Human rights in South Ossetia

South Ossetia is an autonomous region located in Georgia, approximately 1000 metres above sea level and on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountains. Although declaring independence in 2008, this independence is not internationally recognised with only a few countries acknowledging it, such as Russia. The region is inhabited by Ossetians, caucasian peoples speaking a language similar to Iranian. According to Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and the micro states of Tuvalu and Nauru, it is one of the world's newest independent states. According to all other states and international organisations, South Ossetia is an autonomous region of Georgia, functioning as a de-facto state for the last twenty years after declaring independence and fighting a successful armed rebellion. The primary Georgian inhabitants have been displaced. The South Ossetian region has been a source of tension for numerous years with the political differences of Georgia and Russia impeding on the prospect of peaceful independence and instead breeding a turbulent series of events that undermine the United Declaration of Human Rights, violating the inalienable human rights of individuals.

History

During the 13th century, the people now known as the Ossetians were believed to have moved into the region of North Ossetia (Russian territory) and South Ossetia. These peoples were previously related to person speaking nomad tribes and were referred to as "Alans", which was translated to what they are commonly acknowledged as today, "osi", in Georgian. During the 9th century Alanic tribes in the North caucus formed a Christian kingdom knows as Alania bordered by arabs, byzantines etc. Although small in size the caucasus environment bred incredible natural defences. In 1230, Alana was destroyed by the mongols, the remaining Alans fled further into the caucasus mountains and settled in north Ossetia and south Ossetia which were part of the Georgian Kingdom. Following this, the political climate in Ossetia deteriorated, opening the doors for Russian annexation.

Russian occupation

During 1918 a peasant uprising had broke out in the region of South Ossetia and forcefully suppressed by Menshevik peoples guard, carried out by Georgian, Jaliko Jugheli. A Russian endorsed force crossed the border and attacked the Georgian army and guard, this action perpetrated violent reactions by the Georgians provoking bloodless battles. This ensued thousands of  deaths furthermore thousands of Ossetians fled to Soviet Russia. At the conclusion of this battle many villages were burnt and fertile land was desolated. Between the years of 198 and 1920 the relationship between the Georgians and Ossetians decayed with the Georgian government accusing the Ossetians of affiliating with the Bolsheviks. These riots, rebellions and battles undermined the innate rights of all human beings with thousands of perishers, and several more dying from starvation or disease all a direct product of the upheaval in the region.  Menshevik Georgia introduced its constitution in 1921, with no mention of the nature of autonomous districts and related legislation. Shortly after this, on the 25th of February 1921, the Red Army entered Georgia and declared the establishment of Bolshevik power.

Creation of an autonomous South Ossetia

The invasion of the Red army meant the end of the Georgian democratic republic. North and South Ossetia were incorporated in the Soviet Union but remained separate regions. North Ossetia war upon invasion in 1921, the Red Army invaded Georgia, putting an end to the Georgian Democratic Republic. As a result, North Ossetia was granted autonomy under the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1924 and later elevated to an autonomous republic in 1936. South Ossetia was an autonomous territory within the Transcaucasian Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and later the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. During this period the Ossetians were granted substantial liberties such as freedom of their language (Ossetian) and school instruction language. During the 1920's there were various unsuccessful pursuits in unifying the north and south regions as well as a rejection of Georgia's aim to take control of both regions.

Rebellions

The communist authorities of south Ossetia declared the formation of the South Ossetian Soviet Democratic republic on 20 September 1990, which was integrated and part of the USSR. An air of tension and discontent arose with ethnic Georgians living in Georgia believed they were being tripped of their ‘Georgian’ policies and way of life. With Zviad Gamsakhurdia holding leadership in Georgia, he promoted the rights of Georgia, running under the slogan ‘Georgia for Georgians’ thus removed South Ossetian autonomy,introducing a state of emergency which intensified the Ossetian demands for unifying with North Ossetia. The strained relations, coupled with Georgian nationalistic ideals bred the rapid increase of nationalist militia, these military, violent groups took advantage of the weakened region and police forces in order to pursue outrages of violence, raiding vulnerable properties. Ethnic divisions and the yearn for territorial ownership motivated and justified this behaviour in the eyes of the perpetrators. This tension promoted violent conflict. In the spring of 1991, armed battles broke out provoking a full scale war, with the murder of Georgia militia, thousands of citizens, the plundering of properties and destruction of various areas in the town. This, being a clear breach of Human rights law intensified relations between the ethnic groups and threatened the localised region. South Ossetia became an ethno-politically divided region with militia organisations on both sides committing war crimes with exemption from punishment.(Human Rights Watch 1992).

The election of Eduard Shevardnadze as the president of Georgia in 1992 and and Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The leaders promoted a more harmonious relationship, between the ethnic groups through the Dagomys peace agreements that endorsed a joint peacekeeping force in the conflict zone in order to stabilise and monitor the aggravated conditions, as well as a Joint Control Commission which was a peacekeeping organisation, operating in the region, overseeing the joint peacekeeping forces in the region. Russia's role in peacekeeping duties was solidified by 1994 agreement. The ‘sovereign’ republic of South Ossetia had pulled out its resolution to take itself out of Georgia. A quadruple peacekeeping force was in operation. Chibirov was elected the first president of South Ossetia on November 1996, following this further agreements were signed between Georgia and Russia to restore South Ossetia's economy and the return of refugees. Although a step in the right direction these were superficial peace arrangements. For over a decade South Ossetia existed as a de facto independent state until with tensions escalating in the following years.

2008 war

Various nations, including Georgia were involved in a NATO mission called ‘Sea Breeze’, conducted in the Black Sea. Western operations in the area were often reciprocated by the Russian military. An exercise called ‘caucasian Frontier 2008’ was conducted on the 5th of July. Many interpret this as very suspicious event of what was to occur in the following days. Incidents often took place around the region of South Ossetia, but those of 2008 seemed to be more sinister and vigorous. The head of the pro Georgian administration, Sanakeov had survived an attempted assassination, in the following days Russian jets began flying over South Ossetia to indicate that Georgian attacks and interference would not be condoned, heightening the already tense relationship between the nations. By the end of July, Georgia was complaining about the alleged shelling by Ossetian of Georgian land and villages. Saakashvili included a letter outlining the hostile activities in the area which was submitted by Georgia's UN ambassador to the UN security Council and General assembly. The letter stated that there were attacks on Georgian police, peacekeeping posts and large scale attacks of peaceful civilians and villages were persistent. On the 1 August Ossetians reported that villages and residential areas had been targeted, with 6 Ossetians killed and various others wounded. Tbilisi stated that the Georgian forces were responding to an incoming fire.

Due to the nature of accounts Tskhinvali was fractionally evacuated as a precaution. Following this, certain broadcasts, journalists and leaders made statements that reassured the south Ossetian villages there would be no full scale war. A short while after Saakashvili directed his forces to go forward with operation ‘Clean field’. News began to circle about the Georgian shelling of South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali with rocket systems , large guns, resulting in numerous casualties in various villages such as Dmenis, Tsunar and Kvernet. Vitalij Chukin. The Russian UN ambassador called for a security council emergency meeting however no immediate ceasefire was secured. It was then reported that Georgia was in control of South Ossetian several settlements and fighting continued in Tskhinvali. The command post of the joint peacekeeping force was involved in the hostilities and many were dead or wounded. By the late afternoon, locals had been sheltered in celars for up to 16 hours.

The Russians decided that the battle had to transcend south Ossetian borders, and decide to broaden their activities into Georgian territory in order to destabilise their ability to continue the battle. Hence the military base in Gori, controlling operations in the Ossetia region was targeted as well as the air force base. Following these threats, Saakashvili stated he would withdraw troops from Iraq to combat the intense war that was perspiring in the nation. On 8 August the United Nations Security Council met to discuss the evident violations of human rights and condemned the Russian bombings as it undermined Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The united states ordered the Russian federation to cease attacks in Georgia and withdraw all forces from Georgian territory.

Human rights violations

Russia has extended the South Ossetian border into Georgia several times, the most significant and recent case was in July 2015. Barbed wire fences were moved by Russian border guards further into Georgia. This was carried out in resistance of European Union (EU) policy, as the Russian troops absorbed ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia and Russian territory. Border expansion began covertly in 2008 and has continued until present day with the installation of cameras to monitor movement on the border. This evidently aggravates Georgian shepherds who are accused of trespassing and are frequently fined and arrested while moving their flocks to pasture. Russian border guards are the ones operating border expansion as opposed to south Ossetian forces. The South Ossetian Minister of Foreign affairs has not addressed Russia's border expansion operations in any statement.

Russian forces have significant control over South Ossetian territory, the penetration of Russian guards in Georgian territory has a great humanitarian impact on Georgians and undermines human rights. It also raises security concerns regarding the Baku – Supsa pipeline (oil pipeline). The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was particularly involved with affairs in South Ossetia and aim to restrict Russia's role in Transcaucasia, referring to the events in South Ossetia as ‘ethnic cleansing and mass expulsion of  the Kartvelian (Georgian) people and communities.’

Progressions

The international community makes a conscience effort to maintain peace on a global scale in this case Georgia. The European Union (EU), Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), United Nations and the United states. In 2008, following the hostiles, these nations led the Geneva International Discussions (GID) This initiative gets together every three months and encourages representatives from Georgia and south Ossetia to discuss the political, economic and social ramifications of the August 2008 war. The primary area of concern is the use of non-violence within the region despite Russia's heavy military presence in the region, as well as the return of IDPs (internally displaced person). As stated by the EU, the south Ossetian representatives are present at every GID session however their initiative is limited, with hostile treatment toward Georgian delegation, hesitancy to cooperate in discussions and apprehension regarding the non-violent prospects put forward by the GID.

The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) has been in operation since the end of 2008. The mission monitors the Georgian, Russian and South Ossetian borders on a daily basis, documenting any movement by respective troops. They engage with the surrounding community to gauge the level of content in the region. However South Ossetia has prohibited the EUMM from entering their territory claiming their presence in the area to be incomprehensible and illegitimate, the mission is still in operation on the Georgian side of the borders and aims to maintain a peaceful, stable climate between the nations.