Lauren DiCiaccio
January 27, 2009
4:50
The Human Rights Watch group issued a report on the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia and holds both nations accountable for the actions. The conflict began over a territory in which ethnic Ossetians live. However, the problem arose because the group is split between the political borders of Russia and Georgia. Accusations included violence, ethnically-driven rape, and possible genocide. The Human Rights Watch group stated in the report that both Russian and Georgian governments were aware of the actions taking place in the disputed territory, and subsequently did little to quell the violence. Many Georgians are fighting for the reunification of the Ossetian territory and currently hold South Ossetia but are unable to sway Russia to give up the northern portion of Ossetia, which is within the Russian border but holds primarily ethnic Georgians. Russia's response has been hard to determine because of arguments over number of victims (which differ by the thousands between sources) and the perception of the Russian response.
This case is a current example of how ethnic groups can cause international trouble based on division over political lines. While many of the newly formed nations that used to be a part of the USSR were divided both over territory and over predominant ethnicity and common culture, the case of the Georgian Russian conflict shows a shortcoming in promoting ethnic peace. Russia has had other problems with ethnic divisions within the country and with neighboring groups as well, mostly notably with Chechnya.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/world/europe/24georgia.html?_r=1&scp=8&sq=ethnic&st=cse
Wow, so many conflicts with Russia and human rights...I had been wondering what was happening with Georgia, but hadn't heard anything in awhile. I'm a little confused about what exactly is going on; I thought that Georgia was a peaceful and democratic nation...?
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