RSO's press centre: Georgian authorities force schoolboys to take part in "Peace March"

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed at the United Press Centre of the Republic of South Ossetia (RSO) that, according to the available information, in the city of Gori (Georgia) active propaganda in underway at schools among 5-8-year pupils to persuade them to take part in the "Peace March" that is planned by Georgian leaders on September 15, 2007.

The emphasis is made on the children whose mothers are Ossetians and who speak the Ossetian language at least a little. They are forced into wearisome rehearsals, where the children are trained to cry out in the Ossetian language: "Kokoity, go away!" "Long live Sanakoev!" and other slogans of the sort.

According to the RSO's United Press Centre, children's parents are promised monetary compensation, and those who object are exposed to pressure.

"The idea of the organizers of the action is to reach the centre of Tskhinval and to organize pogroms there. They will put children ahead, and the organizers will hide behind them," people at the press centre have explained.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Russia calls on Georgia to give up the idea of the "Peace March" in Tskhinval. The statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry treats the action as "play with fire."

"The action is presented by the official Georgian propaganda as a certain public initiative, however, it is not the case," runs the Russian MFA's statement.

On September 7, the All-Ossetian National Public Movement "Styr Nykhas" adopted an appeal to political and public organizations of Ossetia, Russia, Georgia, and to broad international community.

It has become known to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the reason for the appeal was the information that on the eve of the Congress, Georgia is planning the "Peace March," the main idea of which, in the opinion of the Ossetian party, is to provoke a confrontation and simulate the existence of some split within the South Ossetian society.