APPEAL OF THE SUPREME SOVIET OF THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA TO PRESIDENT OF THE USSR M. S. GORBACHEV, CHAIRMAN OF THE USSR SUPREME SOVIET A. I. LUKIANOV

You have been introducing additional contingent of the Soviet Army and internal troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs to the territory of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Republic in the recent days. According to Colonel Aleksandrov who arrived from Moscow, these troops should not be subordinate either to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs or to its appointed commandant. Moreover, credibility has been impeached not only to them but also to units of the division of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs that are deployed in Tbilisi and that have been ordered to withdraw from Tskhinvali together with the Georgian police.

Ossetian separatists interpreted all these as support and started acting resolutely.

Starting from 16:00 on April 5, supported by units of the internal troops and using their armored vehicles, the Ossetian extremists attacked Georgian villages of Tamarasheni, Achabeti, Kemerti, Sveri, and others from all sides. Two residents of Tamaarsheni, E. Elbakidze and Z. Metreveli were killed and three injured. On the same night police school student R. Datashvili and resident of village Mereti V. Tatishvili were killed on the Eredvi-Khviti road.

Obvious aggression against the Republic of Georgia is evident; genocide against its population continues. To date the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Georgia has tried to find ways towards dialogue and reconciliation, but now the overall concern of the Georgia’s population is increasing, added by serious aggravation of economic conditions, increased prices and blockade by the Center.

As a result of the above, initiative of Roundtable Political Organizations, also public of Georgia, a general strike is being prepared in the Republic, involving workers, public servants, railwaymen, sailors, who join the workers of the USSR who are on strike, and support all their demands.

Strike Committees related to the former South Ossetian Autonomous Area demand that the military aggression against the Republic of Georgia would cease and realize following measures:

1. Units of the Soviet army and additional contingent of troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs that arrived from different parts of the Soviet Union should be withdrawn from the former South Ossetian Autonomous Area;

2. The Commandant and its deputies appointed by the Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs should return to Tskhinvali;

3. The Rock Pass and the Tunnel should be closed and abandoned.

Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Georgia

Z. Gamsakhurdia

Tbilisi, 6 April 1991

(Bulletins of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Georgia, # 4, 1991, pp. 98-99)