Information Superhighway Develops New Georgian Lane

Some interesting unsolicited material has been circulating as a result of the current turmoil in the Republic of Georgia. The political crisis has prompted people to send e-mails to THE GEORGIAN TIMES, and posts to various internet sites, adding their twopennysworth on the unfolding events.

Various Georgians around the world have received an invitation to sign an online petition entitled “Stop abuses by the government of Georgia.” This was begun by US based Georgian human rights activist Anna Dolidze and is targeted at the Government of the United States, the United Nations Organization, the Council of Europe and the European Union.

The petition describes the actions of the government in regard to the demonstrations and calls for the international community to intervene in the crisis, condemn “massive violation of human rights”, stop the “persecution of opposition members”, pressure the government to cancel emergency rule, compel the government to “release political prisoners” and satisfy the appeal for peaceful dialogue.

The petition is hosted by the independent international petition hosting forum www.gopetition.com. As of 18:00 on Saturday 10 November it had attracted nearly 4,000 signatures, some of them well known names in Georgia such as Shalva Natelashvili (chairman and founder of Georgian Labour Party known for his populism and criticism of the current President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili), Jondi Baghaturia and Irakli kakabadze.

Source: Rumwold Leigh for The Georgian Times