Oppositions Set Up Prison Cells in a New Place:State Chancellery, April 15, 2009. Photo by Khanim Javadova
TBILISI
, Georgia – In an attempt to make “officials feel uncomfortable,” anti-government protesters have added another protest location to their list: in front of the State Chancellery, few hundred meters away from Parliament, houses of the government’s administration and Prime Minister’s office.
Protesters erected tents in front of the office Wednesday, April 16, where people plan to camp for 24 hours. They join similar tent camps in front of President Mikheil Saakashvili’s residence compound in the city’s Avlabari neighborhood, and one in front of the Georgian Public Broadcaster. They continue, also, to block traffic on Rustaveli Avenue in front of Parliament.
Eka Beselia, an opposition leader, said the demonstrations will not be stopped during the Easter holidays.
“On Saturday and Sunday, on the Easter days, we will pray together, stand together and march together on different demonstrating places,” said Beselia.
Starting next Tuesday, opposition members plan to go to the regions and bring people to Tbilisi, she said.
Demonstrators Standing in the Rain at the State Chancellery, April 15. Photo by Khanim Javadova
Protest numbers have dwindled since the beginning of the demonstrations on Thursday, April 9, when about 55,000 people gathered at Parliament. Today, about thousand protesters gathered at the State Chancellery, and couple of hundreds of protesters in front of the various locations.
Opposition leaders and activists have filed several reports of attacks, from slashed tires to attacks on demonstrators. David Bakradze, head of the Parliament said all the facts of the attacks will be investigated by the Ministry of the Interior Affairs.
President Saakashvili calls the oppositions for the dialogue, but the opposition leaders say, there will be a dialogue only on one issue, resignation of Saakashvili.
