.
“We are able to hear the Russians capturing virtually each night time,” says Merabishvili. “I don't know in the event that they're simply attempting to scare us or what, however we hardly sleep due to it,” she says.
Merabishvili's different son, 30-year-old Dato, is presently visiting his mom to assist with the autumn harvest. He was outraged on the concept of Georgia apologizing in South Ossetia for the 2008 struggle, a plan introduced by GD chief Bidzina Ivanishvili shortly earlier than the elections.
“The thought of Georgia apologizing [for 2008] “It's loopy,” says Dato. “We allowed the Ossetians to stay peacefully on our lands for a few years, many centuries. As an alternative of being grateful, they made struggle on us. Why ought to we apologize to them?”, he says.
Regardless of this, it’s clear that Dato portet is not going to be unwell in the direction of the Ossetians as a folks – a sentiment echoed by his two neighbors and uncle. Everybody begins to recollect their former friendships with their departed neighbors.
“I keep in mind cash [2008] the struggle, as we drove via Ghromi,” says Dato, describing an ethnic Oset village just some kilometers north of Mejvriskev. “The folks there have been so pleasant – they might at all times cease us on the road and provides us their wonderful native beer and khabidzgina [an Ossetian cheese-and-potato pie]. “I can't perceive the way it went from that to killing one another,” he says.
There are nonetheless some ethnic Ossetian households dwelling in Mejvriskhevi, in addition to many intermarriages, says Dato. None of this has been an issue.
“There are a number of households right here that everybody is aware of are Osset,” says Dato. “Nobody cares, nobody makes a scene about it. There are not any issues simply due to one's ethnicity,” he says.
It’s clear that the one factor that Dato doesn’t like isn’t Ossetians, however politics.
“I don't care about any of those silly politicians,” says the Dato. “The conversations have all been the identical for years now and none of them embody us. I didn't even vote within the elections, as a result of I don't see any level,” he says.
Requested what he thinks will occur within the nation now, Dato succinctly illustrates how disconnected the facility battle is from his personal actuality.
“It's harvest season,” says Dato. “I’ve to exit into the fields, close to the Russians, and acquire my crops. It will occur both this authorities or this different authorities.”