‘Georgian authorities are doing everything for blood-shedding’

High-ranking diplomats and International Organizations can’t hide their concern about the events undergoing in the country. OSCE sees the signs of Leninism and according to Terry Benhem, an American expert on election issues, adviser of NGO ‘Open Democracy Committee’, the voters’ lists, fines and rule of law are under a question mark in Georgia.

Benhem declared at a press conference held in Tbilisi on Friday that he considered the cases of selective use of law a big problem. Co-Rapporteurs of Parliamentary Assembly of European Council Danish deputy Mikael Jensen and Latvian Boris Tsilevich express their anxiety over the spread information on the arrest of ‘Georgian Dream’ coalition banking accounts. According to the declaration published on a website of Parliamentary Assembly of European Council on 21 August, ‘biased attitude of Audit Office’ causes anxiety of PACE co-Rapporteurs. High-ranking American diplomats too express their concern over the existing situation in Georgia stressing the threat of repeating the Egyptian scenario here. We contacted through Skype Eugene Purso, an American diplomat, UN representative since ‘90ies of the previous century: -‘We are attentively observing the situation in Georgia and see that more than one assassination took place in the country that haven’t been investigated up-till now’.

Q. – Which assassinations do you have in mind?

A. – For instance, Sandro Girgvliani’s case on which the European Court issued a verdict indicating the Georgian Government to investigate the case anew but nothing has been done as of yet. Quite recently Georgian emigrants notified me about a horrible event. About one month ago the leader of ‘National Movement’ of one of the provinces, 25-year-old boy mercilessly beat Alexandre Tatishvili, a well-known 50-year-old doctor only because the latter was ‘Georgian Dream’ supporter. The ‘young politician’ smashed his head on the railway. The doctor died in a hospital several days later.

Q. – Why have you decided to get involved in another country’s political processes?

A. – When the elections by and by resemble a battlefield we have no right to watch from a distance when it comes to confrontation. When the situation is heading to bloodshed it’s our obligation to get involved and save the country from disaster. The situation in Egypt turned into bloodshed only because the world couldn’t timely react on the existing problems. I deem myself obliged to do my best in order Egypt isn’t repeated in Georgia; that Georgia avoids bloodshed. For this reason I joined the group of supporters of Georgia.

Q. – Do you think it’s possible that Egyptian scenario is repeated in Georgia?

A. – I’ve already received a letter in which Georgian people ask American people for help. The letter is signed by several thousand Georgian emigrants living in America. But the letter wasn’t even needed to see that Georgian Government is doing everything to start confrontation and bloodshed.

When all the means for peaceful resolution of the issue are exhausted bloodshed and escalation start. Massacre in Syria and Egypt didn’t start overnight. The mine that exploded in those countries wasn’t composed in one day. I don’t know what happens in Georgia tomorrow but I know that unless we help Syria and Egypt will undoubtedly be repeated.

Georgia doesn’t resemble at all the country that is involved in pre-election campaign; I have an impression that the country is a battlefield and the Government acts as if it’s getting ready not for elections but for war with people. When the people of one country ask the Government of another country for help it means that all the resources and civilized means for reaching accords with the authorities are exhausted. It means that the Government doesn’t listen to the people; its opinion is of no interest for them. When I see that despite the pressure on part of the authorities hundreds of thousand of people attend the opposition rally everything is clear for me and many Americans.

Q. – Maybe you specify why do you have such a pessimistic prognosis?

A. – I’ll answer with a question: Was a peaceful demonstration violently broken up by the authorities? Did people die on 26 May? This fact is cited in reports and speeches of authoritative International Organizations. The fact that Georgian people are devoid of rights, their property is also mentioned in International Organizations’ reports. I rely upon figures and statistics. Amazingly low percentage of verdict ‘not guilty’ is alarming. The fact that Georgia holds No 1 position according to the percentage of actions brought to Strasbourg Court tells volumes to me.

Eugene Purso – American diplomat, UNO representative in ‘90ies of the previous century.

In 1990-1995 – Chairman of UN Committee on decolonization issues; curator of Spain and Trinidad and Tobago; in 1994 chaired the committee on avoiding natural calamities; in March, 1995 chaired the UN program of social development; in 1990-1992 was representative of Alliance of minor islands; in 1991-1993 – chairman of Caricom Caucus organization; in 1993 – UN General Assembly Vice-President; in 1990-1995 – Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Grenada in UNO (Permanent Representative), Consultant of Gibraltar and Taiwan in UNO; currently – Representative of World Black People’s Rights Organization and IFG (International Friends of Georgia) founder; also, Professor of Columbia University.