The period of 1965 to 1985 was a motionless era for the Soviet Union. Although the Soviet authorities did its best to reach success in every field, it could not fulfill its plan. There were the following social problems in Georgia and in the whole Soviet Union: low wages, unsolved issues concerning the living places, lack of objects of consumption, terrible bribery, corruption and protectionism. The Soviet Union had inner and outer problems. In 1979 the Red Army invaded in Afghanistan. Thus, the myth about “peace-loving” system was diminished and destroyed. The war lead by the Soviet Union was a result of its agony. Something was to be changed. Georgia had to take care of itself…

It began when in 1975 the OSCE Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe was held in Helsinki. The USA, Canada and European states signed the declaration which was an attempt to improve the relations between the Communist bloc and the West. The document was seen both as significant step toward reducing Cold War tensions and as a major diplomatic boost for the Soviet Union at the time, due to its clauses on the inviolability of national borders and respect for territorial integrity. The representatives of all Soviet Republics signed the document. The Act’s “Declaration on Principles Guiding Relations between Participating States (also known as “The Decalogue”) enumerating ten points, one of which was as follows: Respect for human rights and fundamental freedom, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief. Thus, the Soviet Union had to accommodate itself to the first non-communist organization.

In 1976 Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Merabv Kostava, Bego bezhuashvili and Victor Rskhiladze co-founded the Georgian Helsinki Group. (renamed the Georgian Helsinki Union in 1989). Gamsakhurdia was chairman of this human rights organization. He was very active in the underground network of samizdat publishers contributing to a wide variety of underground political periodicals including Sakartvelos Moambe (“The Georgian Herald”). The journal founders published the articles concerning the protection of the Georgian language and culture, condition of the Georgian political prisoners and tough national issues. The journal was of anti-communist regime. For this reason, it was tensely criticized. In 1978 Zviad Gamsakhurdia and Merab Kostava were arrested and brought before the court. They were sentenced to three years’ hard labour plus three years’ exile for anti-Soviet activities.

In 1978 a number of demonstrations took place in Tbilisi in response to an attempt by Soviet government to change the constitutional status of the indigenous Georgian language. After a new Soviet Constitution was adopted in 1977, the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR considered a draft constitution in which Georgian was no longer declared to be the State language. A series of indoor and outdoor actions of protest ensued and implied with the near-certainly of a clash between several thousands of young demonstrators and the Soviet government. The Georgian Communist Party chief Eduard Shevardnadze negotiated with the central authorities in Moscow and managed to obtain permission to retain the previous status of the Georgian language.

The future of the Georgian political parties was greatly influenced by anti-Soviet agitation carried by Ronald Reigan. The political detainees were released when Lenin came in authority. All political detainees were released when Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev came in authority. Gorbachev is associated with the so-called “Perestroika” or restructuring. The time came when the leaders started to speak about human rights. The national movements became very active in the union republics and especially in Georgia.

In 1987 the following political detainees were released: Merab Kostava, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Irakli Tsereteli, Levan Berdzenishvili, Davit Berdzenishvili, Zurab Gogia, Tamar Chkheidze, Boris Kakubava, Nana Kakabadze and others. On their release from prison they joined social and political movements. On December 11, 1987 Constituent Assembly was held which established non-registered but legal anti Soviet Ilia Chavchavadze Society. Before there were the following anti-Soviet organizations: “Round Table of Georgian Patriots”; Tamar Chkheidze’s nameless organization; illegal party of the following persons: Giorgi Chanturia, Mamuka Giorgadze, Irakli Kadagishvili, Avtandil Antadze and others; underground Republic Party under the leadership of Levan Berdzenishvili, Davit Berdzenishvili and Vakhtang Dzabiradze; Georgian National Liberation Organization under the leadership of John Lashkarashvili and Guram Gogibaidze; group of Zurab Gogia and Avtandil Ghlonti; Union for Independence of Georgia the members of which were Irakli Tsereteli, Mamuka Nebieridze, Davit Khidasheli and others.

The main force of the national movement was deemed to be the students of the university who founded a special press club under the leadership of Davit Turashvili, Pikria Chikhradze, Tedo Isakadze and others. In 1988 they claimed as follows: artillery range of Soviet Army must be withdrawn from the vicinity of Davit Gareji Historical Architectural Museum-Reserve. On September 20, 21, 28 and on October 4, the demonstrations were held in Tbilisi the largest of which was the one held on September 21. Over 5000 persons came from the university. On November 12, 1988 over 25 000 persons gathered at the hippodrome in order to protest the central authorities’ attempt to abolish an article of the USSR Constitution according to which, the union republics had rights to leave the USSR any time they wished. It was a very insidious plan for Georgia as it had no any chance to restore its sovereignty. On the National Democratic Party’s initiative, the students gathered at the House of Parliament and demonstratively refused to eat anything. The demonstration started on November 21and lasted till November 28. The presidium of Georgian Supreme Council demanded to annul the aforementioned changes. Moscow agreed and the demonstrations stopped in Tbilisi.

In 1988 anti-Soviet Georgian intelligentsia decided to form the Popular Front in Georgia as it was in the Baltic Republics. The following persons joined the movement: Nodar Natadze, Merab Mamardashvili, Nemo Burtchuladze, Eldar Shengelaia, Lana Ghoghoberidze, Temur Sumbatashvili, Revaz Shavishvili and others. The initiators of the aforementioned movement wanted to form a legal, social-political organization which would be officially registered by the Soviet authorities. The organization would take care of political, economic and cultural regeneration of the country and would be closely connected with national forces.

On February 8, 1989 massive demonstration was held in the yard of the first building of Tbilisi State University. The demonstrators called for the independence of Georgia. Their demand was the same on February 25. The demonstrations organized by the national movement were of anti-Soviet inclination. They declared the day of Sovietization, February 25, to be the day of mourning. The Soviet government led anti-national propaganda through TV and press in order not to allow the protest develop into massive unruleable processes. The detachment equipped with the police cudgels raided the demonstration and arrested some demonstrators. The authority let them go the same day.

On March 25, 1989 Constituent Assembly was held which established National Independence Party. The party members joined massive demonstration led by Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Temur Koridze, Niko Norakidze and Koka Gatserilia. On April 2 the parties of Saint Ilia Martali and National Independence held political demonstration at Rustaveli Square. The protests reached their peak on April 4, 1989, when tens of thousands of Georgians gathered before the House of Government on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. The protesters, led by the Independence committee (Merab Kostava, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Giorgi Chanturia, Irakli Bathiashvili, Irakli Tsereteli and others) organized a peaceful demonstration and hunger strikes, demanding the punishment of Abkhaz secessionists and restoration of Georgian independence.

On April 3 a massive rally was held in the yard of Subtropical Institute, Sukhumi. The following persons made a speech there: Merab Kostava, Irakli Tsereteli, Irakli Batiashvili, Dima Jaiani, Vova Vekua, Nugzar Mgaloblishvili and others. The leaders consented to hold supportive demonstrations in Tbilisi. So it happened and from April 4 numerous political demonstrations were held in Tbilisi. Many political parties and organizations joined them.

The main demand became the restoration of Georgia’s independence. Many demonstrators refused to eat. Almost the whole Georgia stood in front of the Government House. There was no way back. The whole nation wanted to restore the independence of the country through the constitutional rights.

On April 8, 1989 resolution was passed by the republic meeting along with Moscow about passing strict punitive measures toward the demonstrators. On April 9, 1989, an anti-Soviet demonstration was dispersed by the Red Army led by Igor Rodionov. In the evening of April 8, 1989, Colonel General Igor Rodionov, Commander of the Transcaucasus Military District, ordered his troops to mobilize. On April 9, at 4 a.m., Soviet APCs and troops under General Igor Rodionov surrounded the demonstration area. CN and CS gas were used against the demonstrators, vomiting, respiratory problems and sudden paralyses of the nervous system were reported. Following stampede resulted in the death of 19 people, among them 17 women. Moscow didn’t admit the fact of using the gas against the protesters. The authority established special rules in Tbilisi. Although its tragic results, the April 9 tragedy played an important role for the independence of Georiga.