The demonstration of April 9, 1989 in Tbilisi is suppressed

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On April 9, 1989 , an anti-Soviet peaceful demonstration ( Georgian : 9 აპრილის ტრაგედია ) in the Georgian capital Tbilisi was suppressed by special forces of the Soviet army . 21 protesters were killed, hundreds were seriously injured and poisoned. 17 women, including one pregnant woman, were among the 21 civilians murdered; the youngest of them was 16 years old.

prehistory

Protest movements for the restoration of Georgia's national independence reached their peak in the late 1980s . This period was characterized by strong independence movements; permanent manifestations were used to protest against the Soviet dictatorship.

The key event for the rallies was the March 18, 1989 took place sg Lychny meeting in Abkhazia , where more than 30,000 participants the exit of Abkhazia from the Georgian state and the reconstruction of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Abkhazia , the status quo ante 1921 - 1931 demanded. This sparked a wave of protests that eventually turned into a mass demonstration for Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union. Protesters appealed to the Soviet government to use Abkhazian separatism against the independence movement in Georgia and to spark an ethnic conflict.

The protest movements peaked on April 5, 1989 , when tens of thousands of demonstrators, including students, gathered in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi and almost a hundred activists announced a hunger strike . The demonstrators (led by Merab Kostava , Swiad Gamsachurdia , Giorgi Chanturia, Irakli Batiashvili, Irakli Batiashvili, Irakli Tsereteli and others) called for countermeasures to Abkhaz separatism and the restoration of Georgia's independence.

The Soviet local authorities lost control of the precarious situation and were no longer able to cope with the wave of protests.

procedure

According to the document sent to the United States Department of State on April 6, 1989 from the US Embassy in the Soviet Union: On April 4, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi, and on April 5 their number reached up to 100,000; nearly 100 of them, including Giorgi Chanturia and Irakli Tsereteli (National Democratic Party of Georgia), announced a hunger strike.

At 9:00 p.m. on April 7, Jumber Patiashvili, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Georgia, urged the Soviet government to take action to resolve the precarious situation in Tbilisi. On the same day, the Soviet armed forces reached the capital to bring the critical situation under control.

In the early morning of April 9, 1989, the peaceful demonstration was suppressed by special forces of the Soviet Army. They used spades as weapons and poison gas against demonstrators, resulting in 21 deaths and several hundred civilians poisoned and injured. 17 women, including one pregnant woman, were among the 21 civilians murdered; the youngest of them was 16 years old. According to some European journalists on the spot, there should be up to 30 deaths.

consequences

The tragic events of April 9th ​​had immediate historical consequences: In a referendum on March 31st, 1991, around 90% of the Georgians eligible to vote voted on the restoration of independence, and on April 9th, 1991, exactly two years after the tragedy, this followed the official declaration of independence of Georgia.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ National Security Archive: Political tower in Georgia over Abkhazia. In: https://idfi.ge/ge/idfi-confidential-april-9 . Accessed April 5, 2019 .
  2. ^ National Security Archive: Politikal turmoil in Georgia over Abkhazia. In: https://idfi.ge/ge/idfi-confidential-april-9 . P. 5 , accessed on April 9, 2019 (English).
  3. ↑ ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИЕ Комиссии Съезда народных депутатов СССР по расследованию событий, имевших место в г. Тбилиси 9 апреля 1989 года. Retrieved April 9, 2019 (Russian).
  4. ^ National Security Archive: Georgia simmering. In: https://idfi.ge/public/upload/IDFI/IDFI/5DOCidfi.PDF . April 10, 1989, accessed April 9, 2019 .
  5. ^ April 9, 1991 - Georgia's independence is proclaimed. April 9, 2011, accessed April 9, 2019 .
  6. ↑ 25 years ago: Georgia declared its independence. April 8, 2016, accessed April 9, 2019 .