Journalists Report on Aftermath of War

Once it ended, IWPR journalists strove to document the aftermath of the short yet devastating conflict. They spoke to refugees to gather first-hand accounts of their suffering.

On August 27, reporters from the Georgia Regional Media Network visited the war-damaged town of Gori in eastern Georgia, which had been occupied by Russian troops.

"The impressions of what I saw in Gori are going to haunt me for a long time," said one of the journalists Marika Tsikoridze.

"I will never forget how [people] rummaged through the ruins of their homes, hoping to find photos or other memorabilia precious to them. I will never forget how people pulled down their burnt houses that were no longer fit to live in."

Some of the members of the Georgia Regional Media Network were unable to take part in the visit as, at that time, the main road connecting eastern and western parts of the country continued to be blocked by the Russian military.

On their visit, the journalists went to two districts of the town that were hardest hit by Russian bombs, as well as a tented encampment at a soviet-style amusement park, where refugees from South Ossetia's Georgian villages live.

Residents there told the journalists that they appreciated them coming to report on the conditions they faced.

"Under the circumstances, any signs of attention, however insignificant, mean a lot to us," said a resident of the village of Tkviavi Maia Abashidze, whose house was bombed and then razed to the ground by bulldozers.

"Here, in the tent town, we don't hear shooting any more, but we still live in fear. We are many here, and this helps us not think about what we suffered and what we may be doomed to go though in future."

“I am very grateful to IWPR – were it not for its workshops and visits to conflict regions, my work, I guess, would be less balanced”
said Nino Chibchiuri, Trialeti station/radio service

Never have I ever seen so many sad children in one place," said Zaur Dargali, who participated on the mission.

"In the tent town in Gori, I saw hundreds of such kids, with no wish to play because of what they've gone through. People there sleep on grass. They have no toilets or showers. I got the impression that they still did not realise fully what had happened to them."

On their mission, the journalists also the met former minister for refugees and settlement Koba Subeliani, who is in charge of providing for those driven from their villages.

He gave them details of measures he was introducing to help.

"The government has launched a whole series of programmes to support the refugees, to find those who went missing during the conflict, to establish identities of the dead," said Subelini.

He pointed out the important job that journalists were doing to report this service, "It is of vital importance to us to convey the information as soon as possible to each person affected by the war - all the more so since most of the regional media are paralysed - which is why I am grateful to see journalists visiting here in an organised way."

Journalists also visited Trialeti - a TV and radio station looted during the war.

Head of the radio service Nino Chibchiuri, a member of the Georgia Regional Media Network project, said that past training he was given by IWPR on conflict resolution helped him when reporting on the war.

"I think I am lucky to have taken that course on how to work in a conflict zone, otherwise I might have failed to provide an unbiased coverage of the war," said Chibchiuri.

"I started to feel I had a responsibility towards both the Georgian and Ossetian communities. I chose every word I wrote carefully, afraid to make a mistake due to my lack of experience.

"I am very grateful to IWPR - were it not for its workshops and visits to conflict regions, my work, I guess, would be less balanced."