Amtsakhara
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Amtsakhara
Амцахара |
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|---|---|
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| Leader | Alkhas Kvitsinia |
| Founded | 31 March 1999 |
| Ideology | Nationalism |
| Colours | green, red |
| Website | |
| Amtsakhara.org | |
Amtsakhara (Abkhaz: Амцахара) is the principal opposition party of Abkhazia.
On 31 March 1999, Amtsakhara was founded on the initiative of Sergei Dbar, Vladimir Nachach, Aki Ardzinba and Garik Samanba and a number of others as a public organisation uniting veterans of the 1992–1993 war with Georgia. During its founding congress, Dbar was elected its first Chairman, which he remained until 2001. In 2002, Amtsakhara was transformed into a socio-political movement and Nachach and Mirab Kishmaria became its co-Chairmen.
Although originally formed as an association for veterans, Amtsakhara broadened its membership to include the wider community. Before Amtsakhara, the only notable opposition group had been the Aitaira movement. Amtsakhara managed to take over the leadership of the opposition, empowered by its core of veterans. In the years leading up to 2004, Amtsakhara lobbied for reform of the government, including a greater balance of powers between the branches of government, and in particular, an increase in the powers of Abkhazian lawmakers. They were also successful in changing the procedure for amending the Constitution.
Amtsakhara was largely responsible for bringing down the government of Prime Minister Gennady Gagulia in 2003. This was the first time that a government had been forced to resign due to public pressure, rather than being sacked by President Vladislav Ardzinba. Amtsakhara had lashed out at Gagulia for being inefficient and weak on crime, and public anger had boiled over at its congress. They had also threatened to organize a national rally if Gagulia did not step down.
As perhaps the only opposition group with the capability to challenge the Abkhazian government, they were threatened at various times. On April 19, 2003, their office was bombed, although there were no casualties. Two of their activists died in a car bombing, which they accused the authorities of being complicit in. In June 2004, Garri Aiba, one of Amtsakhara's leaders was shot dead while driving through the city. As a result, foreign minister and fellow Amtsakhara leader Sergei Shamba resigned in protest.
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Wikipedia