Georgia…the country

August 20, 2008 – 2:33 pm

A bitter conflict continues to rage on the Georgian-Russian border in the volatile Caucasus region of Eurasia. The conflict is centered on the break-away region of South Ossetia in north-central Georgia.  A portion of this region has been de facto independent from Georgia since they declared independence during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in the early 1990s.  No member of the UN has officially recognized South Ossetia as an independent country from Georgia. The Georgian government has experienced the same type of conflict with Abkhazia, a region on the eastern side of the country bordering the Black Sea; this district seceded from the government after the War in Abkhazia in 1992-1993, in which ethnic cleansing resulted in the deaths of thousands of Georgians.

Of global concern in the current conflict is the important role that Georgia plays in the transfer of crude oil in the region.  Two major oil pipelines slice through the middle of the country. The larger pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (originates in Baku, Azerbaijan, flows through Tbilisi, Georgia and terminates at Ceyhan, Turkey), is the second longest pipeline in the world.

On a different note, FIFA (International Federation of Association Football; the abbreviation is derived from French) announced yesterday that Georgia’s World Cup qualifier against Ireland will be played at a neutral site on September 6, rather than in the capital city of Tbilisi due to the conflict. The CNN article states that “Ireland’s Italian manager Giovanni Trapattoni expressed his sadness at the situation in Georgia and his sympathy for the nation’s football team.” In Beijing, Georgian hurdler David Ilariani, in reference to the conflict back in his home country, said that “every day, every night you’re thinking about it, scared that something will happen to your family.” The AP article stated that despite the fact that “Georgian athletes have won three medals, worries linger.”

It is difficult to obtain objective news coverage of the conflict, as sources tend to favor either the Georgians or the Russians, depending on political ties or other motivations. For readers who are unaware of the political turmoil in this region, the “Georgia (country)” Wikipedia article or the article entitled “2008 South Ossetia War” (as the recent conflict has been dubbed) may prove to be helpful. Other informative sources include the FOX News article concerning the breakaway regions of Georgia and a FOX News video summary of the Georgian conflict posted earlier this month which reveals the relevance this conflict has upon American interests. Journeyman Pictures produced a video entitled “After the Revolution” which offers comprehensive coverage of the tumult in Georgia. Giorgi Lomsadze, a freelance reporter in Tbilisi, Georgia, purports that the Russian invasion of Georgia actually strengthens domestic support for Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. Russia Today, an English-language news channel which provides coverage of events occurring in Russia and around the globe from the Russian point of view, reported that the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict has claimed the lives of 1492 Ossetians thus far.

It is important that Christians stay informed about global issues such as this situation in Georgia if we desire to think globally about the gospel. Conflicts such as these inevitably transform the socio-political and religious makeup of a country, an important factor for those involved in gospel ministry in such a country. Our prayer ought to be that God will use these “black pieces” of turmoil and war as vital components of the beautiful gospel mosaic that He is designing for His glory.