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The Kamani Massacre took place on July 9, 1993, during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. It was perpetrated against Georgian inhabitants of Kamani (a small village located north of
The Georgian forces who were protecting the pathways to Kamani were annihilated early in the morning after which the main assault on the village was undertaken at 10 a.m. Within a couple of hours the village fell to Abkhaz separatists and their allies. Soon after the Abkhaz and their allies started a violent rampage against the inhabitants of Kamani. Women, children, and the elderly were systematically tortured, raped and massacred during the two days of violence.Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow by S. A. Chervonnaia and Svetlana Mikhailovna Chervonnaia, p 51 The church and convent in Kamani became the scene of a blood bath. The female nuns were raped and later killed in front of the orthodox priest father Yuri Anua and father Andria (the overseer of the convent). After witnessing the massacres of nuns the Georgian priests were taken outside of the church and while kneeling were interrogated.
“''They questioned father Andria on the ownership of land in Abkhazia. He refused to answer. They questioned him repeatedly and finally he gave up and said: Abkhazia, like the rest of the world, belongs to God. They shot him soon after. Before doing so, they forced a young Abkhaz priest to kill him. He resisted and was killed near the Georgian priest. They left their corpses near the church and left''".UN report on Human Rights violation during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, Video interview with the survivor of the Massacre, recorded by UNAMIG in Tbilisi, 1995
After the July events of 1993, Kamani remains completely depopulated and all houses in the village are abandoned by the surviving inhabitants. After taking this strategic area, Abkhaz and their allies launched a large scale offensive on Sukhumi which by now was encircled by the separatist forces.
Video file capturing Kamani tragedy
Video file, Father Anua before the massacre
Massacres in 1993 Abkhaz–Georgian conflict Russian war crimes in Georgia (country) Massacres in Georgia (country) Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia 1993 in Georgia (country) 1993 in Abkhazia Mass murder in 1993 Anti-Georgian sentiment July 1993 events in Asia 1993 murders in Georgia (country) {{Georgia-hist-stub
Sukhumi
Sukhumi (russian: Суху́м(и), ) or Sokhumi ( ka, სოხუმი, ), also known by its Abkhaz name Aqwa ( ab, Аҟәа, ''Aqwa''), is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the capital and largest city of ...
), mainly by militia forces of Abkhaz separatists, and their North Caucasian and Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n allies. It became a part of the bloody campaign carried out by the separatists, which was known as the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia
The ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia,The Guns of August 2008, Russia's War in Georgia, Svante Cornell & Frederick Starr, p 27In Georgia, Tales of Atrocities Lee Hockstander, International Herald Tribune, 22 October 1993On Ruins of Empire ...
Events
During the War in Abkhazia in 1992-93, the villages along theGumista River
The Gumista River ( ka, გუმისთა, Abkhaz: Гәымсҭа) is a river in Abkhazia, Georgia. It is formed by the joining of the Eastern and Western Gumista Rivers. It is nourished by snow, rain and underground water. The river flows in ...
(north and east of Sukhumi) such as Kamani, Shroma, and Achadara were mainly populated by ethnic Georgians
The Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. Georgian diaspora communities are also present throughout Russia, Turkey, G ...
.
However, the area was very important strategically, as it enabled motorized units to reach Sukhumi, the capital of the autonomous republic. After the failed attempt to storm Sukhumi from the west, the Abkhaz formations and their allies diverted their offensive on the northern and eastern sides of Sukhumi. On July 2, 1993 under the Russian military directives and naval support, the Abkhaz and their allies (Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus
The Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus (russian: Конфедерация горских народов Кавказа) (until 1991 known as Assembly of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus) was a militarised political organisation i ...
) landed in Ochamchire
Ochamchire or Ochamchira ( ka, ოჩამჩირე, ; ab, Очамчыра, ''Ochamchyra''; russian: Очамчира, ''Ochamchira'') is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia, Georgia, and a centre of an eponymous district.
Acc ...
and attacked the villages on the Gumista river. The Georgian National Guard, volunteer units and battalions made up by local civilians, were taken by surprise. The Georgian side did not expect any offensive from the north or eastern sides of Sukhumi district. Due to this manoeuvring, the Abkhaz and their allies cut through the Georgian front line and attacked the villages along the side of Gumista river. The Georgian side suffered many losses and the defensive line around Sukhumi was breached by the Abkhaz offensive. On July 5, Abkhaz, Russian, Armenian Bagramyan battalion
The Bagramyan Battalion ( hy, Բաղրամյանի անվան գումարտակ; ), also known officially as the Independent Motorized Rifle Battalion named after Marshal Ivan Khristoforovich Baghramyan () was a unit formed in Abkhazia and pred ...
and North Caucasian detachments stormed the villages of Akhalsheni, Guma and Shroma of Sukhumi district. The residents from the villages were rounded up and massacred. The last offensive took place on July 9, on the village of Kamani. Kamani was a Svan (sub-ethnic group of the Georgian people) village which also included the Kamani Monastery
The Kamani Monastery ( ka, კამანის ეკლესია, ab, Камантәи ауахәама)is located at the village of Kamani in Abkhazia/Georgia, north of Sukhumi. The monastery building is a 1980s construction on the found ...
(named after St George
Saint George (Greek language, Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin language, Latin: Georgius, Arabic language, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christians, Christian who is venerated as a sa ...
) and convent (populated by priests and nuns).
The Georgian forces who were protecting the pathways to Kamani were annihilated early in the morning after which the main assault on the village was undertaken at 10 a.m. Within a couple of hours the village fell to Abkhaz separatists and their allies. Soon after the Abkhaz and their allies started a violent rampage against the inhabitants of Kamani. Women, children, and the elderly were systematically tortured, raped and massacred during the two days of violence.Conflict in the Caucasus: Georgia, Abkhazia, and the Russian Shadow by S. A. Chervonnaia and Svetlana Mikhailovna Chervonnaia, p 51 The church and convent in Kamani became the scene of a blood bath. The female nuns were raped and later killed in front of the orthodox priest father Yuri Anua and father Andria (the overseer of the convent). After witnessing the massacres of nuns the Georgian priests were taken outside of the church and while kneeling were interrogated.
“''They questioned father Andria on the ownership of land in Abkhazia. He refused to answer. They questioned him repeatedly and finally he gave up and said: Abkhazia, like the rest of the world, belongs to God. They shot him soon after. Before doing so, they forced a young Abkhaz priest to kill him. He resisted and was killed near the Georgian priest. They left their corpses near the church and left''".UN report on Human Rights violation during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, Video interview with the survivor of the Massacre, recorded by UNAMIG in Tbilisi, 1995
After the July events of 1993, Kamani remains completely depopulated and all houses in the village are abandoned by the surviving inhabitants. After taking this strategic area, Abkhaz and their allies launched a large scale offensive on Sukhumi which by now was encircled by the separatist forces.
See also
*Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia
The ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia,The Guns of August 2008, Russia's War in Georgia, Svante Cornell & Frederick Starr, p 27In Georgia, Tales of Atrocities Lee Hockstander, International Herald Tribune, 22 October 1993On Ruins of Empire ...
* Georgian-Abkhaz conflict
*Sukhumi Massacre
The Sukhumi massacre took place on September 27, 1993, during and after the fall of Sukhumi into separatist hands in the course of the War in Abkhazia. It was perpetrated against Georgian civilians of Sukhumi, mainly by militia forces of Abkha ...
*United Nations resolutions on Abkhazia
The Security Council of the United Nations passed 32 resolutions where it recognizes Abkhazia as an integral part of Georgia and supports its territorial integrity according to the principles of the international law. The UN is urging both sides t ...
References
External links
Video file capturing Kamani tragedy
Video file, Father Anua before the massacre
Massacres in 1993 Abkhaz–Georgian conflict Russian war crimes in Georgia (country) Massacres in Georgia (country) Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia 1993 in Georgia (country) 1993 in Abkhazia Mass murder in 1993 Anti-Georgian sentiment July 1993 events in Asia 1993 murders in Georgia (country) {{Georgia-hist-stub