Georgia military mutiny, 1998
Encyclopedia
The Georgian Armed Forces mutiny of October 1998 was an abortive attempt of a rebellion organized by a group of officers led by Colonel Akaki Eliava
in western Georgia against the government of President
Eduard Shevardnadze
.
The mutiny had its roots in the Georgian civil war
of 1991–1993. Akaki Eliava, a leader of the revolt, was among the most active supporters of the late president Zviad Gamsakhurdia
, who was ousted in a coup in 1992 and defeated in a subsequent attempt to regain power in 1993. Eliave was arrested, but later granted amnesty and he rejoined Georgia’s armed forces.
On October 18, 1998, approximately 200 Georgian soldiers led by Eliava left their barracks at the town of Senaki
in western Georgia and marched on Kutaisi
, the second largest city in the country. The government forces under the personal command of Defense Minister David Tevzadze
intercepted the rebels before reaching the city. Next day, after a brief shootout which left at least one rebel dead, the mutineers agreed to return to their barracks. 31 rebels were arrested, but Colonel Eliava and his 30 followers escaped.
Akaki Eliava
Akaki Eliava was a Georgian military officer involved in the Georgian civil war, 1993. Supporter of the ousted president Zviad Gamsakhurdia, he staged an abortive revolt against the government of Eduard Shevardnadze in 1998, and was killed in a skirmish with police in 2000.Born in Senaki, western...
in western Georgia against the government of President
President of Georgia
The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government...
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
.
The mutiny had its roots in the Georgian civil war
Georgian Civil War
The Georgian Civil War consisted of inter-ethnic and intranational conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia , as well as the violent military coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992 against the first democratically elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia and his...
of 1991–1993. Akaki Eliava, a leader of the revolt, was among the most active supporters of the late president Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
, who was ousted in a coup in 1992 and defeated in a subsequent attempt to regain power in 1993. Eliave was arrested, but later granted amnesty and he rejoined Georgia’s armed forces.
On October 18, 1998, approximately 200 Georgian soldiers led by Eliava left their barracks at the town of Senaki
Senaki
Senaki is a town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, western Georgia. It is located at around .From 1935 to 1976 it was called Tskhakaya in honor of the Georgian Bolshevik revolutionary leader Mikhail Tskhakaya....
in western Georgia and marched on Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
, the second largest city in the country. The government forces under the personal command of Defense Minister David Tevzadze
David Tevzadze
David Tevzadze is a retired Georgian lieutenant general who was the country’s Minister of Defense from April 1998 to February 2004.- Education and academic career :...
intercepted the rebels before reaching the city. Next day, after a brief shootout which left at least one rebel dead, the mutineers agreed to return to their barracks. 31 rebels were arrested, but Colonel Eliava and his 30 followers escaped.
Sources
- "Georgian mutiny collapses", BBC News, October 20, 1998.
- Lee, R. "Georgian Military (Senaki) Revolt of 1998"