Georgia: Popular protest topples Ajarian leader

5/05/04

The mass protest strategy seems to have worked again for Mikheil Saakashvili. The Georgian president rode to power on the back of popular outrage against Georgia's former leader Eduard Shevardnadze. Now, rallies in the recalcitrant region of Ajaria have pushed Saakashvili's arch-nemesis, Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze, from power.

Saakashvili, during an early morning news conference May 6 confirmed that Abashidze had resigned and left for Russia. "Abashidze has fled, Ajaria is free," Saakashvili said.

Saakashvili, according to published reports, had extended a security guarantee to Abashidze and his top aides if they accepted political asylum in Russia. Abashidze's resignation came after Igor Ivanov, Russia's Security Council secretary, arrived in Batumi late on May 5 to mediate a peaceful end to the political confrontation.

Abashidze's non-violent downfall marks a major political triumph for Saakashvili, providing a significant boost to his efforts to reestablish central government authority across all Georgian territory. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Speaking at a news conference, Saakashvili revealed that he had two phone discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning Abashidze's fate.

"I urged Mr. Putin to grant Aslan Abashidze political asylum," Saakashvili said. I vowed Georgia will never demand his extradition, despite grave crimes committed by him. We are ready to make this [pledge] in order to avoid bloodshed."

Prior to Abashidze's resignation, Saakashvili said Ajaria would be subjected to direct presidential rule until special regional elections could be organized. When a new regional authority was in place, Saakashvili indicated that he would restore Ajaria's autonomous political status.

Abashidze's downfall came after mass protests May 4-5 against his authority. Security forces loyal to Abashidze at first attempted to forcibly disperse the rally, led by students and teachers at Batumi State University. According to Rustavi 2, dozens of protesters required hospitalization after receiving beatings at the hands of Abashidze-controlled "special units."

The attempted crackdown achieved the opposite of its intended effect: the protest intensified with thousands of taking to the streets to demand Abashidze's resignation. As the demonstration gained strength, police and mid-level officials began to abandon Abashidze and declare their loyalty to Tbilisi. Abashidze attempted to mobilize his followers, but a rally in his support was dwarfed in size by the ongoing opposition demonstration.

On May 5, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania traveled to Ajaria to engage regional officials, aiming to prevent possible violence. Zhvania said Tbilisi would provide "security guarantees" to all Ajarian functionaries that operated within "the framework of the Georgian Constitution," Rustavi 2 reported. The television channel added that Jemal Gogitidze, a top Abashidze lieutenant, acknowledged the indivisible nature of the Tbilisi-Batumi relationship. Later in Batumi, Zhvania reportedly told anti-Abashidze protesters that "nothing can stop the will of the people."

In recent weeks, Abashidze's iron grip on the region began slipping, especially after an abortive mutiny, in which the bulk of troops belonging to a Georgian military unit based in Batumi refused to follow the commanding general in going over to Abashidze's side. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Sensing that his authority was eroding, Abashidze re-imposed a state of emergency, then, in early May, his loyalists took the drastic step of blowing up bridges connecting Ajaria with Georgia proper. They claimed the move was designed to frustrate an incursion by the Georgian military. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Saakashvili and Abashidze had been at loggerheads virtually since the day the president took office in January. During the Shevardnadze era, Abashidze forged Ajaria into an autonomous fiefdom, operating largely beyond Tbilisi's control. Saakashvili's administration had for the past four months fought doggedly to bring Ajaria back into Georgia's "constitutional space." [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

In March, Abashidze declared a state of emergency and Ajarian defense forces appeared poised to clash with the Georgian military. Saakashvili imposed an economic blockade that forced the Ajarian leadership to back down, and recognize Tbilisi's authority. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. A political settlement, in which Abashidze acknowledged Tbilisi's right to supervise tax collection, was never fully implemented, and Tbilisi-Batumi tension started to rise again. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Posted May 5, 2004 © Eurasianet