17:46, 9 April 2004

Georgia commemorates anniversary of 9 April 1989 tragedy

Actions to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the tragic events of 9 April 1989 and the 13th anniversary of the restoration of Georgia's independence are taking place in Georgia on April 9.

April 9 is declared a nonworking day in Georgia.

Fifteen years ago, elements of the Soviet Army dispersed thousands of activists of the national movement who had gathered for a peaceful meeting on Rustaveli Avenue in the heart of Tbilisi. The military used tear-gas, digging tools, and armored vehicles. As a result, 20 people were killed, several hundreds were gassed. The dispersal of the peaceful meeting in Tbilisi acquired a deep resonance in the world and became a symbol of the national movement's fight against the Soviet regime.

On 9 April 1991, the first president of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia declared the restoration of the country's independence. The decision was made pursuant to the national referendum held on 31 March 1990, in the course of which the overwhelming majority of the Georgian population voted for the declaration of independence and Georgia's separation from the USSR.

Source: Novosti-Gruzia Information Agency