South Ossetia, awaking from a frozen conflict by lightmediation

South Ossetia, awaking from a frozen conflict Tremors from the August 2008 conflict keep the South Ossetia and Georgia in a state of war. Daily shootings are exchanged between them. Russia has re-enforced its troops at the Ossetia border this summer. A Photo story by Laurent Hazgui / LightMediation

2530-21: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Parliament destroyed. Statue of Lenin.

Contact - Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency - +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 email:thierry@lightmediation.com

2530-01: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The only bank operating in South Ossetia where one comes from his pension as a victim of the conflict offered by the government. The man holds a Russian passport. The

2530-02: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The only bank operating in South Ossetia where one comes from his pension as a victim of the conflict offered by the government. The man holds a Russian passport. The

2530-03: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The only bank operating in South Ossetia where one comes from his pension as a victim of the conflict offered by the government. The man holds a Russian passport. The

2530-04: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. A little girl comes flying supplies in a destroyed paper mill. Avenue of the dead hero, large artery swept by Georgian tanks, emptied three-quarters of its population.

2530-05: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Zina Iunaiv, the grandmother. The family continues to live Iunaiv avenue of heroes dead, large artery swept by Georgian tanks, emptied three-quarters of its population.

2530-06: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Zina Iunaiv, the grandmother. The family continues to live Iunaiv avenue of heroes dead, large artery swept by Georgian tanks, emptied three-quarters of its population.

2530-07: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Avenue of the dead hero. Murat and Vladislav, work as many Ossetians, spend time in their cars.

2530-08: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The people gathered around a list of allocation of a war pension given by Russia following the Georgian attack.

2530-35: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment. Kalachnikov shot for celebration.

2530-09: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Avenue of the dead hero, large artery swept by tanks during the Georgian attack on August 8,2008.

2530-10: North Ossetia. Vladikavkaz. Leonid, 40, former Georgian soldiers hostage. Kidnapped on August 9, 2008 at the village of Khetagourovo, he remained for three weeks in the prisons of Gori and Tbilisi, was

2530-11: South Ossetia. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon special forces on patrol following an ambush between Georgian and Ossetian.

2530-12: South Ossetia. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon special forces on patrol following an ambush between Georgian and Ossetian.

2530-13: South Ossetia. In the middle, a georgian farmer surrounded by Ossetian Omon mitaries. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon special forces on patrol following an

2530-14: South Ossetia. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon special forces on patrol following an ambush between Georgian and Ossetian.

2530-15: South Ossetia. Front of Tskhinvali. Former Georgian military during the war in front of an Ossetian village.

2530-16: South Ossetia. Eduard Kokoity, president of South Ossetia, in his office. For him, Russia had saved his country. For against, he says that his country will in future be independent and can not imagine

2530-17: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Market.

2530-18: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Market.

2530-19: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Reconstruction of the National Library with funding from Russia and the sending of Russian workers.

2530-20: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Djoev Revaz, 29, Ossetian militiaman. He fought against the Georgians during the attack on Tskhinvali. Today it is the security of the national library being rebuilt with

2530-21: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Parliament destroyed. Statue of Lenin.

2530-22: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Parliament destroyed.

2530-23: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali, the administrative building destroyed.

2530-52: Georgia. Near the Ossetian border. Irakli, 35, police showed his weapon of origin Americans a M16. New police station set up in emergency to secure the border.

2530-27: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. On the hills of the city. The Georgians attacked Tskhinvali from here.

2530-28: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Jewish Quarter was destroyed in 1992, here, and bombed again in 2008.

2530-29: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war.

2530-30: Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment.

2530-31: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. People dancing on traditionnal music.

2530-32: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. People dancing on traditionnal music.

2530-60: Georgia. Tbilisi. Humanitarian assistance of the World food program in a building that moved awaiting distribution.

2530-33: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. A drunk guy at right.

2530-34: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. A child cracks a match. Jewish Quarter. Three Lada 2105.

2530-35: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment. Kalachnikov shot for

2530-36: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment.

2530-37: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. A killed pig.

2530-38: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment.

2530-40: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Children shoot with a Kalashnikov plastics.

2530-41: Ossétie du sud. Checkpoint d'Ergneti côté géorgien. En face, des militaires russes. La frontière est fermée depuis novembre 2008. Des blocs de bétons empêchent les véhicules de passer.

2530-42: Georgia. Gori. Overview.

2530-43: Georgia. Gori. Before a church during Sunday mass.

2530-44: Georgia. Gori. Market. Weapon of war in plastic for children.

2530-45: Georgia. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians. Reconstruction.

2530-46: Georgia. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians.

2530-47: Georgia. Gori. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians. Reconstruction. Military base destroyed. Badri Kldiachivili, military, oversees the military base. Made from the tank battalions attacked Tskhinvali.

2530-48: Georgia. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians. Couple Joint Georgian and Ossetian. Lavrenti, 53 years and Megiko Mazmichivli, 50. Their apartment was hit by Russian bombing. The husband is

2530-26: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Vadim, military Ossetian village heavily affected Hetagourovo says he owes his life to the flight of a Georgian military held back on the ground. A few minutes after the flight, a phone rings in the pocket of the dress and it must explain to the Georgian mother that her son is dead.

2530-49: Georgia. Ergneti village, 2km from the Ossetian border. Geront Kasmadze, 62 years. His house was burned by Ossetian militias during the occupation of the buffer zone by the Russian military. He lives

2530-50: Georgia. Georgia. Ergneti village, 2km from the Ossetian border. Kasmadze house. Relatives come to help the work. Their house was burned by Ossetian militias during the occupation of the buffer

2530-51: Georgia. Merett village. A 2 km from the border with South Ossetia. Tkviair, kidnapped on 12 August by the Ossetians for 16 days. He was beaten. It still feels psychologically weak. It was his death.

2530-52: Georgia. Near the Ossetian border. Irakli, 35, police showed his weapon of origin Americans a M16. New police station set up in emergency to secure the border.

2530-53: Georgia. Near the Ossetian border. New Georgian police post in tents.

2530-54: Georgia. Tbilisi. Nona, 26, moved with her husband and two children, lived here for three months. Kermeti originating in the region of Gori (former buffer zone). She did not want to go to new

2530-55: Georgia. Tbilisi. Nona, 26, moved with her husband and two children, lived here for three months. Kermeti originating in the region of Gori (former buffer zone). She did not want to go to new

2530-56: Georgia. Tbilisi. Nona, 26, moved with her husband and two children, lived here for three months. Kermeti originating in the region of Gori (former buffer zone). She did not want to go to new

2530-28: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Jewish Quarter was destroyed in 1992, here, and bombed again in 2008.

2530-57: Georgia. Tbilisi. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here.

2530-58: Georgia. Tbilisi. Son of Nona. Building precarious displaced. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here.

2530-59: Georgia. Tbilisi. Building precarious displaced. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here.

2530-60: Georgia. Tbilisi. Humanitarian assistance of the World food program in a building that moved awaiting distribution.

2530-61: Georgia. Tbilisi. Moved back a bag of food in its housing in a former medical school in 1532 where pile moved.

2530-62: Georgia. Tbilisi. Depart by bus moved into new houses built in a hurry. Building precarious displaced. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here.

2530-64: Georgia. Gori region. New homes for displaced persons. Kazbegi Basichirli, 68, moved the same day with his wife. Originally from Kurti north of Tskhinvali. Forced to flee August 7 in the early fighting.

2530-65: Georgia. Tserovani. Road between Tbilisi and Gori. New houses built for the displaced.

2530-67: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Children playing in the streets burning leaves. In view of the camera, they mimic the action being played by a weapon.

2530-66: Georgia. Gori. Church. Sunday mass.

2530-63: Georgia. Gori region. New homes for displaced persons. Kazbegi Basichirli, 68, moved the same day with his wife Manana Kaulashirli, 58 years. She cries when she recalls her life before. She says she lost everything. Originally from Kurti north of Tskhinvali in South Ossetia. Forced to flee August 7 in the early fighting.

South Ossetia, awaking from a frozen conflict It is difficult to get into South Ossetia. Through the north, at the Russian border (Northern Ossetia), Russians play with your nerves to discourage you even if you are carrying the holy journalist visa delivered by the Russian administration with a strong endorsement from the Ossetia Ministry of Information. First evidence that, despite the independence of this separatist territory, here the Russian government rules. Through the south, the border is uncrossable since August 2008 war. For once, the Georgian, Ossetian and Russian military agree all together: it is forbidden to cross. Even so this is part of the peace agreement, observers from the European mission assigned to the conflict are not always able to enter south Ossetia. However, there are no treasures hidden is South Ossetia. The media blockage on the territory is the result of the war on information between west and east like in a remake of the cold war time. At dusk, arriving in South Ossetia in a Lada Niva with French plates looks like a journey in the meanders of the unknown. Rumours say that Ossetia's militia armed with good old Kalashnikovs, hide along roads, ready to shoot, moreover on a "pro-Georgia" French car. Night falls on this territory without any direction signs and lightless. Mountains lead to desolated scenery. Villages of destroyed houses arose in the headlight of the car. Those are Georgian villages located in Didi Liakhvi valley (Atchebeti, Kourta, Tamaratcheni...), north

from Tskhinvali, capital city of South Ossetia. Destroyed buildings are now countless and Tskhinvali remains not found. Arrived in a dead-end, the Lada Niva stops and we understand our mistake: we are 2 km away from the Georgia border and we have crossed Tskhinvali from north to south without realizing it. First statement: the magnitude of the damages is far superior to the occidental press descriptions. The capital city is a ghost town of gutted buildings with no electric power... 4th conflict in twenty years For the people of Ossetia, the end of the Soviet Union rhymes with war. Since 1989, their independence impulses have cost them four armed conflicts with Georgia. South Ossetia, a small territory of 3900 square km, is independent since the war of 1992. Three thousands soldiers of Ossetia were killed in the fight for a population of 35 000 to 40 000 persons. Twenty-five thousands of Georgians lived there until the next conflict in August 2008. Nowadays, most of them are gone or were chased away - mainly those from villages north of Tskhinvali - and the main Georgian areas are now located in Akhalgori valley, rather spared during armed confrontations. One of the rare humanitarians on site tells that Ossetia people "have lost their mind. Trough constant harassing, they scared away the Georgians, old people as well as neighbours. Which was quite surprising as the respect of old people is a pillar of Ossetia's culture." During the last conflict, approximately 300 people were killed on the Ossetia side following the raid of Georgia's tanks and long-range firing from the ground. For many Ossetians, this conflict is one too much. The dead heroes avenue of Tskhinvali is a martyr symbol of that last

conflict. This large artery was literally swept by the Georgians tanks. Videos shot by Georgians soldiers destroying those buildings, euphoric scenes reminding videogames with a soundtrack of militaries jokes, have been seen around the world on the Internet. Three quarters of the population ran away. The Iuanaiv family decided to keep on living in a house marked by countless bursts of bullets. They fear the return of the tanks, the cold and? the future. In the countryside, war stories are also still on people's mind. Vadim, Ossetian military from Hetagourovo village - one of the first to be attacked by Georgia - tells that he owes his life to the theft of a Georgian military uniform. Few minutes after he put on the uniform, a cell phone rang in the pocket of the jacket. He had to explain to a Georgian mother that her son was dead and that she should not call anymore...

Paralyzed economy In Tskhinvali, few restaurants remain open but the main lively places are destroyed. We witness one of the rare weddings in the Jewish quarter, bombed in 2008 after having been heavily hit during the 1992 war without being rehabilitated since then. The atmosphere is sadly festive. Alcohol brings out melancholia and anger of those highlanders. Kalashnikovs spit their effluvia in the sky and people dance to forget. A tipsy man wearing military pants is strongly advised to go home... During the day, with the help of Russians, men are busy rebuilding individual housings or official buildings like the national library. There is not much else to do, the weak economy of the territory is paralyzed. South Ossetia lives on a drip from Russia. In august 2008, Russia promised 10 billions roubles (228 millions Euros) to help south Ossetia. The "big

brother" - accepted by a population at 90% naturalized Russian from 2001 to 2008 - delivers war pensions to the population as well as military, reconstruction and humanitarian support. Corruption This is a main tension with the government of Ossetia as food from humanitarian help is found for sale on the only market place of the capital city. An economist of Ossetia says that more than 60 % of the help is embezzled, growing rumours on corruption at the head of the state and bringing the wrath of Moscow on The Man of south Ossetia, former wrestling champion, Edouard Koko誰ty. The president of Ossetia distrusts occidental press and remains hard to meet. He does answer to journalists' questions but avoids going into details. He thanks "Russia for its indispensable support against the Georgian assailant" and ends the interview when he feels he has given enough. Without loosing his goodness or failing to the soviet legacy, he proposes to pose with the journalists for a souvenir photo while an Ossetian cameraman records the interview, including this last "hug". Despite his good relationship with Moscow - he represents the interests of south Ossetia since 1990 - Koko誰ty is on the hot seat, blamed by the Kremlin, first for his bad budget management (corruption, etc...), then for his wish to change the constitution in order to run again for presidential elections in two years. Ossetia blames him too, for not having protected the territory well enough from the Georgians attacks, leaving the population facing alone trained military. As a sign of distrust, Russia interrupts the support payments in March 2009 and decides to set a control organization. State of war

Closer to the border between Georgia and south Ossetia - called "administrative border line" by diplomats because no country except Nicaragua, Venezuela and Russia, has officially recognized south Ossetia - the state of war is still present. Russians multiply military manoeuvres and re-enforce their troops since the summer. We run into a story that illustrates well the daily clashes in the border zone. Two kilometers away from the border, at the Georgian village Ksuisi, where some Ossetians live, investigator Timur Byazrov with an attorney and driver, have been the target of Georgians military while they were investigating on the murder of a Georgian by another Georgian. A video recorded two hours after the incident is shown to us, there is a car riddled with bullets and some armed Georgians in the far back. The next day, despite our reluctance, we are driven on the site of the incident, framed by an Omon unit, Ossetia Special Forces, who behaved like on the battleground. The atmosphere on site is very tense. We meet the father of the dead Georgian, disillusioned by the murder of his son and by the presence of armed Ossetians. The true face of Russia In Georgia, general feeling is shared between pro and anti Saakachvili. In Gori, the birth town of Staline, Lavrenti, 53 years old, and Megiko, 50 years old, a couple of Georgian and Ossetian, live in the neighbourhood bombed by the Russians. Their apartment was under attack. They do support Saakachvili, "the best president Georgia ever had". "Russia wanted to destroy Georgia and not only support the Ossetia people", says Megiko.

Her husband was wounded during the Russian attack. About the Ossetia people, the woman says: "If a guest comes into your home, he has to respect your country". They recognize that the conflict is "a political conflict and not an ethnical conflict. We live together since the 17th century". For the two communities, everything stayed like before. Only few hundred meters away, Badri Kldiachivili, wearing military pants, guards the military base. He was part of the battalions that attacked Tskhinvali and does not regret anything. He thinks Russians are responsible "who would have attacked us anyway? They revealed their true face to the world". Georgians were marked by rumours on the invasion of their country by Russians troops. Lots of them thought they would see Russians tanks in Tbilissi... Neighbours war Despite the fast construction of new houses, deported people are bitter and their feelings swing between misunderstanding, nationalism and anger against the president of Georgia. Deported Georgians are more than 13 000, originally from south Ossetia or from the buffer zone occupied by Russians until October 2008. During this time period, Ossetian militia came to destroy houses in the area and terrorized people reluctant to leave. It was the case of the village of Ergneti, a border checkpoint. With a tired look, Madina shows us her destroyed house. Geronti Kasmadze, 62 years old, and Madina Kasmadze, 57 years old, saw their house burned by the Ossetian militia during the occupation of the buffer zone by Russians military. Today they live with some neighbours. The state of Georgia gave them 15 000 dollars to rebuild their house. Everyday, they fix their house as best as they can, with the help of their

relatives. Deported people are full of bitterness. Nona, 26 years old, deported with her husband and their two children, lives since three months in the former Ministry of Finances with 500 others. She is from Kermeti, in Goris area. Her house has been burned. She doesn't blame anyone. "It's a neighbours' war", she says, disillusioned. Her mother in law is Ossetian. She doesn't want to move to the new houses build for deported people and isolated from everything. She experienced the tensions between the two countries since twenty years. At each conflict, she had to leave her Kermeti house. She was expecting a new war. Now, for her "Georgia has lost this territory, it's over". Pipeline The people of Ossetia celebrate the first anniversary of their independence with a special gift from Moscow. On August 26th 2009, Gazprom put in service a pipeline from Dzouarikaou (north Ossetia, in Russia) to Tskhinvali (south Ossetia). Running on 163 km, with a transport capacity of 250 millions cubic meters of gas per year, this pipeline is the highest of the world with 70 km of pipe at 2000 meters high. The cost of the operation reaches 15 billions of roubles (4,5 billions of Euros). The government of Georgia denounces an attack to his sovereignty... while its population has already understood that the territory is lost for long...

Captions 2530-01: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The only bank operating in South Ossetia where one comes from his pension as a victim of the conflict offered by the government. The man holds a Russian passport. The majority of the Ossetians have a Russian passport. 2530-02: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The only bank operating in South Ossetia where one comes from his pension as a victim of the conflict offered by the government. The man holds a Russian passport. The majority of the Ossetians have a Russian passport. 2530-03: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The only bank operating in South Ossetia where one comes from his pension as a victim of the conflict offered by the government. The man holds a Russian passport. The majority of the Ossetians have a Russian passport. 2530-04: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. A little girl comes flying supplies in a destroyed paper mill. Avenue of the dead hero, large artery swept by Georgian tanks, emptied three-quarters of its population. 2530-05: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Zina Iunaiv, the grandmother. The family continues to live Iunaiv avenue of heroes dead, large artery swept by Georgian tanks, emptied three-quarters of its population. The bullet fragments litter the walls and they fear a return of tanks and the arrival of the cold. 2530-06: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Zina Iunaiv, the grandmother. The family continues to live Iunaiv avenue of heroes

dead, large artery swept by Georgian tanks, emptied three-quarters of its population. The bullet fragments litter the walls and they fear a return of tanks and the arrival of the cold. 2530-07: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Avenue of the dead hero. Murat and Vladislav, work as many Ossetians, spend time in their cars. 2530-08: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. The people gathered around a list of allocation of a war pension given by Russia following the Georgian attack. 2530-09: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Avenue of the dead hero, large artery swept by tanks during the Georgian attack on August 8,2008. 2530-10: North Ossetia. Vladikavkaz. Leonid, 40, former Georgian soldiers hostage. Kidnapped on August 9,2008 at the village of Khetagourovo, he remained for three weeks in the prisons of Gori and Tbilisi, was beaten, before being traded against other prisoners of war by the Red Cross. 2530-11: South Ossetia. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon special forces on patrol following an ambush between Georgian and Ossetian. 2530-12: South Ossetia. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon special forces on patrol following an ambush between Georgian and Ossetian. 2530-13: South Ossetia. In the middle, a georgian farmer surrounded by Ossetian Omon mitaries. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon

special forces on patrol following an ambush between Georgian and Ossetian.

2530-23: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali, the administrative building destroyed.

2530-14: South Ossetia. Georgian village of Ksuisi 2 km from the border with Georgia. Omon special forces on patrol following an ambush between Georgian and Ossetian.

2530-24: South Ossetia. Vadim, and her mother, military Ossetian village heavily affected Hetagourovo says he owes his life to the flight of a Georgian military held back on the ground. A few minutes after the flight, a phone rings in the pocket of the dress and it must explain to the Georgian mother that her son is dead...

2530-15: South Ossetia. Front of Tskhinvali. Former Georgian military during the war in front of an Ossetian village. 2530-16: South Ossetia. Eduard Kokoity, president of South Ossetia, in his office. For him, Russia had saved his country. For against, he says that his country will in future be independent and can not imagine a connection to Russia. 2530-17: Market.

South

Ossetia.

Tskhinvali.

2530-18: Market.

South

Ossetia.

Tskhinvali.

2530-19: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Reconstruction of the National Library with funding from Russia and the sending of Russian workers. 2530-20: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Djoev Revaz, 29, Ossetian militiaman. He fought against the Georgians during the attack on Tskhinvali. Today it is the security of the national library being rebuilt with funds from Russia and the sending of Russian workers. 2530-21: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Parliament destroyed. Statue of Lenin. 2530-22: South Ossetia. Parliament destroyed.

Tskhinvali.

2530-25: South Ossetia. Mother of Vadim. Vadim, military Ossetian village heavily affected Hetagourovo says he owes his life to the flight of a Georgian military held back on the ground. A few minutes after the flight, a phone rings in the pocket of the dress and it must explain to the Georgian mother that her son is dead... 2530-26: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Vadim, military Ossetian village heavily affected Hetagourovo says he owes his life to the flight of a Georgian military held back on the ground. A few minutes after the flight, a phone rings in the pocket of the dress and it must explain to the Georgian mother that her son is dead. 2530-27: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. On the hills of the city. The Georgians attacked Tskhinvali from here. 2530-28: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Jewish Quarter was destroyed in 1992, here, and bombed again in 2008. 2530-29: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. 2530-30: Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military

An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment.

equipment. 2530-31: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. People dancing on traditionnal music. 2530-32: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. People dancing on traditionnal music. 2530-33: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. A drunk guy at right. 2530-34: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. A child cracks a match. Jewish Quarter. Three Lada 2105. 2530-35: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment. Kalachnikov shot for celebration. 2530-36: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. An Ossetian militiaman wearing a Russian military equipment. 2530-37: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war. A killed pig. 2530-38: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Marriage in the Jewish quarter. Very few marriages are celebrated since the war.

2530-39: South Ossetia. Georgian village of Tamaratchin, a few miles north of Tskhinvali. Gym. Most of the inhabitants of Georgia, during the Georgian intervention, went before the August 7 The subsequent wave of reprisal violence by Ossetian militias against the property and the elderly left behind. 2530-40: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Children shoot with a Kalashnikov plastics. 2530-41: Ossétie du sud. Checkpoint d'Ergneti côté géorgien. En face, des militaires russes. La frontière est fermée depuis novembre 2008. Des blocs de bétons empêchent les véhicules de passer. 2530-42: Georgia. Gori. Overview. 2530-43: Georgia. Gori. Before a church during Sunday mass. 2530-44: Georgia. Gori. Market. Weapon of war in plastic for children. 2530-45: Georgia. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians. Reconstruction. 2530-46: Georgia. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians. 2530-47: Georgia. Gori. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians. Reconstruction. Military base destroyed. Badri Kldiachivili, military, oversees the military base. Made from the tank battalions attacked Tskhinvali. He has no regrets. He believes that the responsibility falls to the Russians, they would have attacked Georgia anyway. "This is the true face of Russia gave the world".

2530-48: Georgia. Gori. Area bombed by the Russians. Couple Joint Georgian and Ossetian. Lavrenti, 53 years and Megiko Mazmichivli, 50. Their apartment was hit by Russian bombing. The husband is Ossetian. They support Saakashvili. "Russia wanted to destroy Georgia and not just helped the Ossetians." 2530-49: Georgia. Ergneti village, 2km from the Ossetian border. Geront Kasmadze, 62 years. His house was burned by Ossetian militias during the occupation of the buffer zone by the Russian military. He lives with his wife at the neighbors. The Georgian State gives $ 15,000 to repair his house. 2530-50: Georgia. Georgia. Ergneti village, 2km from the Ossetian border. Kasmadze house. Relatives come to help the work. Their house was burned by Ossetian militias during the occupation of the buffer zone by the Russian military. 2530-51: Georgia. Merett village. A 2 km from the border with South Ossetia. Tkviair, kidnapped on 12 August by the Ossetians for 16 days. He was beaten. It still feels psychologically weak. It was his death. He owes his release to a trade with the Red Cross. 2530-52: Georgia. Near the Ossetian border. Irakli, 35, police showed his weapon of origin Americans a M16. New police station set up in emergency to secure the border. 2530-53: Georgia. Near the Ossetian border. New Georgian police post in tents. 2530-54: Georgia. Tbilisi. Nona, 26, moved with her husband and two children, lived here for three months. Kermeti

originating in the region of Gori (former buffer zone). She did not want to go to new homes for displaced persons who are isolated from everything. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here. 2530-55: Georgia. Tbilisi. Nona, 26, moved with her husband and two children, lived here for three months. Kermeti originating in the region of Gori (former buffer zone). She did not want to go to new homes for displaced persons who are isolated from everything. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here. 2530-56: Georgia. Tbilisi. Nona, 26, moved with her husband and two children, lived here for three months. Kermeti originating in the region of Gori (former buffer zone). She did not want to go to new homes for displaced persons who are isolated from everything. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here. 2530-57: Georgia. Tbilisi. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here. 2530-58: Georgia. Tbilisi. Son of Nona. Building precarious displaced. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here. 2530-59: Georgia. Tbilisi. Building precarious displaced. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here. 2530-60: Georgia. Tbilisi. Humanitarian assistance of the World food program in a building that moved awaiting distribution. 2530-61: Georgia. Tbilisi. Moved back a

bag of food in its housing in a former medical school in 1532 where pile moved. 2530-62: Georgia. Tbilisi. Depart by bus moved into new houses built in a hurry. Building precarious displaced. Former building of the Ministry of Finance. 436 people live here. 2530-63: Georgia. Gori region. New homes for displaced persons. Kazbegi Basichirli, 68, moved the same day with his wife Manana Kaulashirli, 58 years. She cries when she recalls her life before. She says she lost everything. Originally from Kurti north of Tskhinvali in South Ossetia. Forced to flee August 7 in the early fighting. 2530-64: Georgia. Gori region. New homes for displaced persons. Kazbegi Basichirli, 68, moved the same day with his wife. Originally from Kurti north of Tskhinvali. Forced to flee August 7 in the early fighting. 2530-65: Georgia. Tserovani. Road between Tbilisi and Gori. New houses built for the displaced. 2530-66: Georgia. Gori. Church. Sunday mass. 2530-67: South Ossetia. Tskhinvali. Children playing in the streets burning leaves. In view of the camera, they mimic the action being played by a weapon.