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

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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