D A R O S U L A K A U R I

PERSONAL PROJECTS: Terror Incognita

The Pankisi Gorge region, a remote mountainous enclave in the far northeast corner of the Republic of Georgia. 

Since December 1994, when war broke out between the Russian-backed central government in Grozny and a determined group of Chechen resistance fighters, Pankisi has witnessed an influx of refugees from Chechnya. Though not recognized or officially monitored by international agencies, Pankisi has become a refuge from state-sponsored terror for thousands of people who, ironically, are accused of waging terror at home. Chechens have a reputation for rugged individualism, even among the peoples of the Caucasus who – by any standards – are accustomed to rugged conditions and nurture a fierce sense of national pride and independence in light the imperialist tendencies of surrounding nations. By most estimates, approximately 5,000 Chechens escaped the deadly war in Chechnya by fleeing to Georgia's Pankisi Gorge. 

  • GEORGIA. 2008. The Pankisi Gorge region, a remote mountainous enclave in the far northeast corner of the Republic of Georgia.Since December 1994, when war broke out between the Russian-backed central government in Grozny and a determined group of Chechen resistance fighters, Pankisi has witnessed an influx of refugees from Chechnya. Though not recognized or officially monitored by international agencies, Pankisi has become a refuge from state-sponsored terror for thousands of people who, ironically, are accused of waging terror at home. Chechens have a reputation for rugged individualism, even among the peoples of the Caucasus who – by any standards – are accustomed to rugged conditions and nurture a fierce sense of national pride and independence in light the imperialist tendencies of surrounding nations. By most estimates, approximately 5,000 Chechens escaped the deadly war in Chechnya by fleeing to Georgia's Pankisi Gorge.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. January. 2008. Kindergarten. A boy with green eyes, Omaar, 7 years old. Omaar's family was bombed during the Chechen war while he was just a baby. He was left with his grandmother, who survived the bombing.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. March. 2008. Landscape. An old burned building, built during the communism period. Today the Chechen refugees shelter inside.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. Local Mayor Elections. Chechen women in line hoping to get a chance to vote. A school building.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. Kindergarten. Chechen refugee boys on the playground.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. January. 2008. Kindergarten. Lunch break. Due to lack of food, children have to share a bowl of soup.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen Refugee settlement. March. 2008. Chechen woman, Iase, with her daughter. During the war in Chechnya one of the bombs hit Iase's house in Grozny, the capital. She lost her home. Left in the streets, she followed the rest of the Chechens escaping to Georgia. Crossing the border she ended up in the Pankisi Gorge where she settled. She is still hoping to return home one day.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. An old hospital, built during the Communism period in Georgia, now a home to several Chechen refugee families.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. September. 2008.  Young Chechen. Entrance of Pankisi gorge. Alazani River.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. May. 2008. Chechen Boys. Pankisi has no jobs for the young men to start working. Without any money, they cannot step outside Pankisi. Because the Georgian government has not yet supported them with any legal documents, it's impossible for them to search for jobs in the city.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. A Mosk. Pankisi has one Mosque in the Village.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. March. 2008.  Former Mosque, now a building for Wahhabists.  Local Chechens find the religious movement fanatic and dislike Chechens who follow the Wahhabism movement. Wahhabists are mostly expelled from the society.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. An old hotel built during the Communism period in Georgia. Now a home for Chechen refugees. Local Mayor Elections.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. September. 2008.  Entrance of Pankisi gorge.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. School. Young Chechen girls heading to school. The school has no more then 50 students.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. March. 2008. Chechen man, Islam, in his house. Islam lost his brother during the bombing of Grozny--he still remembers his brother dying in his arms. Due to lack of electricity, night is very dark.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. March. 2008. Landscape.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. 2008. Market. Only marketplace in Pankisi where everything is sold, from coke to nails. You can even find a Barbie doll.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. Alazani River. In summer it flooded couple of home that were near the River, the families never got the help from the goverment.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. A chechen family, husband and wife going through a family album.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. March. 2008.  Old Photograph of ancestors. Many Photographs were burnt during the war in Grozny, few Chechens have images from their past.
  • GEORGIA. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. An old hospital, built during the Communism period in Georgia, now a home of several Chechen refugee families. Elia, mother of three children, was one of the thousands of Chechens who escaped the war in Chechnya.
  • GEORGIA. 2008. Pankisi Gorge, a Chechen refugee settlement. Landscape. Birds flying home. Chechens believe that someday they will go back home to Chechnya.
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