Things Fall Apart

I've tried to steer as clear of politics in this blog but I think I have to say a few words about what is going on in Tbilisi.

In short, things are not well. As I said before, its really hard to support the opposition here since they really don't have much of a platform and it also seems to me that people have always had unreasonably high expectation of Saakshvili but all this notwithstanding there is no question that our Misha (as he's often called) has become less and less sensitive to those around him.

He is a very intelligent, driven and passionate man, but he simply does not seem to take other people's views very seriously. He does not comprise. He is a populist. He marginalizes those who disagree with him.

But still, he was truly committed to Georgia and the best democrat the country had ever seen.

At least, that was until today. Now, nobody knows what's happening and the whole city is in shock and horror.

Last night when it became apparent that a core group of demonstrators were not going to abandon the protests, the police cleared them with tear gas and clubs. Today, when people returned to the demonstrations in solidarity of those that were attacked, they were met with even more force.

The Metro was shut down. Traffic in the city is eerily quiet in some places and at a standstill in others. There are many hundreds (if not thousands) of police and soldiers in full riot gear attacking people. The TV is full of images of water canons and bleeding faces. I went by Republic square today all over the huge square there were blue spent teargas canisters.

Opposition leaders have been arrested. Saakashvili has been accused the Opposition of being Russian agents. The Imedi (Hope in Georgian) TV station is surrounded by the police and shut down.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but the city has the feel that it's under occupation. I was hear for the Rose Revolution, and believe me, it was nothing like this.

Things Fall Apart, by the way, is a great book by Chinua Achebe.