PACE rapporteurs on Georgia: ‘Abkhazia is in danger of slipping into a human rights black hole’

Strasbourg, 18.06.2009 – The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) rapporteurs on the consequences of the war between Georgia and Russia, Luc van der Brande (Belgium, EPP/ CD) and Mátyás Eörsi (Hungary, ALDE), as well as Corien Jonker (Netherlands, EPP/CD), rapporteur on the humanitarian consequences of this war, today jointly expressed great concern that Russia had vetoed the continuation of the mandate of the UN Observer Mission to Georgia (UNOMIG) and its work in the breakaway region of Abkhazia.

“Without a UN Mission, Abkhazia is in danger of slipping into a human rights black hole,” the rapporteurs stated.

“UNOMIG has had over 15 years of experience in the region. This experience must not be lost,” they continued, calling specifically on Russia to show flexibility in order to find a solution for international human rights and monitoring presence in Abkhazia.

Regretting that repeated Assembly demands to ensure the continuation of the work carried out by the UN Observer Mission in Georgia had not been heeded, the PACE rapporteurs called on all parties to think about the people and not the politics.

“Without UNOMIG in Abkhazia there will be no independent human rights protection and monitoring, and an almost complete lack of any international presence. Those who will suffer are the people, and particularly those living in the Gali region,” they added.

“No one wants a further exodus from the Gali region, but without human rights protection guarantees and monitoring, this exodus will become a real risk”, the rapporteurs concluded.