GEORGIA: PROTESTS MEAGER - MOIA CONFIRMS FIRING

C O N F I D E N T I A L TBILISI 001024 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: PROTESTS MEAGER - MOIA CONFIRMS FIRING PROJECTILES ON MAY 6 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Summary: A few hundred protesters rallied in front of Parliament on June 2; prior to that a joint statement was read at the Ministry of Defense condemning Saakashvili for what it called a "purposeful destruction" of the Georgian military. The statement called upon diplomats to monitor the situation. Cells have been removed from Rustaveli Avenue except for those in front and behind Parliament. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA) confirmed that it used "projectiles" against the protest crowd that attempted to enter a police station on May 6. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Comment: The protests continue to dwindle and enthusiasm appears to be waning further. Even the MoIA revelations, which further muddle the events surrounding May 6, have so far failed to produce much of a response. The non-parliamentary opposition's joint statement does not seem to be tied to any specific event or larger purpose and may simply be designed to serve as a boilerplate complaint to keep some protest momentum going while the non-parliamentary opposition decides what to do next. End Comment. Little Signs of Life ¶3. (C) A small group of protesters gathered both at the Ministry of Defense and Parliament on June 2. A joint statement was read that said in part that Saakashvili was engaged in a "purposeful destruction" of the Georgian armed forces and was pursuing "purposeful punitive measures in the army." The statement criticized the appointment of Bacho Akhalaia as Deputy Defense Minister in the fall of 2008. The statement alleged that the mutiny was a GoG cover up and those involved were not mutineers, but simply those who disobeyed Saakshvili's orders to use army units to break up the protests. The only major party which was not represented at the reading of the statement was the National Forum. Alasania representative Zurab Abashidze attended as did Nino Burjanadze (Democratic Movement - United Georgia),Salome Zourabichvili (Georgia's Way),Eka Beselia (United Georgia), David Gamkrelidze (Alliance - New Rights),Tina Khidasheli (Republicans),Zviad Dzidziguri (Conservatives),and Levan Gachechiladze. MoIA Confirms Use of Projectiles - Not Rubber Bullets ¶4. (C) According to Georgian magazine Liberali, MoIA officers fired projectiles at protesters attempting to enter a police station on May 6. The magazine reported that FN 303 less lethal launchers manufactured by FN Herstal were used. MOIA officials confirmed to emboffs that the report was correct and that these projectiles had been fired at the crowd on May 6. (Embassy Comment: Embassy observers had earlier reported that rubber bullets were not used on May 6, and maintain that view. The same observers note that rubber bullets are shot from firearms like regular rounds and make a similar noise; however, the FN 303 projectiles are shot using compressed air which would not have been audible to observers in the chaos surrounding May 6th's event. The claims of the non-parliamentary opposition that the GoG used "rubber bullets" is technically untrue but in normal parlance, rubber bullets likely referred to any non-lethal projectile which is fired for crowd control. In this case, the general claim that the GoG fired crowd control projectiles is true. End Comment.) TEFFT