THE ORIGINAL GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ CONFLICT IN ABKAZIA (JULY 1989) AS DOCUMENTED BY BRITISH PRESS SOURCES

Abstract

Set against the backdrop of the ongoing "transformation" policy and the intricate ethnic landscape of the USSR, the Western press, including the British contingent, keenly observed developments in the allied republics, particularly Georgia, which found itself at the nucleus of ethnic flux. The Abkhazian separatist movement, bolstered by Soviet patronage, rekindled its vigorous from the latter half of the 20th century, epitomized by the anti-Georgian rhetoric espoused by its leaders throughout the decades. In the 1980s, coinciding with the ascent of the Georgian national movement, which fervently pursued the disengagement of Georgia from the USSR and the reinstatement of its sovereignty, the Soviet authorities reinvigorated separatist sentiments, notably backing "Aidgilara" in Abkhazia. On March 18, 1989, they endorsed the so-called "Likhni appeal," wherein the signatories accused the Georgian populace of incessant "oppression" and purported encroachments on Abkhazian "autonomy." In essence, the appeal advocated for the secession of the Abkhazian SSR from Georgia and its annexation to the RSFSR, provoking widespread outcry across Georgian society, both within Abkhazia and nationwide. The Soviet response on April 9, 1989, manifested as a ruthless crackdown on the peaceful demonstrators. The inaugural major confrontation between Abkhaz and Georgian constituents unfolded in July 1989, coinciding with the opening of the Georgian University in Sukhumi. Assisted by Soviet authorities, members of "Aidgilara" and their adherents embarked on violently suppressing the Georgian populace, culminating in clashes between Abkhazians and Georgians in Sukhumi on July 15-16 of the same year. British publications extensively covered this imbroglio, with numerous articles disseminating comprehensive information to the British public regarding the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict and the unfolding events in Georgia. This juncture marks the commencement of our exploration into the depiction of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the British press.

Key words: British press; Abkhazia; Separatism; Georgian-Abkhaz conflict; July 1989;  ethno-conflict.