On April 15, 2011, a presentation was held at Tbilisi State University. The presentation was held by an independent initiative group named “translate”, and focused on the deficit of Georgian literature in the university curriculum. The presentation was aimed at union university students, professors, the university administration and the students’ self-government around the idea of translation textbooks in Georgian. Some students criticized the self-government for spending unreasonable amounts on entertainment activities mainly. This criticism resulted in a negative reaction on behalf of the members of the students’ self-government.
Manana Melkadze (student, participant of the presentation): “Several people, who expressed different opinions during the discussion, were followed and beaten outside the class in the fifth corpus of the university. One of the men who initiated the physical violence was the Vice President of Students’ self-government, Beka Akhlouri. The students’ self-government says that they were abused on the presentation, but no such thing happened there. They take criticizing of their work as a personal insult. April 18, the initiative group members met with the university administration and as it turned out, the response from them in this regard was not planned, and that is unfortunate. Responding to criticism with physical violence should not go unpunished.”
The incident did not end there. On Saturday April 16, another controversy happened at Tbilisi State University. As one of the victims says, the physical payments that day were made in the name of students’ self-government.
Lasha Kavtaradze (abused student): “During the discussion at the presentation, I first stood up and asked why the university failed with making electronic versions of Georgian materials, when these types of materials have existed at Ilia University for such a long time. I criticized the administration and lecturers and noted that the students’ self-government was not the side to blame for this problem. After that, the girl from self-government stood up and said, that self-government has its own rules. On it, I responded that these rules are determined by themselves. That day, I left the presentation early. The next day, on April 16, I came to the university for lectures. Four boys came to me and asked me to follow them so we could have a talk. Behind the second corpus of the university they physically abused me and George Gogua. They told me that I was cynical and impolite and all this was happening on behalf of the students’ self-government.”
After the incident on April 16th, it became known that two members of University Security Guard were dismissed because they were watching the incident between the students and had no reaction on it.
Tbilisi State University students’ self-government denies their representatives’ participation in the incident that occurred on April 15-16th.
Dachi Gubadze (the president of the students’ self government): “During the presentation of “translate”, verbal abuse was aimed at the members of the students’ self-government. It is absolutely immoral to say that we haven’t done anything valuable for the university. However, we deny the information reported by some students at Tbilisi State University that suggest they were physically abused for criticizing the Students’ self government. As for the statements that the members of the violating side were close to self-government officials, I declare, that there are 22,000 students in the University and 80% of them are a close ally to self-government, and we are not responsible for their behavior.”
Dachi Gubadze also said that after the incident that happened on the April 15, the most seriously injured was the students’ government’s Vice-President Beka Akhlouri. Despite the attempt, it was impossible to connect with him and verify the information.
On April 15, a member of the students’ self-government, Tornike Vashakidze, spread his appeal via the social network “Facebook”, where he recommends using Nazi methods towards the university students: “This country needs the sole leader, a dictator to repress such provocateurs as were the ones, who were today in the auditorium 313 in the fifth corps… As an example, I want to remember Adolph Hitler’s cleansing carried out on 22 April 1938 when he threw in the ship all such immoral and shameful creatures, who were today with us… I think, it makes no sense to speak with them in a peaceful way. They reached the goal; they were beaten and now they are trying to gain the image of oppressed in the eyes of people like them. I guarantee that these people and their spiritual followers will be kicked out from the University… Normal people won’t take you seriously; so gather, if you wish, we come from anywhere and everywhere and will prevent you from implementing your ideas.”
Dachi Gubadze says that if it is proved that these words really belong to Tornike Vashakidze, he will be dismissed from the student’s self-government.
April 18, in front of the second corpus of Tbilisi State University, the students held a protest called “students against violence”. The protest action initiated by the students of Tbilisi State University also joined the students from Ilia University, Medical University and the Academy of Art. Some of the lecturers also joined the students protest. The main requirements of the participants of the rally was to stop the physical violence, protection of thought and expression, freedom and suspension of the students’ status for people taking part in acts of physical violence.
The Action Steering Group issued the following petition: “We condemn this incident because we believe that the criticism of any institution or public entity is an integral part of democracy, including the democratic educational process. Especially if that criticism is caused by the desire of achieving progressive changes and comes from the legitimate sources of power, in this case, from the university students. We demand the university administration and students’ self-government respond immediately, punish the perpetrators and hooligans, and provide a public guarantee that violent methods will never be used again…”
The incidents that happened on the April 15-18 have not been addressed fully. So far the victims haven’t filed suit in the Court. The situation is also aggravated by the fact that there is no video footage of the incident, because of not installed video cameras in the fifth block of the University, were the controversy happened. According to the supervisory staff of the university, the lack of video footage of the altercation in the fifth Corps is caused by the lack of financial resources.
Inga Darbaidze
