Amnesty calls for safe returns in Georgia

TBILISI, Georgia, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- Destruction and security concerns in the conflict zone in the breakaway Georgian republic of South Ossetia are curbing resettlement, Amnesty International says.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees puts the estimated level of displaced persons from the August conflict at around 163,000. The prevalence of unexploded ordnance and wide-scale destruction to the local infrastructure have prevented resettlement, while those who remained in the conflict areas face ethnic discrimination and random attacks, an Amnesty report released Wednesday says.

"Those forced to flee their homes must be allowed to return safely, and those unable or unwilling to do so must be resettled," said Amnesty's Nicola Duckworth.

The Georgian military bombed the capital of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, Aug. 7, while Russian forces launched attacks on the Georgian majority in the breakaway region and in the surrounding areas over the course of several days.

Residents in the region have witnessed numerous violations during the conflict, including ethnically motivated attacks and the apparent use of cluster bombs by Russian forces, the report says.

As a result of safety concerns in the region, the group called on the international community, as well as Russia and Georgia, to make sure displaced persons are ensured a safe return to their homes.