GEORGIA: MUTINY DISRUPTS PROTESTS - FALLOUT UNCLEAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TBILISI 000865 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GG SUBJECT: GEORGIA: MUTINY DISRUPTS PROTESTS - FALLOUT UNCLEAR REF: A. TBILISI 0858 ¶B. TBILISI 0857 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOHN F. TEFFT. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Summary: The mutiny of a tank battalion at Mukhrovani base forced the non-parliamentary opposition to scratch plans for a temporary blockade of major roads leading in and out of Tbilisi from 4pm - 5pm May 5. The non-parliamentary opposition, including Irakli Alasania, responded to the mutiny by going in front of the cameras to claim that it was a GoG staged event and vowed to continue protesting. They announced their intention to follow through with their plans to block roads, railroads, and ports of entry, although may shift their timetable slightly. On May 5, Foreign Minister Vashadze told the Diplomatic Corps that the non-parliamentary opposition should consider the potential impact of its actions on Georgia and its neighbors, and said that per its international obligations, the Georgian Government would not allow the closing of international border crossing points. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Comment: It is too early to assess the political fallout from the mutiny for the opposition while so many details are unknown. The non-parliamentary opposition statement denouncing the event as a GoG staged "virtual uprising" and the decision not to stop their protests appears to be based on a feeling rather than objective fact. It appears that Alasania has at a minimum delayed his plans to break from the non-parliamentary opposition and joined other leaders in their statement. We cannot yet assess what effect Alasania's comments will have on potential negotiations, but his participation can only serve to reinforce the view we hear from an increasing number of our contacts of his "duplicity". End Comment. Opposition Will Escalate Despite Mutiny ¶3. (C) The non-parliamentary opposition was defiant May 5 and called the mutiny a "virtual uprising," vowing to continue protesting to bring Saakashvili to his knees. They accused Saakashvili of "using the Georgian army for political purposes, in order to obstruct today's picketing." Non-parliamentary leaders stated that blocking highways would be postponed for a day or two. Irakli Alasania, despite his private statement that he was willing to negotiate and was against escalation, publicly joined the other non-parliamentary leaders to denounce Saakashvili and call for protests and blockages to continue. Taunting Saakashvili, Levan Gachechiladze challenged him to meet with the opposition directly "if he was man enough". David Gamkrelidze (Alliance - New Rights) claimed that the uprising was a pretext to declare a state of emergency. Gamkrelidze ally, Mamuka Katsitadze (New Rights) suggested that if the government uses force to break up protests, the protesters would respond in kind. Vashadze Meeting ¶4. (C) In a briefing for the Diplomatic Corps regarding the attempted mutiny, Foreign Minister Vashadze, speaking "as a private citizen" answered a question about the protests. He said that the non-parliamentary opposition's actions were not helping the country, and that dialogue was necessary. He added that the non-parliamentary opposition needed to think about Georgia's international obligations, including to Armenia and Azerbaijan who would suffer from any blockage of Georgia's primary highways. The non-parliamentary opposition had, therefore, better "think twice" about its actions. He told the Ambassador that the Georgian Government would honor Qtold the Ambassador that the Georgian Government would honor its international obligations to its neighbors and would not allow ports of entry to be closed. Journalist Beaten and Protest to Imedi ¶5. (C) A Georgian Public Broadcaster Journalist, Nika Avaliani, was shown beaten on camera after an incident at the picketing in front of the Public Broadcaster Building. Avaliani was walking through the "corridor of shame" set up by protesters and responded to insults by pushing aside a "cell" that had been erected in front of the entrance to force employees to pass through. A protester slapped Avaliani in the face, then others joined in slapping and punching him. Avaliani initially fought back then fled only to be chased down, punched and beaten with sticks until the assailants withdrew. The Georgian Publi Broadcasters issued a statement condemning the actions and blaming non-parliamentary opposition leaders for inciting violence and doing nothing to stop the attack. Public Defender Sozar Subari also strongly condemned the attack on the journalist. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, three TBILISI 00000865 002 OF 002 activists from an opposition youth group have been arrested for "hooliganism" in connection with the attack. Thus far, no non-parliamentary leader has condemned the attack. ¶6. (U) In a joint statement May 5, a group of 50 journalists from Imedi television protested the station's editorial policy saying that its news service was not covering ongoing developments in the country objectively. According to the journalists, after Imedi resumed broadcasting news programs in September 2008, the management "banned journalists" from interviewing non-parliamentary opposition politicians and opposition-leaning experts. The statement also claimed that the coverage of issues relating to displaced persons was also banned and that Imedi decided not to air Georgian Patriarch Ilya II's April 8 statement in which he called on the Georgian Army not to use force against the protesters. The station's management has confirmed receipt of the statement, but made no comment to the press. TEFFT