In a wide-ranging interview, Jemal Gamakharia, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, reflects on the long and troubled history of ethnic conflict between Georgians and the people of Abkhazia, tracing its roots to Soviet policies that fostered divisions and manipulated identities. He explains how these tensions erupted into open war in the early 1990s, leading to mass displacement, violence, and the effective separation of Abkhazia from Georgia. Gamakharia underscores the decisive role played by Russia, which, in his view, both fueled the conflict and later entrenched its outcome by providing military, political, and economic support to separatist authorities. He portrays the conflict not simply as a local ethnic dispute but as a broader geopolitical struggle, in which Russia has sought to weaken Georgia’s sovereignty and block its aspirations for integration with the West. Many thanks to https://girchi.com/ for organizing such insightful and thought-provoking interviews — they provide a valuable platform for understanding Georgia’s history and present challenges. https://www.youtube.com/@dabadeba.
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