South Ossetia commemorates Eredvi tragedy

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Residents of the Tskhinvali City gathered yesterday to mourn over their fellow countrymen that had been buried alive in Eredvi (Georgian village in Abkhazia) in 1991. Hundreds of people of all generations brought wreaths on the memorial. A memorial service was conducted in the church of Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, REGNUM correspondent reports.

According to South Ossetian sources, a truck carrying Ossetian farmers on their way home was captured by Georgian gangs on March 18, 1991 near the Eredvi Village. After severe tortures, 12 people were buried alive. Their remains were found only two years later. The fact was widely publicized.

Today, South Ossetia expects the world community to acknowledge atrocities of Georgia against the South Ossetian people committed in 1989-1992. According to South Ossetian official data, 117 Ossetian villages were burnt, 1, 000 people killed and 3, 500 injured during the period of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. 112 residents of South Ossetia are missing to this day. In Tskhinvali (Tskhinval), South Ossetian capital, 180 buildings were destroyed, a total of 135, 000 square meters; 25 schools; 172 km of roads. The damage is assessed in monetary terms at 34.2 bn rubles (in prices of 1992).