Community security in Shida Kartli

Since the 2008 conflict between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia, communities living along the administrative boundary line (ABL) between Georgia and South Ossetia have faced an increase in safety and security incidents that impact on their daily lives. While hard security incidents, like shootings, have decreased since the end of the conflict, other security incidents with social and economic roots continue to affect communities. For communities living along the ABL in Shida Kartli, Georgia, essential daily tasks like collecting firewood and farming pastureland involve crossing the imprecise and often unclear boundary line, meaning Georgian villagers risk detention from security forces based on the South Ossetian side of the ABL. Limited opportunities to air their concerns to local and national authorities, as well as greater efforts by Russian and South Ossetian forces to build a solid barbwire fence along parts of the ABL in a process of ‘borderisation’, are factors which have added to communities’ sense of isolation and insecurity. Saferworld, together with Georgian partners the Gori Information Centre and the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development, is bringing together communities and local authorities in Shida Kartli as well as national government representatives to make sure that the voices of people are heard and concerns related to communities’ security and safety are properly dealt with.

This short documentary and photo gallery on our community security programme shows how Saferworld and partner, CIPDD, are working with conflict-affected communities across in Shida Kartli.