Resistancegeorgia
Resistancegeorgia
"How to become an irresponsible leader" for Dummies
Notwithstanding yesterday's clashes between the opposition supporters and police and highly inflammatory situation in the country, Mikhail Saakashvili continues his visit to the Czech republic. Considering the crisis in his country It's hard to see the reason for Saakashvili's personal presence at the Eastern Partnership Summit since Foreign Minister of Georgia Grigol Vashadze is also attending.
As a result of yesterday's clash, 20 people were registered at the Gudushauri hospital with various injuries and two of them, Irakli Khomasuridze and David Chantladze have lost eyesight after being shot in the face by rubber bullets.
We also have to remember that as the crisis began to escalate at the end of April, Saakashvili went to an energy summit in Sophia and on his way back on April 25 diverted for a holiday in Bodrum, Turkey. This intensifies my doubts that it is not at all him that is ruling the country but Vano Merabishvili, Minister of Interior. In any case, it is highly irresponsible for the President to be away from his country for so long and so often when it is on a brink of a civil confrontation.
No To Violence!
Another group came out against violence and called both the government and the opposition to denounce violence as a method of political struggle and to condemn those that use, incite or advocate for violence. The Georgian text can be found and signed here. It has already gathered more than 80 signatures. 
Is there civil society in Georgia? we will see
Western researchers often like to ask if there is civil society in Georgia. There is no easy answer to this question: it's hard to single- handily make such a diagnosis. But in these times of crisis we might be able to see whether there are any signs of it.
First, statement made by the Patriarch swiftly after today's clashes has to be lauded. The Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church called for the government, oppossition and public of Georgia to use all means to stop escalation of violence. And at the same time, he urged the government to release three oppositin activists. According to its statement this will "at least partially difuse tensions." 
Rubber bullets today, what will be next?
Today we another set of horrifying scenes from surroundings of the Ministry of Interior. Protesters surrounded the central building of the Ministry after the news broke that three opposition activists arrested earlier were harassed, beaten and threatened with rape. Although the SWAT did not leave the territory of the Ministry, they still shot demonstrators with rubber bullets.
There is a great number of casualties who are wounded in their face. You can see some disturbing pictures here. The crowed was agitated and naturally so, but it has to be mentioned to the credit of opposition leaders, that they did everything to contain public anger and tell people to back off. Yet, to our shame, policemen continued to shoot, throw stones and even spit from inside the perimeter. What concerns me is the future. If we already got rubber bullets today, what will happen next?! 
The country is on the brink of a civil war
The building is full of SWAT forces. As a result of fights between opposition activists and Special Forces David Gamkrelidze, Levan Gachechiladze, Bizina Gegidze are beaten. Allegedly, Gia Gachechiladze aka Uznobi, anchor of a highly popular TV show "Cell #5" is detained.
Other opposition leaders have joined the demonstration. On the other hand, opposition has called for larger protests on May 8th which will escalate this conflict to a higher level. I keep saying that these developments are in the style of a Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Marques. We know that there will be blood and yet, no one wants to do anything about it.
Georgia's Minister of Love
In one of my favorite plays, Tom Stoppard's Rock'n'Roll an officer from the Ministry of Interior says:
"We are supposed to know what's going on inside people. That's why we're the Ministry of the Interior." This phrase sounds to me like a perfect motto for Georgia's Ministry of Interior under Vano Merabishvili.
