Human Rights Organization Calls for Civilian Protection as EU Monitors to Oversee Russian Withdrawal

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As European Union monitors take up their posts in Georgia, there are ongoing security concerns, unexploded ordnance from the August Georgia-Russia conflict and the large-scale destruction of property. These factors are undermining the right of tens of thousands of people to return to their homes.

'Shootings, looting and ethnically motivated attacks in South Ossetia and the adjacent Russian-controlled 'buffer zone' are undermining the welfare of the remaining residents and the right to return of those ethnic Georgians who fled their homes,' said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Program Director at Amnesty International.

'The Russian and Georgian authorities, as well as the de facto South Ossetian administration must make every effort to guarantee security and provide assistance to all people without discrimination. Those forced to flee their homes must be allowed to return safely and those unable or unwilling to do so, must be resettled,' said Duckworth.

Unexploded devices must be cleared urgently, and Amnesty International is calling on all parties to the conflict to disclose all information about the munitions used.

International monitoring missions, which are currently excluded from operating in South Ossetia, should cover all areas affected by the conflict, include human rights monitoring in their mandates and report publicly on their findings.

Hundreds of civilians were killed and many more were wounded during the conflict and afterwards. Civilian property, mainly that owned by ethnic Georgians was looted and destroyed.

Information collected by the organization in its fact-finding visits to the region in August 2008, together with that from other sources, indicate that serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law may have been committed by all sides during the conflict and its immediate aftermath.

'Those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law must be brought to justice. International law requires it and the long term peace and stability of the region depends on it,' said Duckworth.