Opposition grows in Abkhazia over monument to citizens killed in Ukraine war
A group of Abkhaz politicians and public figures has spoken out against plans to erect a monument in Sukhum to citizens of Abkhazia who were killed while fighting in the war in Ukraine.
They appealed to the republic’s president, Badra Gunba, and the city authorities to cancel or postpone the decision, which was approved by the Sukhum City Assembly at the initiative of the city administration.
The appeal was signed by former parliament speaker Valery Kvarchia, People’s Artist Batal Jopua, historian Guram Gumba, former education minister Adgur Kakoba, Akhyatsa civic organisation head Akhra Bzhania, and former leader of the Aruaa veterans’ movement Ilya Guniya.
The signatories argue that any memorial erected in the Abkhaz capital should commemorate historical events only after they have stood the test of time.
“Fighting is still under way, people are dying, yet the local authorities in Abkhazia have taken the unprecedented decision to erect a monument to a war that has not yet ended.
“No one knows how, when or on what terms these two closely related peoples will first reach understanding and then reconciliation. But that will inevitably happen. Only then, years later, will we be able to return to the question of creating a memorial to this historical event,” the appeal says.
The authors also point out that Sukhum still has no monuments to Abkhazia’s first president, Vladislav Ardzinba, or to volunteers from the North Caucasus republics who fought alongside Abkhazia during the 1992–93 Georgian-Abkhaz war.
“If we intend to begin preserving our historical memory, we should start with them. Otherwise, not only the people of Abkhazia but also our friends in the North Caucasus and the parents of the fallen volunteers will not understand us,” the appeal says.
The signatories also argue that the issue has an important foreign policy dimension. Despite its strategic partnership with Russia, they say, Abkhazia is not at war with Ukraine.
“Our state has never carried out any mobilisation or organisational measures in connection with what Russia calls its ‘special military operation’. The relevant authorities have no information about either the total number of our citizens in the conflict zone or the terms under which they entered military service,” the appeal says.
They argue that officially recognising the participation of Abkhaz citizens in the fighting would provide diplomatic grounds for Ukraine and its regional allies, including Turkey, to regard Abkhazia as a party to the conflict. As a result, they say, “our citizens’ participation in the war would cease to be a matter of personal choice and instead become our collective choice.”
Although the appeal has been signed by only six people, its authors say they believe their views are widely shared across Abkhaz society.
“We are in contact with people from all walks of life and can say with confidence that thousands of residents of Sukhum and citizens of Abkhazia share our views and the arguments set out above.”
The signatories call on the president and the city authorities to act with prudence and wisdom.
The terminology, place names and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this website.
Monument to Abkhazians who fought in Ukraine
