Tskhinval residents face the coming winter frosts with comprehension

Active rehabilitation is under way in Tskhinval, however, it is impossible to resolve the problems in the private housing sector before winter. About 500 houses have been completely ruined or burnt. According to the owners, the South Ossetia authorities promise to start their restoration only in spring.

On November 22, representatives of the Human Rights Center "Memorial" and Internet-media "Caucasian Knot" met with residents of South Ossetia whose houses were burnt as a result of the conflict in August 2008 and with Ossetians forcefully displaced from Georgia.
Most victims of the fire found shelter with their relatives or neighbors. However, there still are about 100 families who have no dwelling for the winter. Some of them live in the tents placed in their yards or at their neighbors'.

"These people have lost everything, they need help, such as sweaters or high boots, cold weather is coming soon" - states Inara Gabarayeva, chairperson of the public organization "Committee of Fire Victims".

The building in the outskirts of Tskhinval, which people call Zagotzerno (grain storerhouse), is used as a shelter for victims of fire and refugees from internal districts of Georgia; there are two families from Cahetia, young girls and boys from various villages where Georgians and Ossetins live together. There is no bath-room in this improvised dormitory, the toilet is outside, there is no central heating, the electricity supply has been made by the residents themselves. There is a room which could be used as a bath-room, but it needs repair.

"I am almost 91 and an invalid. I can not walk. There is no water and no toilet here, I suffer very much. I am veteran of the Great Patriotic War, during the war I served as medical assistant. I hope that the president will remember about me", complains Anna Ghergaulova, resident of the building.

The human rights center "Memorial" notes that all those who have lost their property received 50,000 rubles each from the government of Russia as compensation for moral damage. However, out of 12 people attending the meeting of fire victims, no one got any essential humanitarian help.