50 000 displaced can't go back

2008-09-03 21:58

Tunis - The UN's refugee chief said on Wednesday at least 50 000 displaced people remained unable to return home following the brief war between Georgia and Russia last month.

"There are still extremely important aspects of humanitarian access (in Georgia) which, I hope, will be resolved as soon as possible," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said at the end of a two-day visit to Tunisia.

Between 50 000 and 60 000 displaced people were still waiting to return home, Guterres said, citing figures from three days ago.

"Their return is still not possible, especially in certain areas where operations are still in progress," he said, stressing the importance of humanitarian access.

Committed to supporting displaced

"We are strongly committed to supporting displaced populations inside of Georgia itself, and to creating the conditions for the return of those people to their areas of origin."

A total of between 128 000 and 130 000 people had been displaced inside of Georgia, said Guterres, citing figures from the Georgian government.

The "overwhelming majority" of the 30 000 people displaced from the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia at the start of the conflict and who had been in Russia have been able to return home, he added.

About 3 000 displaced remain in Russia, Guterres said.

Russia sent tanks and troops into Georgia on August 8, a day after Georgia launched an offensive to regain control of breakaway South Ossetia.

Moscow halted its offensive after five days, but refused to withdraw all its troops, saying they are on a peacekeeping mission. Georgia has labelled them an occupation force.

- AFP