Anxious Russians in Tbilisi pray for Georgia reconciliation

August 21, 2008

AFP
August 21, 2008 Thursday 11:26 AM GMT

By Antoine Lambroschini

At a Russian Orthodox church in Tbilisi, Brother Mikhail blesses the Russians and the Georgians who come to pray that their conflict will come to an end and the two peoples live in peace.

"We have always lived well together here. The problems, the war are created by the politicians on both sides," said the monk, whose mother is Russian and father is Georgian.

Some 45,000 Russians live in Georgia and mixed marriages have always been common, a legacy of the Soviet Union which constantly promoted love and brotherhood between its constituent republics.

Despite the continued hostility between the two governments, Georgians and the Russian minority in Georgia are usually eager to emphasize they have no problems with each other, only with their leaders.

During a visit by AFP, the Alexander Nevsky church, named after a 13th century Russian hero who warded off repeated Germanic invasions, was filled with Georgian and Russian believers who had come to pray for peace and reconciliation.

It's an arresting image at a time when Georgian television is comparing the actions of the Russian troops who are still deployed deep inside Georgia to atrocities committed by the Nazis.

On the other side, Russian politicians have compared Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein.

"What I just cannot understand is that whether you are Russian or Georgian, God has made us from the same mould. How can we kill each other, spill the blood of the other?" asked Mikhail.

Among the Russians praying in the church was Maria, 80, who moved to Tbilisi 46 years ago to be with her Georgian husband.

"I do not want to accuse anyone in this war. We lived so well together. My son speaks Georgian and lives in Russia where he is an architect.

"I am praying for peace. I kneel down in front of God to pray that this madness ends and that we can continue living as we did before," said Maria.

Constantin, 40, is Georgian but had come to take part in the Russian Orthodox mass. As a product of an elite Soviet school, he speaks perfect Russian and still keeps the customs of his youth.

Like most ethnic Russians, Georgians follow the Orthodox branch of Christianity. Although there are differences in rite and practice they are relatively slight.

Constantin accused Russia of being responsible for the war but also acknowledged Georgia had to bear some of the blame.

"The Georgian government should not have responded to a provocation that had been planned long in advance," he said, referring to the dispute over the status of South Ossetia.

"I like the Russians and Russia. They are not the guilty ones in the conflict. The guilty ones are their leaders.

"Georgia is a country of tolerance. We all live together here, Azeris, Armenians, Russians, Georgians," he added.

The manager of Tbilisi's Matrioshka (Russian doll) restaurant, where a display of Russian dolls and balalaika instruments in the window was the epitome of Russian kitsch, also predicted the two peoples could still be friends.

"My mother came from Belarus, my father is Russian and born here and I was also born here," said Oleg Afanassiev, speaking Russian with a Georgian accent.

"Even in the current situation, I have never had a problem on account of my nationality. My neighbours, my friends, my colleagues, we all find this very sad and together we are waiting for this all to end," he said.

And despite the war of words between the Kremlin and Georgia's outspoken president, Saakashvili, the restaurateur is hopeful about future relations between Georgians and Russians.

"If the current crisis has no impact on our relations then nothing can hurt them. We will always stay together," he said.

But then again, at the height of what should have been the lunchtime rush, there were still no customers in his Russian speciality restaurant.

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