03 January 2011, 22:50
In Georgia, police disperses hunger-striking war veterans
In Tbilisi, the Police of Georgia has used force to disperse the protest action of war veterans. Several persons were detained.
Earlier the "Caucasian Knot" has reported that since December 27, Georgian veterans of wars for the territorial integrity of the country went on a hunger strike. The protesters were planning to hold their action till January 6.
"Police came here and violently dispersed veterans. I know that several of them were detained. Anyway, I saw them being put into police cars. We now clarify their fate," said Zurab Abashidze, one of the leaders of Free Democrats.
Mr Abashidze believes that the dispersal of the action had to do with the personal order of the president of Georgia.
"A few hours before the dispersal, Saakashvili was driving by here. Apparently, he didn't like the veterans' protest, and he ordered to disperse it, by which he still more insulted the honour of the veterans," the "GHN" quotes the politician as saying.
So far, there were no official comments from the Georgian authorities.
Let us remind you that on December 27, 2010, several dozens of veterans-participants of armed conflicts of 1992-1993 (the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict) and 2008 (the five-day war in South Ossetia) came to the Memorial of Heroes in Tbilisi trying to draw attention of Georgian authorities to their problems, in particular, to poor social conditions.
