The Caucasus

The Caucasus region continues to suffer from a range of conflicts and tensions – over Abkhazia, South Ossetia/the Tskhinvali Region and Nagorno- Karabakh, and in the North Caucasus. While these conflicts are no longer front page news and the use of violence is presently at a low level, a sense of general insecurity pervades everyday life for conflict-affected communities. In the absence of political agreements for how to resolve the conflicts, there is a real risk of a return to violence in the future. This risk is reinforced by significant flaws in the structures and institutions put in place to prevent violence and protect communities – flaws that became all too evident with the August 2008 violence.

The conflict over South Ossetia in 2008 demonstrated that existing monitoring, security and peacekeeping mechanisms had become hostage to political goals and were less focused on meeting the needs of affected communities. It is now vital that new mechanisms are developed based on the lessons learnt during the conflict. Strategies aimed at preventing violence in the region should balance national security concerns with the needs of local communities in order to increase communities' sense of security and ultimately advance the peace process.

The current situation means that a return to violence in South Ossetia is at present unlikely; however, many communities in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and along the Administrative Boundary Line with Georgia feel unsafe and isolated. A lack of information makes it difficult to identify the levels and causes of insecurity in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. There is a pressing need to develop community capacity to articulate security concerns in order to improve living conditions and the overall feeling of safety. The high degree of interdependence within the Caucasus means that instability elsewhere – notably in Nagorno-Karabakh or the North Caucasus – could further destabilise the region. It is essential that greater opportunity is created for regional authorities, ordinary people and international actors engaged in the region to reflect on the causes of conflict and insecurity in order to develop a well-functioning monitoring and security framework for the conflicts.

The Caucasus has endured periods of conflict and unrest since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the Southern Caucasus, the three main conflicts – Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia – were typically described as frozen. However,despite the signing of ceasefire agreements in the early 1990s, tensions on the ground persisted and violent incidents fluctuated according to political developments. Indeed, while the conflicts themselves continued to develop, it was the overall system for managing the conflicts that had become frozen. The violence in August 2008 over the contested area of South Ossetia highlighted the fragility of ceasefire agreements and the need for new regional security mechanisms. It also had a significant impact on people's sense of security across the region, further weakening the potential for peace and reconciliation.

Saferworld has been active in the Caucasus since 1999. We work with regional governments and authorities, local partner organisations, grassroots communities and international actors to support reflection on the underlying causes of conflict and to demonstrate ways in which they be can managed more effectively. We are also working to increase understanding of the safety concerns of conflict-affected communities and to demonstrate how local needs can be responded to more effectively, even in advance of political resolution of the conflicts. Saferworld’s approach in the region is to build the capacity of civil society and communities to play a greater role in ensuring peace and security, and advocate on how regional and international responses to the conflict can be made more relevant to them.

Saferworld has established community networks in two very different contexts – along the ceasefire line between Shida Kartli and South Ossetia/ the Tskhinvali Region, and in the eastern part of Abkhazia, to map community security needs, identify priorities and plan solutions. At the same time, Saferworld has established community-led mechanisms for mapping trends in perceptions of security and for providing early warning of likely increases in negative trends and tensions. Our work on promoting broader and more informed discussion on conflict, security and peace in Georgia has also established a strong network of community and civil society representatives from directly alongside the conflict regions and the minority areas who have developed their capacity to analyse and play a constructive role in conflict and security issues.