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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Oakley77 (talk | contribs) at 19:33, 18 September 2012. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Welcome, Visitors!

	The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar
	For addressing the comments on the GA review of Antigua and Barbuda at the 2008 Summer Olympics, even though you weren't asked to help. Thank you. :) Starstriker7 05:12, 18 June 2012 (UTC)

Hi Oakley77! Hope you enjoy this delicious brownie, which I gift you as a token of thanks for passing Common eland as a Good Article. And didn't you review it well, too! Again, Thank you! Cheers! Sainsf Talk all words 11:49, 11 May 2012 (UTC)

	The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
	Thanks for your efforts in creation of articles about those swimmers →TheSpecialUserContributions 15:23, 14 May 2012 (UTC)

Corsica and Brittany

Can you please refrain from adding Brittany and Corsica in the football squad template for player nationality as you did here and here. I have reverted you because Corsican and Breton are ethnic groups and not nationalities. — JS 05:25, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

Re: Xabi Alonso's Nationality

Hi. I changed Alonso's little nationality flag back to Spain because according to FIFA, the highest football authority, lists him as Spanish. Official nationalities are determined by what FIFA-sanctioned national team one plays for. I'm sure Basque is a nationality, but it's not really recognized by FIFA. (And I guess if you've never played for a full national team, you go by your affiliation at the youth level. If your not a youth team member, then you probably go by the country you're from politically.) If you look at the roster for Athletic Bilbao, all the players are listed as Spanish, even though they're also technically Basque. Except for, interestingly, Fernando Amorebieta, who now plays for the Venezuelan national team. He was born in Venezuela, and part of his family comes from there. He's still home-grown in Basque Country, though, so Athletic will still keep him.

You could argue that Alonso be considered Basque because of his appearances for the Basque team, but the team isn't officially sanctioned by FIFA or UEFA. It's allowed to play in friendly matches, but it can take part in official competitions like the World Cup or the Euros. The Catalan national team is in the same boat; that's why Xavi & Co. over at FC Barcelona (as well as Bojan Krkic and Joan Capdevila) have Spanish flags next to their names instead of Catalan ones. So Xabi may be Basque, but in FIFA's eyes, he's a World-Cup-winning Spaniard.

Hope that clears everything up.

Cheers, Otaku-jin (talk) 05:27, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

I changed it back too and if you insist on going against WP:MOSFLAG and push a Basque separatist agenda you will find your account blocked. --Walter Görlitz (talk) 05:44, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

December 2011

Thank you for your contributions to Misplaced Pages. Before saving your changes to an article, please provide an edit summary for your edits. Doing so helps everyone understand the intention of your edit (and prevents legitimate edits from being mistaken for vandalism). It is also helpful to users reading the edit history of the page. Thank you. Walter Görlitz (talk) 05:53, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

North Korea national football team

North Korea national football team is not what I would call ready. The player list is way too long. I'd only have the current squad. The current squad also needs some sources. The text is very, very limited and isn't fully supported by sources. The World Cup part of their history isn't organised logically. I would actually ding the assessment down to a C, because the article is NOT fully sources and it feels really incomplete. The article only has 15 sources. For a team that has as many world cup appearances as they do, I would be expecting AT LEAST 50 sources. I'd also be expecting the See also section to be gone as the article should be so complete, these are not necessary. --LauraHale (talk) 21:58, 24 June 2012 (UTC)

having a quick look on my iPhone, none of the B class men articles are at solace where I would be comfortable nominating them without extensive work. Brazil requires a lot of work, much editorial plus other work. Australia has a tag that says problems since 2010. India needs a fair amount of sourcing. India and Australia could both be assessed C easily. If a men's team was easily reachable, some nationalistic fan of the country would have done it already. --LauraHale (talk) 23:05, 24 June 2012 (UTC)

Potential GA candidates

Rschen7754 thinks if you work with me, this might be one way to eventually get your GA participation restrictions lifted. I'm willing to nominally serve as a mentor to help you get back by making sure you understand what is GA ready... but I edit primarily in Australian sport, women's sport and Paralympic sport. That said, I have about 9 articles that are Good Articles. I would like to take the remaining six articles to GA to have a good topic. These articles are:

• Jane Moran
• Gemma Beadsworth
• Melissa Rippon
• Sophie Smith
• Kate Gynther
• Greg McFadden

These articles are pretty close to being ready to nominate as the articles are mostly complete. I've just been distracted by getting other Australian Olympians to DYK and GA nominations for women's football teams. The following needs to be done:

Jane Moran

• Water Polo Australia information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Water Polo Australia. Water Polo Australia source needs to be used to support existing facts. WPA source.
  • Added and sourced some useful nuggets of information. Oakley77 (talk) 16:27, 25 June 2012 (UTC)
• Australian Olympic Committee information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Australian Olympic Committee. Australian Olympic Committee source needs to be used to support existing facts. AOC Source
  • Added some info here as well. Oakley77 (talk) 14:44, 26 June 2012 (UTC)
• Where was Moran playing club water polo in 2009 and 2010? Information needs to be included in the article.
  • Info found and placed. Oakley77 (talk) 02:51, 25 June 2012 (UTC)
• Lead needs to be written in a better summary style.
  • I believe it has been. Oakley77 (talk) 02:42, 25 June 2012 (UTC)
• Red links need to be checked for each article: Find correct links if they exist or selectively remove some of them if they appear redundant.
  • All look fine here. Oakley77 (talk) 02:34, 25 June 2012 (UTC)
• Flow of the article needs to be checked. I write point. point. point. point. This can be choppy.
  • After reading the article, the flow seems to suffice. Oakley77 (talk) 16:56, 26 June 2012 (UTC)

I'm looking at http://www.australianwaterpolo.com.au/high-performance/senior-women-profiles/profiles/moran-jane/ , and the club water polo stuff is very much in this article. There is no indication she took time off:
1st, NWPL Championship with Brisbane Barracudas 2009, 2010, 2011

Pretty much EVERYTHING on Australian Water Polo's page needs to be included in the article. The article doesn't say what position she plays in it. That is like writing a football article without mentioning what position a person plays (forward, fullback, goalie). Australian Water Polo's page needs to be used a lot more in the article to fill in the details as a GA needs to be fully sourced and complete information wise. --LauraHale (talk) 21:43, 26 June 2012 (UTC)

Gemma Beadsworth

• Water Polo Australia information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Water Polo Australia. Water Polo Australia source needs to be used to support existing facts. WPA Source
• Australian Olympic Committee information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Australian Olympic Committee. Australian Olympic Committee source needs to be used to support existing facts. AOC Source
• Club water polo: 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012 were years she played. Where was she in 2009 and 2011? Source needed and information needs to be put into the article.
• Lead needs to be written in a better summary style.
• Red links need to be checked for each article: Find correct links if they exist or selectively remove some of them if they appear redundant.
• Flow of the article needs to be checked. I write point. point. point. point. This can be choppy.

Melissa Rippon

• Water Polo Australia information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Water Polo Australia. Water Polo Australia source needs to be used to support existing facts. WPA Source
• Australian Olympic Committee information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Australian Olympic Committee. Australian Olympic Committee source needs to be used to support existing facts. AOC Source
• Club play is a bit of a blank slate. Who did she play for? When? What did she accomplish? NWPL may have additional sources.
• Lead needs to be written in a better summary style.
• Red links need to be checked for each article: Find correct links if they exist or selectively remove some of them if they appear redundant.
• Flow of the article needs to be checked. I write point. point. point. point. This can be choppy.

Sophie Smith

• Water Polo Australia information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Water Polo Australia. Water Polo Australia source needs to be used to support existing facts. WPA Source
• Australian Olympic Committee information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Australian Olympic Committee. Australian Olympic Committee source needs to be used to support existing facts. AOC Source.
• Club play is a bit of a blank slate. What happened between 2008 and 2012? Previous sources may answer. NWPL may have additional sources.
• Lead needs to be written in a better summary style.
• Red links need to be checked for each article: Find correct links if they exist or selectively remove some of them if they appear redundant.
• Flow of the article needs to be checked. I write point. point. point. point. This can be choppy.

Kate Gynther

• Water Polo Australia information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Water Polo Australia. Water Polo Australia source needs to be used to support existing facts. WPA Source.
• Australian Olympic Committee information needs to be included: Supporting facts need to be added to the article and cited to Australian Olympic Committee. Australian Olympic Committee source needs to be used to support existing facts.
• Duplicate citation needs to be fixed: "Four named in national squad". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
• Lead needs to be written in a better summary style.
• Red links need to be checked for each article: Find correct links if they exist or selectively remove some of them if they appear redundant.
• Flow of the article needs to be checked. I write point. point. point. point. This can be choppy.

I would estimate each of these articles would require an hour to three hours worth of work each to address those points. If you can get these things done, I will nominate these articles for GA, and I will allow you to fix changes any reviewer requests, then comment on the GA itself to say this was done, so you do not violate the conditions of your community band. You can then claim that you did substantial work on these articles (and helped take a topic to Good Topic.). These articles are important to me because I suspect the Australian media will plagiarise them if the team does what is expected and medals at the Games. At the same time, I know the girls on the team have seen these articles and are very happy with them having been created/massively improved. We got permission for the head shots. --LauraHale (talk) 02:24, 25 June 2012 (UTC)

Talkback

Mir Almaat Ali Almaat ☏ From Trivandrum, Kerala, India(UTC+5:30) 10:55, 25 June 2012 (UTC)

Your submission at Articles for creation

You are more than welcome to continue making quality contributions to Misplaced Pages. Note that because you are a logged-in user, you can create articles yourself, and don't have to post a request. However, you are more than welcome to continue submitting work to Articles for Creation.

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Featured Picture

Hi. I just wanted to let you know that I closed your nomination, Misplaced Pages:Featured picture candidates/Night View of Dalian, as "Not promoted". We welcome your contributions to featured picture candidates and I encourage you to nominate more images. Before you do so, you may want to review the featured picture criteria. If you're unsure if a picture meets the criteria, feel free to add the image to picture peer review where experienced users will comment on it. Thanks. I hope to see you at FPC again. Dusty777 18:52, 26 June 2012 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Animals in media

WikiProject Animals in media has been created! Since you expressed support in joining, you may sign up here. Don't forget the userbox! Brambleberry of RiverClan 16:09, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

In Response...

In response to your questions...

1. The code is in the "templates" section. 2. I really need help tagging the insane amount of articles that fall into this category, and I'm also having trouble with Category:WikiProject Animals in media. I tagged the template, so in theory everything should be there, but it isn't.

If you would rather discussion be kept to one page, just say which one, yours or mine. Brambleberry of RiverClan 16:30, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

We can keep it on mine. Also is the tagging template there, because I can do that, just need the tat template mate. Oakley77 (talk) 16:33, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

The template is here, and the category I'm talking about is below. Brambleberry of RiverClan 16:35, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

I accidentally added your talk page to the project. Just paste this in: ]. Brambleberry of RiverClan 16:39, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

I assessed roughly 35 articles. Where is the assessment box? Oakley77 (talk) 18:04, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

I have no idea how to make one. Do you? Brambleberry of RiverClan 18:06, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Honestly, no! But you should ask an expert, and I will try to learn, because it is virtually necessary. Oakley77 (talk) 18:07, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Maybe there's a page... I'll get on it, but I think I have to get off the computer soon. Brambleberry of RiverClan 18:11, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

No worries mate! Oakley77 (talk) 18:12, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

I found a page that tells you how to do it. It says the bot does its run every few days, and all we have to do is set up for it. I can do that now. Brambleberry of RiverClan 18:13, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Need any help? Can you do it solo? Oakley77 (talk) 18:18, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

I set it all up, but I'm having a problem with the importance. It doesn't recognize it as "High-importance Animals in media articles", but rather with a lowercase "a" in "animals". Brambleberry of RiverClan 18:25, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Hmm, may be a glitch. Is the box on the project somewhere? Oakley77 (talk) 18:29, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

I could check, but I have to go. You should look; I'm probably not going to be on again until tomorrow. Brambleberry of RiverClan 18:31, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Got it. Oakley77 (talk) 18:31, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Getting the Stats

I found out how to get the stats immediately for Animals in media. Just go here and select "Animals in media". I'm afraid to let anything run on my computer, though. Brambleberry of RiverClan 21:14, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Never mind, the bot did its run today and the stats are on the page! Brambleberry of RiverClan 21:17, 28 June 2012 (UTC)

Read this

Ok, now. I've choosen to start a pilot project before the real one(like the teahouse WikiProject). You'll be the Project Coordinator. The Pilot lasts for 25.1 weeks(Ends on 30 April 2013) and I have a to-do list here User:Mir Almaat 1 S1/WikiProject Puntland Transittional Pilot Project Mir Almaat Ali Almaat ☏ From Trivandrum, Kerala, India(UTC+5:30) 05:10, 29 June 2012 (UTC)

More Animals in media things...

Sorry if you're getting tired of this, I just have a little task for you to do. Can you grade Doglands for me? I'm terrible at grading my own articles, and no other groups seem to have seen it, even though I tagged it for them. Brambleberry of RiverClan 15:31, 29 June 2012 (UTC)

Your submission at Articles for creation

• If you would like to continue working on the submission, you can find it at Misplaced Pages talk:Articles for creation/Vessels made at Williamstown Naval Dockyard.
• To edit the submission, click on the "Edit" tab at the top of the window.
• If you need any assistance, you can ask for help at the help desk, via real time chat with helpers, or on the reviewer's talk page

Thank you for your contributions to Misplaced Pages! Kilopi (talk) 23:44, 29 June 2012 (UTC)

Article Declined: Gaylord Discovery Center

That is the first Article I have contributed. I tried to pay attention to Notability and Neutrality. It has now been declined for both. I used existing Articles as examples of what to include. My interpretation is that the Article Gaylord Discovery Center is on par with the examples of Impression 5 Science Center, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, and Flint Children's Museum. Do you have recommendations on what to change to make the proposed article more fit for acceptance?

ThanksMehkael (talk) 23:05, 2 July 2012 (UTC) Just add some better formatting, and I will pass it!. Oakley77 (talk) 00:30, 3 July 2012 (UTC)

GAN stuff

Hi. I've got some stress things going on, and the bits I saw on Jane Moran didn't particularly impress me. I haven't seen any other edits to water polo articles. I haven't seen a demonstration that you understand sourcing or organisation. I've got some other things going on with Misplaced Pages and my willingness was pretty narrowly confined to and based on the water polo work with the idea of you can work on them with VERY CLEAR guidelines of what needs work. This wasn't really ever done that I could see. If you want to work on other articles with the idea of being able to work on them for GAN, you'll need to find some one else to help you with that. The outside work I've seen hasn't indicated any growing awareness of criteria that I'd be willing to give easy passes. The introduction of copyvios into Misplaced Pages through AFC that were obvious also makes me hesitant to work with you outside areas where I can pretty much know if your own submissions are copyvios or not. Oakley77 (talk) 22:56, 5 July 2012 (UTC)

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Kristóf Nyíri article advice

Hi Oakley77,

I was hoping you could help me out with an article you reviewed. This is my first attempt at a wiki publication, and I might need some help and direction. You wrote that my article on Kristóf Nyíri "Just need better format and structure," I tried to copy other academic wikipedia profile pages... what other format would you suggest?

Also, I received comments from others: that Kristóf Nyíri might not be notable (or adequately cited as such). I included other authors/ academics that reference him and his work - one of which has her own wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/Cressida_Heyes). I'm not sure what else I can add... do you have any suggestions?

Many thanks, Lora — Preceding unsigned comment added by LAinNJ (talk • contribs) 15:06, 6 July 2012 (UTC)

Talkback

Rschen7754 06:08, 7 July 2012 (UTC)

Arctic Anthropology

Hello Oakley77,

I was just wondering what your reason was for accepting (in AfC) the article Arctic Anthropology. Its references clearly don't constitute significant, independent coverage, as is required by the AfC reviewer guidelines.

Thanks, Gold Standard 23:16, 8 July 2012 (UTC)

Possible request for comment

Hello Oakley77. Given your repeated problems discussed at GAN and mentioned by me earlier on your talk page about sourcing at WP:AfC with issues of plagiarism checking, I'm really concerned that you're still working in the area and that others are continuing to point out these problems. Can you please demonstrate, through your own editing, knowledge of copyright and sourcing policies alongside notability policies on Misplaced Pages before continuing with WP:AfC? --LauraHale (talk) 23:35, 8 July 2012 (UTC)

Notice

Hello. This message is being sent to inform you that there is currently a discussion at Misplaced Pages:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents regarding an issue with which you may have been involved. The thread is Oakley77. Thank you. Nathan2055 00:19, 9 July 2012 (UTC)

Read this

Ok, now. I've choosen to start a pilot project before the real one(like the teahouse WikiProject). You'll be the Project Coordinator. The Pilot lasts for 25.1 weeks(Ends on 30 April 2013) and I have a to-do list here User:Mir Almaat 1 S1/WikiProject Puntland Transittional Pilot Project Mir Almaat Ali Almaat ☏ From Trivandrum, Kerala, India(UTC+5:30) 05:10, 29 June 2012 (UTC)

Content review topic ban

You are hereby banned from all content review processes, including, but not limited to GAN, FAC, FLC, DYK, ITN, AFC, any other mainpage processes, etc. At the end of three months from today, you can appeal this block at WP:AN (the ban does not automatically expire at the end of three months), subject to not violating the terms of this ban in the meantime and demonstrating an understanding of these processes as well as Misplaced Pages policies. Any violations of this ban will be dealt with blocks. —SpacemanSpiff 08:21, 14 July 2012 (UTC)

• "Topic banned from ITN" doesn't mean "carry on and hope nobody notices". Can you please stop disrupting? 188.28.250.128 (talk) 22:44, 15 July 2012 (UTC)
  • You have been blocked for a period of 48 hours for the above violation. Please note that blocks will continue increasing in length for subsequent violations. --Rschen7754 22:49, 15 July 2012 (UTC)

Nomination of Dongqiao for deletion

A discussion is taking place as to whether the article Dongqiao is suitable for inclusion in Misplaced Pages according to Misplaced Pages's policies and guidelines or whether it should be deleted.

The article will be discussed at Misplaced Pages:Articles for deletion/Dongqiao until a consensus is reached, and anyone is welcome to contribute to the discussion. The nomination will explain the policies and guidelines which are of concern. The discussion focuses on high-quality evidence and our policies and guidelines.

Users may edit the article during the discussion, including to improve the article to address concerns raised in the discussion. However, do not remove the article-for-deletion template from the top of the article. GotR 16:24, 16 July 2012 (UTC)

News

	News
	The Page of WP:PUNTLAND has started!Unpresidented welcome to almaat chat 07:44, 19 July 2012 (UTC)

Disambiguation link notification for July 23

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Chongqing et al.

I've completed the primary temporary task that I have assigned myself, which I began in mid-April (correcting thousands of links isn't small work). So that leaves me with the major copy-edit of Chongqing, which will take at least 30 minutes–1 hour to do decently, and, as I can't stay up late tonight, it will be done later today (and before 27 July, as promised).
Also, I have cleaned up after a few of the Tibetan town/village articles you created back in May. The Chinese for some of your creations was obvious (such as Shangzayü), but without Chinese (Tibetan makes no sense to me), county-level units, or coordinates accurate to at least the nearest arc-minute, most of them have eluded my identifying them. GotR 04:13, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

• Great, thanks alot. I am on vacation till Sunday, but as soon as I come back, I will help with anything you need, including the peer review. Oakley77 (talk) 17:29, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

WikiProject Wikify: July Newsletter and August Drive

The Wikifier Your Wikification Newsletter – Volume II, Issue I, July 2012 Front Cover • From the editor • General news Membership • June drive results

Hi there! I thought you might be interested in WikiProject Wikify's August Wikification Backlog Elimination Drive. We'll be trying to reduce the backlog and we need your help! Hard-working participants in the drive will receive awards for their contributions. If you have a spare moment, please join and wikify an article or tell your friends. Thanks! Note: The drive starts August 1, and you can sign up anytime!

EdwardsBot (talk) 21:29, 26 July 2012 (UTC)

Sockpuppetry case

Your name has been mentioned in connection with a sockpuppetry case. Please refer to Misplaced Pages:Sockpuppet investigations/Oakley77 for evidence. Please make sure you make yourself familiar with the guide to responding to cases before editing the evidence page. 71.234.215.133 (talk) 07:15, 28 July 2012 (UTC)

Indefinitely blocked

From Misplaced Pages:Sockpuppet investigations/Oakley77, it is clear that you are editing while logged-out in order to evade your ban from the Good Article process. Given that you were blocked earlier this month for violating this ban, and that you have already required the community to spend time in crafting a custom sanction (as an alternative to simply banning you outright), I have blocked you indefinitely until we can rely on your compliance with your sanctions and with our sock-puppetry policy. You may appeal this block using the instructions here. AGK 00:58, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Oakley77 (block log • active blocks • global blocks • contribs • deleted contribs • filter log • creation log • change block settings • unblock • checkuser (log))

Request reason:

I was foolish, and selfish, I know. I did what I did because, as I stated before, I am passionate about the GA process, and all of Misplaced Pages. This background beside, it was an astoundingly stupid thing to do, to be frank. I know, with the correcting benefit of hindsight, that those kind of actions are not acceptable and are not to be repeated in any shape or form. I also want you to know that, unlike some "sock-puppeteers", I created a second, unauthorized account not to vandalize or hamper Misplaced Pages, but to make its articles better. I am an editor who is thoroughly dedicated to growing Misplaced Pages positively, and would never, ever think of vandalizing it. The only mistakes I have every made since I "signed on" have been in an effort to expand Misplaced Pages in a constructive way.I apologize entirely for any damage I have perpetrated, if any, and I also apologize for any editor's time I have wasted. Hoping to be reinstated, and hopijg for forgiveness, Oakley77 (talk) 17:51, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Decline reason:

Competence really does seem to be the issue here. I believe that you genuinely want to improve Misplaced Pages, and that you genuinely don't intend any harm. Unfortunately, I'm also persuaded that as much as you might intend good, you can't keep yourself from continuing on with actions that you've been told are disruptive. You need some time away from Misplaced Pages, completely, to break the cycle and refocus. My recommendation would be that you take AGK's suggestion that you appeal your block in a few months' time to Arbcom. Hopefully then you will be able to make a persuasive case for how you plan to keep this sort of disruption from happening again. A fluffernutter is a sandwich! (talk) 01:23, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

If you want to make any further unblock requests, please read the guide to appealing blocks first, then use the {{unblock}} template again. If you make too many unconvincing or disruptive unblock requests, you may be prevented from editing this page until your block has expired. Do not remove this unblock review while you are blocked.

You said that you would comply with the ban beforehand, and you clearly went around it, multiple times. Why should we believe you this time? --Rschen7754 22:50, 30 July 2012 (UTC)

Well, here is my take on it. Many editors will back me up when I say I have a well-appreciated constructive mindset when I edit or attempt to. Most of them just believe that I don't have the right methodology or understanding, per se, to be 100% positively constructive. As I go, I gain more understanding and adopt the proper protocol. I have imbued these methods into my editing, and get to know them when I make a mistake or blunder, however significant it is. This, I admit, is one of my biggest and worse "offences". This aside, due to my track record, I implore you to see the passion for Misplaced Pages I have, and please instill the trust in me to abide by every proper modus operandi Misplaced Pages has. My constructive edits make me refreshingly different from most every other blocked account, and wish to continue making them if you just give the chance, albeit my second. Thank you for helping edit again, Oakley77 (talk) 00:14, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Given your apparent good faith efforts to improve Misplaced Pages, rather than seeking indefinite blocks earlier, a topic ban was enacted to give you time to learn how to edit and how to improve Misplaced Pages. You were not prohibited from improving articles: you were blocked from certain processes. Rather than seeking to improve Misplaced Pages inside the context of your topic ban, you went around it in ways that were not helpful. You were blocked short term for doing this once, and didn't get the message: improve Misplaced Pages and avoid assessment processes. Not sure I see a demonstration that you want to improve Misplaced Pages and avoid assessment processes. --LauraHale (talk) 00:33, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

(edit conflict) Oakley77, this would be your fourth chance. Your disregard of the bans got you blocked twice, and your sockpuppetry around the bans got you an indefinite block. Your last edit before the investigation and ban was, "I will help with anything you need, including the peer review" (emphasis added) while you still had three months to go on the "no reviews anywhere" ban (talk page notice). Your socking to nominate articles for GA status shows the same problems that got you banned from GAN 3 months before. You have not shown any ability to "gain more understanding and adopt the proper protocol."

I suggest you read the standard offer and take in the first item: "Wait six months without sockpuppetry." I believe you need that time to understand the rules and policies (the "protocol"). 71.234.215.133 (talk) 00:42, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

• Note to reviewing admin - Not reviewing this one as I've already blocked this user twice, but I endorse the indefinite block until we have something more concrete. WP:AGF is not a suicide pact, and also there are clear WP:COMPETENCE issues. The user has had at least a month to show improvement and has been given mentorship, and has not improved. --Rschen7754 00:23, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Just wanted to also comment that at least one of the articles nominates for GA Oakley77 was SPECIFICALLY told was not ready for GAN. It is still not ready. Specifically nominating an article he was told he was not ready and going around a block to do that is disruptive to GAN. --LauraHale (talk) 00:28, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Let me please clarify that yes, in hindsight, my recent actions at GAN were slightly disruptive. At the time of perpetration, I was believing to be doing something constructive, by giving articles a distinction they deserve, as well as the editors. I apologize to any editor I disrupted, and to disrupting the entire process, but it was all done in a mindset of good faith. I am sorry, but did not mean to cause trouble in any way, shape, or form. Oakley77 (talk) 00:45, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Anna's offer

As you know, I'm always recruiting. If an admin decides to allow him to redeem himself, and Oakley77 is willing, I would be willing to provide him with a set of stubs to create and expand, and keep an eye on his contribs.

Competency issues were mentioned, but with GA, I also have competency issues.

This user has shown trouble staying out of areas from which he is prohibited. So, restricting him to a very few articles may be a good test, make him productive, help him reform, and benefit the project with some new content. If he can't contain himself, and starts to put fingers into other pies, indef him. Anna Frodesiak (talk) 01:05, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Anna, thank you for your comments; but historically those types of experiments have ended rather poorly, so I'm afraid I couldn't endorse your proposal. Some editors are simply not able to collaborate with others, and as a community we can do nothing except gently exclude them—even if we periodically re-assess whether they might have (through real-life experience, maturation, or other factors) become equipped with the skills they previously lacked. At this stage, it's clear we can do nothing for Oakley77 (or he for us), and that the best advise is he take a few months' break from Misplaced Pages. The Arbitration Committee usually hear appeals every 6 months, and the community every year; blocking indefinitely (with the presumption that he can request to return after an extended time) seems to me like the best way of proceeding. At the time of any appeal (for example, in 6 months from now), if Oakley is still interested in contributing, then whether or not he had socked would stand to tell us if he is able to comply with the community's policies and decisions. AGK 01:13, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

AGK: Fair enough, my friend. I trust your judgement.

Oakley: Listen to AGK. Take a break. Don't sock or you'll never be allowed back. Good luck. Anna Frodesiak (talk) 01:18, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

If the offer is still on the table, I metaphorically reach over and take it. I appreciate greatly for helping me, and will diligently do what is asked of me. Oakley77 (talk)

I am with AGK on this. Mentorship has been tried with Oakley77. Oakley77 managed for about a day or so before losing interest in the narrow confines of the conditions which would have allowed him back to GA, proposed articles outside of that area (which required a lot of time and effort to explain why they did not meet them). If Oakley77 had said "I want to get back to GA. I was told to do things on Talk:Jane Moran and I will do them. After I get this done, I will ask for permission to get back to GA or select which articles my mentor will oversee me improving to GA that they can them nominate on my behalf" I might be okay with this. Oakley77 wasted time by not doing that. When told something was not GA ready and would take a huge amount of work to get to GA, Oakley77 then basically said "I don't want you as a mentor anymore", found a new mentor (where he failed to explain his sanctions), required a lot of clean up work after that person helped him and with the article STILL not ready, nominated the article as an IP address. I don't think Oakley77 is ready now. Maybe in a few months, after reading a lot of quality articles and not editing, Oakley77 will begin to see what quality content is and how to properly interact with it. --LauraHale (talk) 01:42, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

I understand. I will read up on articles, and focus on their content. A mentor still would be nice though, if anyone is willing to be one for me. I will comply with what you say, and suggest. Thanks alot! Oakley77 (talk) 01:55, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

You are blocked; there is no need for a mentor. Also note that if we catch you using a sock again (and we're pretty good at catching this sort of thing), it will decrease your chances of a successful appeal. --Rschen7754 01:57, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Right, I never will use one again (unless of course I ever am running a bot, which is unlikely). Rschen7754, you have provided me with much helpful advice, and I am thankful for that. I would greatly benefit, and in turn Misplaced Pages would, if you could just simply outline the steps you would take if you were me. It would be immensely beneficial. Oakley77 (talk) 02:01, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

1. Wait six months. Don't click the edit button during that time.
2. Read quality articles on Misplaced Pages. Try to improve your writing skills in general. User:Tony1 has some good tips on writing in his userspace; I'm sure there are others on and off Misplaced Pages.
3. Read the MOS. Read WP:WIAGA and all pages it links to.
4. After six months, follow the steps at WP:OFFER and {{2nd chance}}.
5. If you are unblocked, there will be strings attached. You will probably still be under the same topic ban. Don't violate it, or you will be blocked again, and that time you will probably not have a successful appeal. --Rschen7754 02:10, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

• Could I al the very least see a list of the stubs Anna wants me to work on? Oakley77 (talk) 18:12, 31 July 2012 (UTC)
• Maybe a possible trial run, one that only permits me to work on the assigned stub, can not only be helpful to Misplaced Pages but can show my competence. Is that a viable proposal? Oakley77 (talk) 23:35, 31 July 2012 (UTC)
  • No. You need to take a break from editing. --Rschen7754 00:32, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
    • Is an entire six months necessary? Oakley77 (talk) 02:35, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
      • Yes. Frankly, it is starting to sound unhealthy that you cannot take a break from Misplaced Pages for that long. --Rschen7754 03:57, 1 August 2012 (UTC)
        • No, I certainly can take a break that long, I was just wondering, that's all. Oakley77 (talk) 18:51, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

WikiCup 2012 July newsletter

We're approaching the beginning of 2012's final round. Pool A sees Cwmhiraeth (submissions) as the leader, with 300 points being awarded for the featured article Bivalvia, and Pool B sees Grapple X (submissions) in the lead, with 10 good articles, and over 35 articles eligible for good topic points. Pool A sees Muboshgu (submissions) in second place with a number of articles relating to baseball, while Pool B's Ruby2010 (submissions) follows Grapple X, with a variety of contributions including the high-scoring, high-importance featured article on the 2010 film Pride & Prejudice. Ruby2010, like Grapple X, also claimed a number of good topic points; despite this, not a single point has been claimed for featured topics in the contest so far. The same is true for featured portals.

Currently, the eighth-place competitor (and so the lowest scorer who would reach the final round right now) has scored 332, more than double the 150 needed to reach the final round last year. In 2010, however, 430 was the lowest qualifying score. In this competition, we have generally seen scores closer to those in 2010 than those in 2011. Let's see what kind of benchmark we can set for future competitions! As ever, if you are concerned that your nomination—whether it is at good article candidates, a featured process, or anywhere else—will not receive the necessary reviews, please list it on Misplaced Pages:WikiCup/Reviews. Questions are welcome on Misplaced Pages talk:WikiCup, and the judges are reachable on their talk pages or by email. Good luck! If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove yourself from Misplaced Pages:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send. J Milburn (talk • email) and The ed17 (talk • email) 22:30, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

Nomination of Bamê for deletion

A discussion is taking place as to whether the article Bamê is suitable for inclusion in Misplaced Pages according to Misplaced Pages's policies and guidelines or whether it should be deleted.

The article will be discussed at Misplaced Pages:Articles for deletion/Bamê until a consensus is reached, and anyone is welcome to contribute to the discussion. The nomination will explain the policies and guidelines which are of concern. The discussion focuses on high-quality evidence and our policies and guidelines.

Users may edit the article during the discussion, including to improve the article to address concerns raised in the discussion. However, do not remove the article-for-deletion template from the top of the article. 2011wp (talk) 01:45, 8 August 2012 (UTC)

WikiProject Wikify and the future of wikification

Hi! There is an ongoing proposal at the project talkpage concerning the future of wikification, including possible deprecation of the {{wikify}} template which is being discussed at Misplaced Pages:Templates for discussion/Log/2012 August 10. Your input would be greatly appreciated!

You are receiving this message because you are listed as an active member of the wikify project. To update your status, go here.

Delivered by EdwardsBot (talk) 15:48, 12 August 2012 (UTC) on behalf of Project Wikify

WikiCup 2012 August newsletter

The final is upon us! We are down to our final 8. A massive 573 was our lowest qualifying score; this is higher than the 150 points needed last year and the 430 needed in 2010. Even in 2009, when points were acquired for mainspace edit count in addition to audited content, 417 points secured a place. That leaves this year's WikiCup, by one measure at least, our most competitive ever. Our finalists, ordered by round 4 score, are:

1. Grapple X (submissions) once again finishes the round in first place, leading Pool B. Grapple X writes articles about television, and especially The X-Files and Millenium, with good articles making up the bulk of the score.
2. Miyagawa (submissions) led Pool A this round. Fourth-place finalist last year, Miyagawa writes on a variety of topics, and has reached the final primarily off the back of his massive number of did you knows.
3. Ruby2010 (submissions) was second in Pool B. Ruby2010 writes primarily on television and film, and scores primarily from good articles.
4. Casliber (submissions) finished third in Pool B. Casliber is something of a WikiCup veteran, having finished sixth in 2011 and fourth in 2010. Casliber writes on the natural sciences, including ornithology, botany and astronomy. Over half of Casliber's points this round were bonus points from the high-importance articles he has worked on.
5. Cwmhiraeth (submissions) came second in Pool A. Also writing on biology, especially marine biology, Cwmhiraeth received 390 points for one featured article (Bivalvia) and one good article (pelican), topping up with a large number of did you knows.
6. Muboshgu (submissions) was third in Pool A. Muboshgu writes primarily on baseball, and this round saw Muboshgu's first featured article, Derek Jeter, promoted on its fourth attempt at FAC.
7. Dana Boomer (submissions) was fourth in Pool A. She writes on a variety of topics, including horses, but this round also saw the high-importance lettuce reach featured article status.
8. Sasata (submissions) is another WikiCup veteran, having been a finalist in 2009 and 2010. He writes mostly on mycology.

However, we must also say goodbye to the eight who did not make the final, having fallen at the last hurdle: GreatOrangePumpkin (submissions), Ealdgyth (submissions), Calvin999 (submissions), Piotrus (submissions), Toa Nidhiki05 (submissions), 12george1 (submissions), The Bushranger (submissions) and 1111tomica (submissions). We hope to see you all next year.

On the subject of next year, a discussion has been opened here. Come and have your say about the competition, and how you'd like it to run in the future. This brainstorming will go on for some time before more focused discussions/polls are opened. As ever, if you are concerned that your nomination—whether it is at good article candidates, a featured process, or anywhere else—will not receive the necessary reviews, please list it on Misplaced Pages:WikiCup/Reviews. Questions are welcome on Misplaced Pages talk:WikiCup, and the judges are reachable on their talk pages or by email. Good luck! If you wish to start or stop receiving this newsletter, please feel free to add or remove yourself from Misplaced Pages:WikiCup/Newsletter/Send. J Milburn (talk • email) and The ed17 (talk • email) 00:20, 1 September 2012 (UTC)

= South Ossetia =

Republic of South OssetiaРеспубликæ Хуссар Ирыстон (Ossetian) Respublikæ Xussar Iryston სამხრეთი ოსეთი (Georgian) Samxreti Oseti Республика Южная Осетия (Russian) Respublika Yuzhnaya Osetiya
Flag Emblem
Anthem: National Anthem of South Ossetia
Map of South Ossetia
South Ossetia (in green) with Georgia proper and Abkhazia (in grey)
Capital	Tskhinvali
Official languages	Ossetic, Georgian, Russian
Recognised regional languages	Georgian
Government	Semi-presidential republic
• President	Leonid Tibilov
• Prime Minister	Rostislav Khugayev
Legislature	Parliament
Independence from Georgia
• Declared	28 November 1991
• Recognized	26 August 2008
Area
• Total	3,900 km (1,500 sq mi)
• Water (%)	negligible
Population
• 2007 estimate	72,000
• Density	18/km (46.6/sq mi)
Currency	Russian ruble (RUB)
Time zone	UTC+3
Drives on	Right
Russian language is the "official language of government authorities, public administration and local self-government". Recognised by only a few countries internationally.

South Ossetia (/əˈsɛtiə/ ə-SET-ee-ə or /ɒˈsiːʃə/ o-SEE-shə; Template:Lang-os, Xussar Iryston; Georgian: სამხრეთი ოსეთი, Samxreti Oseti; Template:Lang-ru, Yuzhnaya Osetiya) or Tskhinvali Region (Georgian: ცხინვალის რეგიონი, Tsxinvalis regioni; Template:Lang-ru, Tskhinvalskiy region) is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic in the USSR.

South Ossetians declared independence from Georgia in 1990, calling themselves the Republic of South Ossetia. The Georgian government responded by abolishing South Ossetia's autonomy and trying to retake the region by force. This led to the 1991–1992 South Ossetia War. Georgian fighting against those controlling South Ossetia occurred on two other occasions, in 2004 and 2008. The last conflict led to the 2008 South Ossetia war, during which Ossetian and Russian forces gained full, de facto control of the territory of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast.

In the wake of the 2008 South Ossetia War, Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, and Tuvalu recognized South Ossetia as an independent republic.

Georgia does not recognize the existence of South Ossetia as a political entity, and considers most of its territory a part of the Shida Kartli region under Georgian sovereignty, occupied by the Russian army.

History

Medieval and early modern period

The Ossetians are believed to originate from the Alans, a Sarmatian tribe. They became Christian during the early Middle Ages, under the Byzantine and Georgian influences. Under Mongol rule, they were pushed out of their medieval homeland south of the Don River in present-day Russia and part migrated towards and over the Caucasus mountains (into the kingdom of Georgia and into the lands of present-day North Ossetia–Alania), where they formed three distinct territorial entities. Digor in the west came under the influence of the neighboring Kabardins, who introduced Islam. Kudar in the south became what is now South Ossetia, part of the historical Georgian principality of Samachablo where Ossetians found refuge from Mongol invaders. Irón in the north became what is now North Ossetia, under Russian rule from 1767. The vast majority of the Ossetians are Orthodox Christians; there is also a significant Muslim minority.

South Ossetia as a part of the Soviet Union

The territory that is now modern-day South Ossetia joined Russia in 1801, along with Georgia proper, and absorbed into the Russian Empire. Following the Russian Revolution, South Ossetia became a part of the Menshevik Georgian Democratic Republic, while North Ossetia became a part of the Terek Soviet Republic. "The Georgian Menshevik government accused Ossetians of cooperating with Russian Bolsheviks. A series of Ossetian rebellions took place between 1918 and 1920 during which claims were made to an independent territory. Violence broke out in 1920 when Georgian Mensheviks sent National Guards and regular army units to Tskhinvali to crush the uprisings. Ossetian sources claim that about 5,000 Ossetians were killed and more than 13,000 subsequently died from hunger and epidemics".

The Soviet Georgian government established after the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1921 created the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast in April 1922. Although the Ossetians had their own language (Ossetian), Russian and Georgian were administrative/state languages. Under the rule of Georgia's government during Soviet times, it enjoyed partial autonomy, including speaking the Ossetian language and teaching it in schools.

Georgian-Ossetian conflict

1989–2008

The tensions in the region began to rise amid the rising nationalism among both Georgians and Ossetians in 1989. Before this, the two communities of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast of the Georgian SSR had been living in peace with each other except for the 1918-1920 events. Both ethnicities have had a high level of interaction and high rates of intermarriages.

The influential South Ossetian Popular Front (Ademon Nykhas) was created in 1988. On 10 November 1989, the South Ossetian regional council asked the Georgian Supreme Council for the region to be upgraded to that of "autonomous republic". In 1989, the Georgian Supreme Council established Georgian as the principal language countrywide.

The Georgian Supreme Council adopted a law barring regional parties in summer 1990. This was interpreted by Ossetians as a move against Ademon Nykhas and led to Ossetians proclaiming South Ossetia as the South Ossetian Democratic Republic on September 20, 1990, fully sovereign within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Ossetians boycotted subsequent Georgian parliamentary elections and held their own contest in December. The Georgian government headed by Zviad Gamsakhurdia declared this election illegitimate and abolished South Ossetia's autonomous status altogether on 11 December 1990.

Violent conflict broke out towards the end of 1990. Russian and Georgian interior ministry troops were dispatched to South Ossetia in December, with war starting on January 5, 1991, when Georgian troops entered Tskhinvali. The fighting was characterised by general disregard for international humanitarian law by uncontrollable militias, with both sides reporting atrocities. During the war, many South Ossetian villages were attacked and burned, as were Georgian houses and schools in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia. As a result, approximately 1,000 died and about 100,000 ethnic Ossetians fled the territory and Georgia proper, most across the border into North Ossetia. A further 23,000 ethnic Georgians fled South Ossetia and settled in other parts of Georgia. Many South Ossetians were resettled in uninhabited areas of North Ossetia from which the Ingush had been expelled by Stalin in 1944, leading to conflicts between Ossetians and Ingush over the right of residence in former Ingush territory.

The western part of South Ossetia was affected by the 1991 Racha-Java earthquake, which killed 200 and left 300 families homeless.

In 1992, Georgia accepted a ceasefire to avoid a large scale confrontation with Russia. The government of Georgia and South Ossetian separatists reached an agreement to avoid the use of force against one another, and Georgia pledged not to impose sanctions against South Ossetia. However, the Georgian government still retained control over substantial portions of South Ossetia, including the town of Akhalgori. A peacekeeping force of Ossetians, Russians and Georgians was established. On 6 November 1992, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) set up a mission in Georgia to monitor the peacekeeping operation. From then until mid-2004 South Ossetia was generally peaceful. In June 2004, serious tensions began to rise as the Georgian authorities strengthened their efforts to bring the region back under Tbilisi rule, by establishing an alternative pro-Georgian government for South Ossetia in Tbilisi. Georgia also sent police to close down a vast black market complex, which was one of the region's chief sources of revenue, leading to fighting by Georgian troops and peacekeepers against South Ossetian militiamen and freelance fighters from Russia. Hostage takings, shootouts and occasional bombings left dozens dead and wounded. A ceasefire deal was reached on 13 August though it was repeatedly violated.

The Georgian government protested against the continually increasing Russian economic and political presence in the region and against the uncontrolled military of the South Ossetian side. It also considered the peacekeeping force (consisting in equal parts of South Ossetians, North Ossetians, Russians and Georgians) to be non-neutral and demanded its replacement. This criticism was supported by the U.S. senator Richard Lugar. EU South Caucasus envoy Peter Semneby said later that "Russia's actions in the Georgia spy row have damaged its credibility as a neutral peacekeeper in the EU's Black Sea neighbourhood." Later, Joseph Biden (Chairman, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee), Richard Lugar, and Mel Martinez sponsored a resolution accusing Russia of attempting to undermine Georgia's territorial integrity and called for replacing the Russian-manned peacekeeping force operating under CIS mandate.

2008 War

The prelude to the conflict began with violent clashes on Wednesday, 6 August 2008 with both sides claiming having been fired upon by the other. Separatist authorities in South Ossetia said that Georgia shelled South Ossetian villages, killing six Ossetians. The Georgian interior ministry claimed Georgian forces had returned fire only after South Ossetian positions shelled Georgian-controlled villages injuring six civilians and one Georgian policeman. The Georgian interior ministry accused the South Ossetian side of "trying to create an illusion of serious escalation, an illusion of war." In addition, the commander of the Georgian peacekeeping unit, General Kurashvili, accused the Russian peacekeepers of participating in the shelling of the Georgian villages. South Ossetia denied provoking the conflict.

According to Moscow Defense Brief, over the course of several days in early August, the Georgians concentrated a significant number of troops and equipment, including the full 2nd, 3rd and 4th Infantry Brigades, the Artillery Brigade, the elements of the 1st Infantry Brigade, the separate Gori Tank Battalion, among others — all in all, up to 16,000 men — in the Georgian enclaves in the South Ossetian conflict zone, under cover of providing support for the exchange of fire with Ossetian formations." International Institute for Strategic Studies and Western intelligence experts give a lower estimate, saying that the Georgians had amassed about 12,000 troops and 75 tanks on the South Ossetian border by 7 August.

On 7 August, Georgian and Ossetian forces agreed on a ceasefire. However, in the first hours of 8 August 2008, Georgia launched a massive attack. According to a report prepared by the Georgian government, the Georgian army acted after a large number of Russian troops and around 150 armored vehicles and trucks entered the South Ossetia territory through the Roki tunnel on the night of August 7. Allegedly the Russian military and Ossetian militia started a heavy artillery bombardment of the Georgian populated village Tamarasheni located on the outskirts of Tskhinvali at 9pm on August 7. However, an OSCE monitoring group in Tskhinvali did not record outgoing artillery fire from the South Ossetian side in the hours before the start of Georgian bombardment, and NATO officials attest to minor skirmishes but nothing that amounted to a provocation, according to Der Spiegel. Georgia's claim that it responded to a large-scale Russian invasion has received little support from Georgia's allies, the US and NATO.

Though it was widely claimed by Georgian Authorities that the war was started by Russians, the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia led by Heidi Tagliavini clearly stated that it was started by Georgian shelling of South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali . Erosi Kitsmarishvili, Georgia's former ambassador to Moscow and a confidant of President Mikheil Saakashvili, in his testimony to the Parliament of Georgia said that Georgian government was preparing to start the war in South Ossetia.

After a prolonged artillery attack, Georgian troops with tanks and air support entered South Ossetian-controlled territory. On the same day, twelve Russian peacekeepers were killed and nearly 150 injured. Heavy fighting was reported in Tskhinvali for most of 8 August, with Georgian forces attempting to push Ossetians slowly from the city. The following day, Russia deployed forces into South Ossetia to remove Georgian forces from South Ossetia. Additionally, Russia targeted Georgia's military infrastructure to reduce Georgia's ability to conduct another incursion. Russian troops and the South Ossetians pushed the Georgian army out of South Ossetia and moved farther, occupying Gori, Kareli, Kaspi and Igoeti in Georgia proper. Parallel to these events Russian forces also entered western Georgia from another breakaway region of Abkhazia occupying Zugdidi, Senaki and the major Georgian port of Poti.

Following an EU sponsored cease-fire between Georgia and Russia, Russia pulled its forces back to Russia and South Ossetia, finishing the withdrawal by 8 October. The war left mostly Ossetian city Tskhinvali in ruins, ethnic Georgian villages burnt and razed to the ground, leaving 24,000 Ossetians and 15,000 ethnic Georgians displaced, according to an Amnesty International report.

Geography

South Ossetia covers an area of about 3,900 km (1,506 sq mi) on the southern side of the Caucasus, separated by the mountains from the more populous North Ossetia (part of Russia) and extending southwards almost to the Mtkvari river in Georgia. It is extremely mountainous, with most of the region lying over 1,000 m (3,281 ft) above sea level, and its highest point is the Mount Khalatsa, at 3,938 m (12,920 ft) above sea level. Its economy is primarily agricultural, although less than 10% of South Ossetia's land area is cultivated. Cereals, fruit and vines are the major produce. Forestry and cattle industries are also maintained. A number of industrial facilities also exist, particularly around the capital, Tskhinvali.

Political status

The European Union, Council of Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and most UN member countries do not recognize South Ossetia as an independent state. The de facto republic governed by the secessionist government held a second independence referendum on 12 November 2006, after its first referendum in 1992 was not recognized by most governments as valid. According to the Tskhinvali election authorities, the referendum turned out a majority for independence from Georgia where 99% of South Ossetian voters supported independence and the turnout for the vote was 95%. The referendum was monitored by a team of 34 international observers from Germany, Austria, Poland, Sweden and other countries at 78 polling stations. However, it was not recognized internationally by the UN, European Union, OSCE, NATO and the Russian Federation, given the lack of ethnic Georgian participation and the legality of such a referendum without recognition from the Georgian government in Tbilisi. The European Union, OSCE and NATO condemned the referendum.

Parallel to the secessionist held referendum and elections, to Eduard Kokoity, the current President of South Ossetia, the Ossetian opposition movement (People of South Ossetia for Peace) organized their own elections in contemporaneously Georgian-controlled areas within South Ossetia, in which Georgian and some Ossetian inhabitants of the region voted in favour of Dmitry Sanakoyev as the alternative President of South Ossetia. The alternative elections of Sanakoyev claimed full support of the ethnic Georgian population.

In April 2007, Georgia created the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia and staffed by ethnic Ossetian members of the separatist movement. Dmitry Sanakoyev was assigned as the leader of the Entity. It was intended that this provisional administration would negotiate with central Georgian authorities regarding its final status and conflict resolution. On 10 May 2007, Sanakoyev was appointed by the President of Georgia as the Head of South Ossetian Provisional Administrative Entity.

On July 13, 2007, Georgia set up a state commission, chaired by the Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli, to develop South Ossetia's autonomous status within the Georgian state. According to the Georgian officials, the status was to be elaborated within the framework of "an all-inclusive dialogue" with all the forces and communities within the Ossetian society.

Following the 2008 South Ossetia war, Russia recognized South Ossetia as independent. This unilateral recognition by Russia was met by condemnation from Western Blocs, such as NATO, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the European Council due to the violation of Georgia's territorial integrity. The EU's diplomatic response to the news was delayed by disagreements between Eastern European states and the UK wanting a harsher response and Germany, France, and other states' desire not to isolate Russia. Former US envoy Richard Holbrooke said the conflict could encourage separatist movements in other former Soviet states along Russia's western border. Several days later, Nicaragua became the second country to recognize South Ossetia. Venezuela recognised South Ossetia on September 10, 2009, becoming the third UN member state to do so.

On August 30, 2008, Tarzan Kokoity, the Deputy Speaker of South Ossetia's parliament, announced that the region would soon be absorbed into Russia, so that South and North Ossetians could live together in one united Russian state. Russian and South Ossetian forces began giving residents in Akhalgori, the biggest town in the predominantly ethnic Georgian eastern part of South Ossetia, the choice of accepting Russian citizenship or leaving. However, Eduard Kokoity, the current president of South Ossetia, later stated that South Ossetia would not forgo its independence by joining Russia: “We are not going to say no to our independence, which has been achieved at the expense of many lives; South Ossetia has no plans to join Russia." Civil Georgia has said that this statement contradicts previous ones made by Kokoity earlier that day, when he indicated that South Ossetia would join North Ossetia in the Russian Federation.

During the opening ceremony of a new building of the Georgian Embassy in Kiev (Ukraine) in November 2009 Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili stated that residents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia could also use its facilities "I would like to assure you, my dear friends, that this is your home, as well, and here you will always be able to find support and understanding".

Law on Occupied Territories of Georgia

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In late October 2008 President Saakashvili signed into law legislation on the occupied territories passed by the Georgian Parliament. The law covers the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (territories of former South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast). The law spells out restrictions on free movement and economic activity in the territories. In particular, according to the law, foreign citizens should enter the two breakaway regions only through Georgia proper. Entry into Abkhazia should be carried out from the Zugdidi District and into South Ossetia from the Gori District. The major road leading to South Ossetia from the rest of Georgia passes through the Gori District.

The legislation, however, also lists "special cases" in which entry into the breakaway regions will not be regarded as illegal. It stipulates that "a special permit" on entry into the breakaway regions can be issued if the trip there "serves Georgia’s state interests; peaceful resolution of the conflict; de-occupation or humanitarian purposes." The law also bans "any type of economic activity – entrepreneurial or non- entrepreneurial," if such activities require permits, licenses or registration in accordance with Georgian legislation. It also bans air, sea and railway communications and international transit via the regions, mineral exploration and money transfers. The provision covering economic activities is retroactive, going back to 1990.

The law says that the Russian Federation – the state "which has carried out military occupation" – is fully responsible for the violation of human rights in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Russian Federation, according to the document, is also responsible for compensation of "material and moral damage inflicted on Georgian citizens, stateless persons and foreign citizens, who are in Georgia and enter the occupied territories with appropriate permits." The law also says that de facto state agencies and officials operating in the occupied territories are regarded as "illegal." The law will remain in force until "the full restoration" of Georgian jurisdiction over the breakaway regions is realised.

Politics

Politics of South Ossetia
Constitution
Executive President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloev Prime Minister of South Ossetia Konstantin Dzhussoev
LegislatureParliament of South Ossetia Chairman Alan Tadtaev Political parties
Elections Elections Presidential: 2017 2022 Parliamentary: 2019 2024
Administrative divisions First level: Four Raions Second level: Towns / cities
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Dmitry Medoyev International recognition Provisional Administration of South Ossetia Politics of Georgia Georgian–Ossetian conflict Proposed Russian annexation of South Ossetia Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Diplomatic missions of / in South Ossetia
Other countries
v t e

Until the armed conflict of August 2008, South Ossetia consisted of a checkerboard of Georgian-inhabited and Ossetian-inhabited towns and villages. The largely Ossetian capital city of Tskhinvali and most of the other Ossetian-inhabited communities were governed by the separatist government, while the Georgian-inhabited villages and towns were administered by the Georgian government. This close proximity and the intermixing of the two communities has made the Georgian–Ossetian conflict particularly dangerous, since any attempt to create an ethnically pure territory would involve population transfers on a large scale.

The political dispute has yet to be resolved and the South Ossetian separatist authorities govern the region with effective independence from Tbilisi. Although talks have been held periodically between the two sides, little progress was made under the government of Eduard Shevardnadze (1993–2003). His successor Mikheil Saakashvili (elected 2004) made the reassertion of Georgian governmental authority a political priority. Having successfully put an end to the de facto independence of the southwestern province of Ajaria in May 2004, he pledged to seek a similar solution in South Ossetia. After the 2004 clashes, the Georgian government has intensified its efforts to bring the problem to international attention. On 25 January 2005, President Saakashvili presented a Georgian vision for resolving the South Ossetian conflict at the PACE session in Strasbourg. Late in October, the US government and the OSCE expressed their support to the Georgian action plan presented by Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli at the OSCE Permanent Council at Vienna on 27 October 2005. On 6 December, the OSCE Ministerial Council in Ljubljana adopted a resolution supporting the Georgian peace plan which was subsequently rejected by the South Ossetian de facto authorities.

Republic of South Ossetia

On September 11, 2006, the South Ossetian Information and Press Committee announced that the republic would hold an independence referendum (the first referendum had not been recognized by the international community as valid in 1992) on 12 November 2006. The voters would decide on whether or not South Ossetia "should preserve its present de facto status of an independent state". Georgia denounced the move as a "political absurdity". However, on 13 September 2006, the Council of Europe (CoE) Secretary General Terry Davis commented on the problem, stating that it would be unlikely that anyone would accept the results of this referendum and instead urged South Ossetian government to engage in the negotiations with Georgia. On 13 September 2006 European Union Special Representative to the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, while visiting Moscow, said: "results of the South Ossetian independence referendum will have no meaning for the European Union". Peter Semneby also added that this referendum would not contribute to the peaceful conflict resolution process in South Ossetia.

Ethnic Ossetians and Russians living in South Ossetia nearly unanimously approved a referendum on 12 November 2006 opting for independence from Georgia. The referendum was hugely popular, winning between 98 and 99 percent of the ballots, flag waving and celebration marked were seen across South Ossetia, but elsewhere observers were less enthusiastic. Ethnic Georgians living in South Ossetia boycotted the referendum. International critics claimed that the move could worsen regional tensions, and the Tbilisi government thoroughly discounted the results. "Everybody needs to understand, once and for all, that no amount of referenda or elections will move Georgia to give up that which belongs to the Georgian people by God's will," declared Georgi Tsagareishvili, leader of the Industrialist’s bloc in Georgia's parliament.

The People of South Ossetia for Peace was founded in October 2006 by the ethnic Ossetians who were outspoken critics and presented a serious opposition to secessionist authorities of Eduard Kokoity.

The group headed by the former defence minister and then prime minister of secessionist government Dmitry Sanakoyev organized the so-called alternative presidential election, on 12 November 2006– parallel to those held by the secessionist authorities in Tskhinvali. High voter turnout was reported by the alternative electoral commission, which estimated over 42,000 voters from both Ossetian (Java district and Tskhinvali) and Georgian (Eredvi, Tamarasheni, etc.) communities of South Ossetia and Sanakoyev reportedly received 96% of the votes. Another referendum was organized shortly after asking for the start of negotiations with Georgia on a federal arrangement for South Ossetia received 94% support.

Initially the entity of Sanakoyev was known as "the Alternative Government of South Ossetia", but during the course of 2007 the central authorities of Georgia decided to give it official status and on 13 April the formation of "Provisional Administration of South Ossetia" was announced. On 10 May 2007 Dmitry Sanakoyev was appointed head of the provisional administrative entity in South Ossetia.

An EU fact finding team visited the region in January 2007. Per Eklund, Head of the Delegation of the European Community to Georgia said that “None of the two alternatives do we consider legitimate .”

The republic held its fourth presidential elections in November 2011. Eduard Kokoity was not allowed to run for president for the third time by the constitution. Anatoly Bibilov, supported by Russian authorities and Alla Dzhioeva, backed by main South Ossetian opposition figures, got about a quarter votes each and will participate in the run-off vote. A run-off was won by Dzhioyeva on November 27, 2011, but the result were invalidated by the Supreme Court of South Ossetia. Leonid Tibilov won the 2012 election over David Sanakoyev after a run-off.

Demographics

Before the Georgian-Ossetian conflict roughly two-thirds of the population of South Ossetia was Ossetian and 25-30% was Georgian. The eastern quarter of the country, around the town and district of Akhalgori, was predominantly Georgian, while the center and west were predominantly Ossete. Much of the mountainous north is scarcely inhabited. (See map at Languages of the Caucasus.)

Because the statistical office of Georgia was not able to conduct the 2002 Georgian census in South Ossetia, the present composition of the population of South Ossetia is unknown, although according to some estimates there were 47,000 ethnic Ossetians and 17,500 ethnic Georgians in South Ossetia in 2007.

2009 Population Estimate: During the war, HRW stated that 15,000 Georgians fled and a total of 500 citizens of South Ossetia were killed. This left the estimated population at 54,500. However Russia's reconstruction plan involving 600 million dollars in aid to South Ossetia may have spurred immigration into the de facto independent republic, especially with Russia's movement of 3,700 soldiers into South Ossetia, in order to prevent further incursions. RIA Novosti places the population of South Ossetia at 80,000, although this figure is probably too optimistic.

Economy

Following a war with Georgia in the 1990s, South Ossetia struggled economically. South Ossetian GDP was estimated at US$ 15 million (US$ 250 per capita) in a work published in 2002. Employment and supplies are scarce. Additionally, Georgia cut off supplies of electricity to the region, which forced the South Ossetian government to run an electric cable through North Ossetia. The majority of the population survives on subsistence farming. Virtually the only significant economic asset that South Ossetia possesses is control of the Roki Tunnel that used to link Russia and Georgia, from which the South Ossetian government reportedly obtains as much as a third of its budget by levying customs duties on freight traffic.

President Eduard Kokoity has admitted that his country is seriously dependent on Russian economic assistance.

South Ossetia's poverty threshold stood at 3,062 rubles a month in the fourth quarter of 2007, or 23.5 percent below Russia’s average, while South Ossetians have incomparably smaller incomes.

Before the 2008 South Ossetia war, South Ossetia's industry consisted of 22 small factories, with a total production of 61.6 million rubles in 2006. In 2007, only 7 factories were functioning. In March, 2009, it was reported that most of the production facilities were standing idle and were in need of repairs. Even successful factories have a shortage of workers, are in debt and have a shortage of working capital. One of the largest local enterprises is the Emalprovod factory, which has 130 employees.

The South Ossetian authorities are planning to improve finances by boosting the local production of flour and thus reducing the need for flour imports. For this purpose, the area planted with wheat was increased tenfold in 2008 from 130 hectares to 1,500 hectares. The wheat harvest in 2008 was expected to be 2,500 tons of grain. The South Ossetian Agriculture ministry also imported some tractors in 2008, and was expecting delivery of more farm machinery in 2009.

Russia planned to spend 10 billion rubles in the restoration of South Ossetia in 2009.

Much of the economy is based around the presence of Russian military forces.

Education

The country's principal university is South Ossetia State University in Tskhinval. After the Russo-Georgian War in 2008, education officials attempted to place most college-bound students from Southern Ossetia in Russian post-secondary education institutions.

Culture

• Kosta Khetagurov

Gallery

• Pictures from South Ossetia
• Scenery in central South Ossetia.
• A South Ossetian woman.
• South Ossetian performers.
• School Number 2 in Tshkinvali.
• Kusdzhytae, South Ossetia.

See also

{{{inline}}}

• Military of South Ossetia
• Self-determination

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