Zviadists
| Zviadists | |
|---|---|
| ზვიადისტები | |
| Leader | Loti Kobalia Badri Zarandia Gocha Esebua Akaki Eliava |
| Dates of operation | December 1991–October 1998 |
| Country |  Georgia |
| Allegiance | Zviad Gamsakhurdia |
| Headquarters | Zugdidi |
| Ideology | Georgian nationalism Anti-communism |
| Slogan | "Strength in unity!" |
| Allies |  Chechen Republic of Ichkeria |
| Opponents | Eduard Shevardnadze Mkhedrioni Russia Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus Abkhazia South Ossetia |
| Battles and wars | Georgian Civil War War in Abkhazia (1992–1993) 1991–1992 South Ossetia War 1998 Georgian attempted mutiny |
Zviadists was an informal name (often used pejoratively by political opponents) of supporters of the former Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who was overthrown and killed during the Georgian Civil War of 1991–1993.
President Zviad Gamsakhurdia was ousted in a bloody coup that destroyed the center of Tbilisi between 20 December 1991 and 6 January 1992. Zviad Gamsakhurdia's supporters, the Zviadists staged mass demonstrations against the post-coup government led by the former Communist leader Eduard Shevardnadze in various parts of Georgia and organized armed groups which prevented the government forces from taking control of Samegrelo, the ex-President's home province. Skirmishes between pro- and anti-Gamsakhurdia forces lasted throughout 1992 and 1993 and developed into a full-scale civil war with Gamsakhurdia's return to Western Georgia in September 1993. Zviadist rebels were defeated and Gamsakhurdia was probably murdered on 31 December 1993.
Gamsakhurdia's body was recovered and his death was confirmed on 15 February 1994.
After Gamsakhurdia's death, the Zviadists never created a single party, but joined various political organizations and social movements like Tavisupleba or Free Georgia, while some of them continued to fight Eduard Shevardnadze's government.
See also
References
- Jonathan Wheatley (2005), Georgia from National Awakening to Rose Revolution: delayed transition in the former Soviet Union. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., ISBN 0-7546-4503-7.