Georgian Civil War - Civil Unrest

Civil Unrest

Activity of the opposition against the Government of Zviad Gamsakhurdia caused an acute political dispute, which soon turned violent in the fall of 1991. Following the police dispersion of a large opposition demonstration in Tbilisi on September 2, several oppositionists were arrested and their offices raided and pro-opposition newspapers were closed. The National Guard of Georgia, the major paramilitary force in the country split into two, pro- and anti-Gamsakhurdia factions. Another powerful paramilitary organization, the Mkhedrioni led by Jaba Ioseliani also sided with the opposition.

The demonstrations and barricade-building marked the next three months. On 22 September, there were the first fatalities in Tbilisi. On September 24, state of emergency was declared in Tbilisi. On October 4 anti-Gamsakhurdia groups attacked the supporters of Gamsakhurdia; one supporter of the President was killed. By late October 1991, most of the leadership of the oppositional National Democratic Party (NDP), headed by Giorgi Chanturia, had been arrested. A stand-off followed because former National Guard leader Tengiz Kitovani's armed supporters withdrew to the outskirts of Tbilisi where they remained until late December 1991 when the power struggle intensified with the opposition claiming that President Gamsakhurdia had left no chance to peaceful settlement of the crisis.