TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE USSR M. GORBACHOV

Let me inform you that on 11 April, in the village of Dvani of Kareli District, the servicemen of the Internal Troops burnt down two churches (of St. George’s and of St. Trinity), which represented important cultural monuments of Georgia. Throughout its hard history Georgia has experienced many conquerors and barbarians, but neither Khazars, nor Mongols or Persians committed such acts of vandalism. Look how we are punished for declaring the restoration of independence.

We demand to stop unbridled actions of Soviet soldiers on the territory of the sovereign Republic of Georgia. Let me remind you that such acts may only cast shadow and shame to your country, and nothing more.

The chairman of the Supreme Council

of the Republic of Georgia Z. Gamsakhurdia

Tbilisi, 12 April 1991

(Bulletins of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia, # 4, 1991, p. 101)