On Thursday October 8 2009, Giorgi Gogia and Lada Zimina will speak on “Assessing human rights violations and humanitarian consequences of the August 2008 Georgian-Russian conflict” from 2-3:30pm.
Giorgi Gogia is one of the lead researchers who worked on assessing the aftermath of the Russian-Georgian war and co-authored the 200-page report, documenting human rights and humanitarian law violations during the conflict
Giorgi Gogia is the South Caucasus researcher for Human Rights Watch (HRW), covering Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Prior to joining HRW he worked as a Senior Analyst with International Crisis Group for over three years. Graduate of the Central European University in Budapest, Mr. Gogia is a PhD candidate and an Assistant Professor at Chavchavadze State University, Tbilisi, Georgia. He has authored numerous reports and scholarly articles on human rights situation and secessionist conflicts in the South Caucasus.
Lada Zimina is Conflict Advisor for Asia and Eastern Europe in Care International UK. Prior to joining Care, she worked in Skillshare International and International Alert, UK, on Caucasus and Central Asia as well as globally, focusing on issues of security and small arms control, contested histories, business interests, and peace and conflict education. Ms. Zimina holds an MSc in Nationalism and Ethnicity from LSE.
Following the August 2008 war in South Ossetia, in early 2009 CARE International undertook a research on needs, perceptions and dynamics in conflict-affected communities within South Ossetia and in Georgia proper. The research focused on two sets of relationships: across the border and among ethnic groups; and between Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in recently-built settlements in Georgia and neighbouring villages. Information was gathered at local level on both sides of the conflict divide and complemented by interviews with international organisations, civil society and government representatives in Vladikavkaz, Moscow, Tbilisi, Tskhinvali and Gori. The research revealed a prevailing state of fear among communities on both sides of the border, who experience low-level security incidents on a regular basis.
This discussion will be held on-the-record.
The meeting will be chaired by Oksana Antonenko, Senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the IISS. It will take place on the 4th Floor at Arundel House, 13-15 Arundel Street, Temple Place, London WC2R 3D.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP Kelly Signorelli-Chaplin at chaplin@iiss.org.
