According to the head of the National Security Council, Alexander Lomaia, the Kodori Gorge has already occupied by the Russians. Head of the Legitimate Government of Abkhazia, Kakha Kishmaria, stated that Russian aggressors are taking over strategic territories there at the present time. Peaceful citizens have already been evacuated from the Kodori Gorge.

The Kodori Valley (also known as the Kodori Gorge); is a river valley in Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway autonomous republic which serves as the de facto boundary between the Georgian government and the secessionist-controlled territories. The valley\'s upper part, populated by Svans is the only corner of the pre-1993 Abkhazia directly controlled by the central Georgian government which officially labels the area as Upper Abkhazia.

Sophie Dgebuadze, 26, an internally-displaced person (IDP) from Sokhumi lives in Tbilisi now. “Warplanes remind me of Sokhumi. I could have neverimagined it was possible to become an IDP twice. Now my 4 month-old  son is going to be an IDP too”,  she said.

Giorgi, 33, a citizen of Gori, is walking the streets of Tbilisi. He, with his family,  stays at his relatives place.

“Yesterday, I was going to Gori again, I lefty my two huntingdogs there and I wanted to feed them… my friend called me and asked me to stay here. I do not know where to go. All my documents are in Gori”, he said.

There is no panic in the capital but conditions are stressed. In mini buses no one talks, or if they do they are talking about the war. “We have to stop, because we are disappointed…nobody will help us… thousand of young people died, for what?” cries an old woman sitting in mini bus #51 coming from Gori to Dighomi Avenue in Tbilisi.

Banks refuse to operate in the usual manner. It is not possible to use credit cards and overdrafts. Citizens supply all the necessary products. Prices are inching up, however. According to the Prime Minister the Georgian economy has suffered some slight damage.

As of last night citizens of the capital started to leave the city, but in his TV speech President Saakashvili asked them twice to stay in their homes, “…because it is more safe and secure.” Nobody knows what the consequences of the President’s speech will be; only time will tell.
 The name of the dead Dutch journalist hasn’t been made public. The only thing we know is that he was killed embarking from a helicopter.      

August 12, 2008
Tbilisi