20.02.2009 11:34 | Oleg Kudukhov: “We are ready to work together with the Georgian public organizations!”

Oleg Kudukhov, the coordinator of the public law-protecting organization “The National Forum “South Ossetia accuses” in his interview to the internet-portal Osetinfo.ru told about the activity of his organization and about the opportunity of cooperation with Georgian Non-governmental Organizations (NGO).

Osetinfo.ru - Tell us more details about your organization “South Ossetia accuses”.

Oleg Kudukhov - Our organization was created in August, 2008, it means directly after the tragic events in South Ossetia. We position ourselves as law-protecting organization. Our aim is to protect the human rights of the citizens of South Ossetia not withstanding their nationality. Besides that, we collect and we document a testimony of victims during the Georgian aggression.

The known ossetian historian Ruslan Bzarov heads our organization. The members of our organization are the ordinary people: teachers, journalists, and employees, everybody who has an opportunity to collect testimony and to inform the society about it.

- What kind of actions is the National forum “South Ossetia accuses” holding?

- They started on August, 26. A series of these actions has proceeded in Vladikavkaz and in Moscow. In Moscow the action is held opposite the Swedish embassy. In the first, Sweden presides in PACE, and secondly, Swedish Government reacts ambiguously to the events in South Ossetia. The action named “South Ossetia accuses”. The session of PACE has taken place in Strasbourg, and Russian-Georgian conflict was the main question of the conference. For the action we wanted to remind that South Ossetia is also exists, that Russia mediated this conflict later. We wanted to give our testimony to eurodeputies. We made evident materials and distributed them before PACE building. The Georgian party was against our arrival. We knew that the Georgian representatives would pronounce a speech in Euro Parliament. Therefore we have written the application, we wanted the members of parliament to listen our opinion, which was distinct from Georgian opinion.

Our actions are held not only at the walls of Euro Parliament, we also communicated with journalists. It was very unexpectedly for the Georgian mass-media. We were asked why we had been there if we were not a member of PACE, not even the recognized state.

On the press conference we informed the journalists about our position. Besides it, we had an opportunity to talk to PACE Chairman Luis Maria de Puch.

- Is it possible to change European opinion about the tragedy in South Ossetia?

- What is the Europe? It is necessary to divide precisely official authorities and the simple European inhabitant. Ordinary Europeans didn’t know what happened in South Ossetia. They didn’t know it, because they received the incorrect information from mass-media. We can’t say that authorities did not know about the events in South Ossetia. There are absolutely precise facts. Representatives of OSCE left their office together in several days before the beginning of the conflict in Ossetia. It means they perfectly knew that Georgia is going to do something. OSCE is the main European structure. Representatives of OSCE came after the conflict and saw all the destructions and victims by their own eyes. It’s difficult to allow that they didn’t inform their management about it. So they perfectly understand who was an aggressor and who is guilty. Probably, they have their own reasons to hide the truth and to ignore these events.

Basically, the official structures change their opinions too. Such organizations as “South Ossetia accuses” and the Public Commission of the investigation of war crimes in South Ossetia are holding their actions and inform people of our position.

-  Is it possible to come into the contact with Georgia now?

- It will not turn out to come into contact to Georgia at the official level now. The authorities of Georgia simply do not recognize South Ossetia. Therefore it is necessary to begin dialogue at a level of public organizations, at a level of human contacts. This tragedy also has touched on the Georgian population. There are the Georgians who stayed without habitation. It is necessary to restore the Georgian villages too.

Now it is necessary to bring attention to the question on that Georgia should answer financially for everything it did in South Ossetia. Nevertheless, the unwillingness of political structures to recognize South Ossetia is transferred also to the public organizations. Therefore, I guess, it would be very difficult to come into contact even with the public organizations. Our organization is ready to cooperate with Georgian NGO, but Georgia hasn’t got the same whish.

- What’s your plan for the future?

- We would like to hold the action in Geneva. But we have not enough finances. Now we are gathering and ordering a testimony. A part of it we shall give to the inspectors. And we are also systematizing photo and video materials.

Jury Golov, Osetinfo.ru

Translated by Tatiana Inozemtseva