The address of President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloev to the people of the Republic
Dear fellow citizens!
November 23, 1989 is one of the most significant dates in the history of South Ossetia.
The events of thirty-three years ago determined the fate of the people of South Ossetia, playing an important role in shaping the ideology of the South Ossetian national liberation movement.
On this day, Ossetians, residents of the city of Tskhinval bravely and openly defended their Homeland by their courageous and decisive actions
The choice made by that generation of South Ossetians was a choice in favor of freedom, the right to speak their native language and determine the path of national development themselves. On this day, our elders performed a real civic feat.
Since 1988, Georgian "informals" launched active actions against South Ossetia in the form of mass rallies and anti-Ossetian propaganda; Ossetians from various stands were being unfairly called enemies of Georgia and the entire Georgian people. Articles insulting the Ossetian people were being published in the official press of that period. All this gradually turned into massive violations of human rights, and then into a bloody war against South Ossetia, genocide and ethnic cleansing of Ossetians throughout the Georgian SSR.
The party-state nomenclature almost completely lost the levers of power and went on about their informal associations of the Nazi persuasion. On November 23, 1989, Georgian secretaries and officials of all levels personally participated in the march of 40,000 people to Tskhinval. The Georgian nationalists wanted to intimidate and humiliate the Ossetian people with their action, but then, at the entrance to Tskhinval three dozen unarmed guys stood in front of the armed aggressor, clasping their arms bent at the elbows, and soon, along with their heroes, there were other citizens there, ready to fight for freedom, for honor, for the future of the nation.
Dear fellow citizens!
We must remember that our path to the formation of the Republic of South Ossetia - the State of Alania began on November 23, 1989 with the feat of the ordinary Tskhinval guys who stood in the way of Georgian Nazism.
The events of that day showed what the united people are capable of. We must remember this experience and pass it on to our younger ones. Only by uniting and gaining patience, we can effectively resist the challenges of the time and successfully implement creative ideas and plans.
On this day, we also remember our allies represented by the Russian Federation, which did not stand aside during difficult historical periods for South Ossetia and to this day has been providing us with assistance and support. Today we are not only proud of our history, but also confidently building the future.
I wish you a peaceful sky, health, prosperity!
