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Each month one of the 13 chapters from the Alliance for Peacebuilding Success Stories book will be uploaded to the Success Stories section. The Dynamism of Shared Success in Abkhaz–Georgian Peacebuilding In conflicts where the combatants and victims of war are largely civilians, citizen-based peace processes are crucial to healing the deep wounds of the communities and thus finding lasting solutions. It is important to study how to make these processes as effective as possible. This chapter contributes to such knowledge by tracing the long and hard journey toward understanding between people on opposite sides of the ceasefire line that separates Abkhazia from Georgia, in the Caucasus region of the former Soviet Union. This analysis of Abkhaz–Georgian peacebuilding illustrates both the development of peacebuilders’ goals as the conflict and peace process changed over time, and the ways in which multiple efforts over many years ultimately contributed to shared, cumulative success. The Abkhaz authorities consider their territory independent of Georgia, and the government of Georgia does not recognize Abkhazia’s de facto independence. Armed conflict took place between the Abkhaz self-determination movement and the Georgian struggle for territorial integrity in Abkhazia from August 1992 to September 1993. This led to the loss of 10,000–20,000 lives and the creation of around 200,000 refugees. The fighting took place on a territory with a pre-war population of approximately 500,000. The conflict between these two entities is, at the time of this writing in March 2006, a “frozen” conflict. A ceasefire has held, more or less, since 1993, and political negotiations take place periodically. But the Abkhaz and Georgian authorities have yet to make significant progress towards settling their differences over the political status of Abkhazia and the return of Georgian refugees to their former homes in Abkhazia. Meanwhile, approximately four million people in Georgia and 200,000 in Abkhazia suffer major economic, physical, psychological, and environmental hardships. Outside facilitation of citizen peacebuilding initiatives was necessary from the outset because of animosities between the ethnic groups, their inability to travel to each other‘s cities, and the Abkhaz side’s inadequate means of basic communication, such as phone, fax, or e-mail. Despite the obstacles to peacebuilding over the past decade, local and international peacebuilders have contributed to a vibrant citizen-based peace process involving numerous events each year, and multiple projects bringing Abkhaz and Georgians together in constructive dialogue and joint activities. To continue, click for downloadable PDF
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