2008 Khurcha incident
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Khurcha incident refers to the May 21 2008 attack on two minibuses in the Georgian
village of Khurcha, near the ceasefire line with the internationally unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia. The buses were carrying Georgians on the way to vote at the parliamentary election which was underway that day. 3 people were injured. During the high profile TV coverage later that day, and while voting booths were open, Georgian officials claimed that the attack was carried out by Abkhaz forces. Several investigations later showed that the incident was most likely staged by unknown Georgian servicemen.
on a football field in the village of Khurcha. Two minibuses carrying voters from Abkhazia's Gali district
arrived at the football field, where they came under attack by small arms fire and grenades. 3 people had to be hospitalised in Zugdidi
, one of whom was seriously injured.
Another investigation was carried out by the Reporter studio in Tbilisi
, which made a documentary about the incident. It stated directly, that the attack was staged by the Georgian side. Before the busses were hit by grenades, the camera, that would record this, had been already positioned on a tripod and was already recording the buses. Local residents reported, that they had been asked to come to the football field for a video shoot, without voting being mentioned.
The findings of these two investigations were largely confirmed by a UNOMIG investigation. It also found that, despite Georgian claims to the contrary, inhabitants of the Gali district had not been hindered from crossing the ceasefire line, in order to vote.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
village of Khurcha, near the ceasefire line with the internationally unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia. The buses were carrying Georgians on the way to vote at the parliamentary election which was underway that day. 3 people were injured. During the high profile TV coverage later that day, and while voting booths were open, Georgian officials claimed that the attack was carried out by Abkhaz forces. Several investigations later showed that the incident was most likely staged by unknown Georgian servicemen.
The attack
The attack took place on May 21, 2008, the day of the Georgian Parliamentary electionsGeorgian legislative election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on May 21, 2008. President Mikheil Saakashvili proposed a referendum on bringing them forward from October to April after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations...
on a football field in the village of Khurcha. Two minibuses carrying voters from Abkhazia's Gali district
Gali district
Gali district is a district of Abkhazia. Its capital is Gali, the town by the same name. The district is smaller than the eponymous one in the de jure subdivision of Georgia, as some of its former territory is now part of Tkvarcheli District, formed by de facto Abkhaz authorities in 1995.Gali...
arrived at the football field, where they came under attack by small arms fire and grenades. 3 people had to be hospitalised in Zugdidi
Zugdidi
Zugdidi is a city in the Western Georgian historical province of Samegrelo . It is situated in the north-west of that province. The city is located 318 kilometres west of Tbilisi, 30 km. from Black sea coast and 30 km. from Egrisi range. 100-110 metres above sea level. As of 2007, it had a...
, one of whom was seriously injured.
Reactions
Georgia accused the Abkhazian side to have carried out the attack with Russian support. The Abkhazian side denied this and pointed out that Khurcha, the site of the incident, was well within Georgian-controlled territory.Independent investigations
On May 22, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Centre of Georgia carried out an investigation on the attack. They found out, that the buses had directly come to the football field, rather than to the polling station. Furthermore, media were already present at the scene, before the incident took place. Georgian security troops were immediately present at the scene of the incident, even though Khurcha lies within the demilitarised zone, the nearest base being 15 minutes away. The investigators further found out that the attack originated from a position only 100 meters from the Georgian side, that is, the side opposite to the ceasefire line. Local eye witnesses all stated, that they believed that the attack had been staged by the Georgian side.Another investigation was carried out by the Reporter studio in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, which made a documentary about the incident. It stated directly, that the attack was staged by the Georgian side. Before the busses were hit by grenades, the camera, that would record this, had been already positioned on a tripod and was already recording the buses. Local residents reported, that they had been asked to come to the football field for a video shoot, without voting being mentioned.
The findings of these two investigations were largely confirmed by a UNOMIG investigation. It also found that, despite Georgian claims to the contrary, inhabitants of the Gali district had not been hindered from crossing the ceasefire line, in order to vote.