The Chechen Times

MALIKA

One place in Leo Tolstoy's "Haji-Murat" has always struck me. During the period of "a voluntarily accession of Chechnya to Russia" critics, as a rule, hushed up these moments. That is how Russian officer, count Leo Tolstoy described the devastation of a mountainous Chechen village and mountaineers' reaction to it: "No one spoke about hatred against Russians. The feeling all the Chechens experienced was stronger than hatred. That wasn't hatred, but non-recognition of these Russian dogs as human beings and such aversion, disgust and bewilderment before an absurd cruelty of these creatures, and the desire to exterminate them as well as the desire to exterminate rats, poisonous spiders and wolfs, was as natural as the feeling of self-preservation."

Sometimes we see on TV "heroes" of the Chechen war being awarded. Some of them are awarded in the Kremlin (probably, the most brave), others in Chechnya, on "the fronts." Words about heroism, courage are customary... I look into their faces, cleaned to receive medals, trying to recognize their true faces. Let's take that man, for example. A bulged chest, eyes are heroically shining, he is clean and neat (of course, a soul can be cleaned from outside), he measures out his step when heading for a "deserved" award.

At such moments an obtrusive thought haunts me: whether or not this particular person could raise his hand at an unarmed woman? Even by a supreme command, i.e. an order? Come in the night, knock on the door of a house where only women stay, take out the one of his mother's age and shoot dead? Whether or not he could do that? Probably, he could. And they did it.

That happened on November 30, 2002. The murderers came secretly in the night. Under the guise of night and the curfew. They knew that no on would dare interfering. And they killed her. They killed Malika Umazheva. For she loved her village, her fellow villagers, and could not see people's grief and death.

She was killed cowardly, on the quiet. And then they lied saying that was an intimidation action from the side of rebels aimed against heads of administrations.

Malika had irritated the military for a long time. She did not keep silence, she could not put up with lie, endless "cleaning up operations," looting, humiliation, abductions, executions... There were attempts to threaten her. Then she was openly defamed. Do you remember fairytales about half a bucket of diamonds and $600,000 allegedly found at Malika's? She talked about all of that at a press conference in Nazran on July 29, 2002, and four months later she was killed.

It is possible to judge about Malika from her report. We publish it making no corrections.

"Today I am the head of the administration in the settlement of 20,000 - Alkhan-Kala. I have been working in the position for the second year. After leaving school I began with Komsomol, then - a chair of the trade union committee, after that I worked for three years as a chair of the local executive committee to later become a party organizer. My working day started at 6 am and ended at 12 am.

I shall tell you about my present job. There was a "zachistka" from April 11 through 15. General Branitsky headed the operation. That was he who killed my brother. He was an innocent man. But one thing is to kill, another is to kill cruelly. He was killed with cruelty. He was tortured, there are his death pictures. He was only 33.

When I approached General Branitsky I said: he was like an angel, an honest boy. He replied: "We'll find everything out." And he kept his word. My brother was tortured with am aluminum spoon, they skinned him (a type of torture used by Russian troops in Chechnya: a sharpened spoon is used to skin fingers - editor's note), beat with electroshock. He lied there with swelled hands. And he said: "The main thing, do not tell Malika I am in such condition." They came in and emptied a magazine into him. When I asked Ferlevsky (deputy prosecutor of the North Caucasian military district - editor's note) why did you do that, he answers: "He showed resistance." How could he show resistance with such hands, he could not even take up a towel?

We can talk about it all over the day. We won't have time enough. And that is not the only case. 252 persons were killed in Alkhan-Kala. 60 are missing. The list can be broadened. Where does such cruelty in people come from? Many times I asked the question: what mother did give you birth? Under what sky have you been brought up?

I went under tanks, machine-gun bursts fired above me - I hate talking about it. We try to prove, to remind them of the order ¹80 issued by Moltenskoy (the order about "soft zachistkas," urging soldiers to observe certain legal norms during "passport regime examinations" - editor's note). It's a pity that Vladimir Moltenskoy is being put into such role - take this order to a certain place mentioned by Putin, i.e. "toilet" - I want to apologize for such tactless expression. Looting, and so on, and so on. And you begin educating them. But such people cannot be educated. I feel sorry for Russia. I was born in that Russia, I studied there. I imagined no life without Russia.

It's a pity. Grachev came with a two-hour program - two years past. He trampled down our souls and the Chechen land - and they left. And each time you ask a question - a counter blow follows: why did Chechens raided upon Dagestan? That is one thing why did enter Dagestan, but why did you allow them to leave it if you were not together?

Then, while talking about negotiations, what can be said? What talks can be conducted? I think this way. When George W. Bush Jr. headed for Russia residents of Alkhan-Kala addressed him with a request: you are the president of a leading world state, please make effort to stop the bloodshed. I feel sorry for the people who sit in chairs and wait - so that nothing goes wrong, and they are not hurt. The people is suffering. I will say for my people - there are 20,000 residents in my village. 99.9% of these people shall be rehabilitated, they need to restore their health. We can say they are not totally normal,
sane.

I have three nieces, they have neither father nor mother. They put something to take it up again, but they make 30 circles and fail to do it. They have no mind to take it up.

Everything that is going on - is inhuman. If every person makes a contribution to stop the bloodshed, to put an end to the war, then we can achieve something. A river begins with a small source. Everyone shall make a contribution, a journalist, a writer, a metalworker. Of course, nothing can be achieved easily, if we overcome ourselves - a peace will set in.

I shall say not all Russians as Branitsky. After Branitsky General Viktor Sobolev arrived to conduct another "zachistka," may god bless him. They are absolutely different, although there were marauders in his brigade. Recently district commandant Yevgeny Skory visited our village - you know, we did not even believe there can be such "cleaning up operations." We have been "cleaned up" so often that we are already pearl like, we shine from these "zachistkas." But this time nothing and no one was taken away. And people ask - do they deliberately conduct such "cleaning up operations" to later liquidate us altogether? ... You know, people are tired and exhausted. If they wanted, they could take anything, but they took nothing, no one was tortured.

Now we are talking about a referendum - to be or not to be within Russia. We shall cross all "t's." If during the first war 90% were in favor of Russia, today 90% are against Russia. And I ask a question: what are you doing? Do you have a special program - to make people abandon the desire to live within Russia? Do you deliberately make every resident of Chechnya to turn away from Russia? How can everything be taken from an old man - a Hajji, when he says the money is for a black day! He was knocked down with rifle butts. Such barbarity, cruelty cannot be described!

We ring all the bells. On May 26 eight states of the world, representatives of the Council of Europe visited Alkhan-Kala. And every resident of Alkhan-Kala expressed his/her grief. Can you imagine, 250 residents were killed? But they feel better than 60 who are still missing. No gravestone, nothing, 60 families are in such condition.

We have six enterprises in the village. Alkhan-Kala is a big industrial settlement. A working enterprise, Yermolovsky DOCK, was blown up. A 50-meter-long building was blown up together with people -those present here saw dismembered bodies. And after that they say "we restore the Constitutional order?" I feel ashamed for Russia. I feel sorry for Russia. I compare today with the times of Marshal Malinovsky, Marshal Rokossovsky - the military were our pride. They were invited to attend children's matinees. If we faced snow avalanches, a flood - soldiers helped us. And when soldiers sing songs - children sleep well. Today we have no "goon night."

I shall tell you a story. A colonel from Krasnodar, he introduced himself as Nimolai Ivanovich. I ask him: are we Russian citizens? He says: yes. Then if death penalty is abolished in Russia why does it exist for residents of Chechnya? He shrugs shoulders. You know, we have such policy: freeze and come here simultaneously. That means we are not considered Russian citizens. The Constitutional order, for example, is not applied to residents of Alkhan-Kala. During these three years we were cut up.

And I repeat, it is much easier to break. We make people return from refugee camps. Where shall they return to? There are no roads in Alkhan-Kala, three bridges are gone. God bless Zulai Bagalova, at a difficult moment she found money for us to buy flour, sugar, people had nothing left. I want to say - there is no electricity, no job - only problems. But if we say we struggle against banditry, we shall first of all create conditions for people to begin working, to honestly earn their living.

And then sensitive information against me appeared - a half bucket of diamonds and $600,000 were reportedly found at my house - it's a shame! Believe, I feel ashamed for Russia. Such people as Branitsky and Kvashnin defamed Russia, I feel sorry for it. 20,000 residents burst out laughing. After such incidents people do not want news, nothing: we know what they are talking about.

That's not the way it should be. Do you imagine my condition. A magazine was emptied in my house. My mother is 88. My nieces are orphans. Two APCs and an Ural truck arrived as flies, we could not even move. And they swore! I am 50 years old and I did not know I am a bitch and a whore. I say: if you treat the head of the administration like that, what shall my poor fellow villagers feel! I do not know where such people come from. I know only one thing for sure: make Branitsky face war tribunal, others will not do it again.

May god bless human rights activists Orlov and Lipkhan. We were lucky that they arrived. Oleg Petrovich told me: "Malika, what did they take away from your house?" I answered: "Nothing." And thanks to these people I am standing here today. I do not know for how long I will stand, but I am still upright.

We talk a lot about it, but I will say one thing: the Almighty will not allow us eat tasty and sleep softly. We shall ring all the bells. Blood is being shed. This human pain cannot be described. I run deadly risks, I live not an easy life but I think: for the sake of the Almighty I will make a contribution to stop the bloodshed. And why don't we cry - people shall understand a cry from the heart: to stop this dirty war. This is a profitable war. They came here to make fortunes. But the money will turn out to be blood and pain! Those who believe, who read Bible, Koran - everything comes back. I ask, no matter where you are. Press or not - talks are necessary to stop the bloodshed. I am tired, sometimes I ask myself a question: God, where shall I put myself? Where? I ring all the bells - that is my condition.

Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you very much."

Leo Tolstoy wrote: "Women's sobbing was heard in all houses. Babies were crying together with their mothers. Hungry livestock howled, people had nothing to feed it with. Children did not play, they looked at adults with frightened eyes."

And today our women also sob and children cry. The genocide continues. How much strength and patience do we need to endure this pain and humiliation? How many innocent lives shall we sacrifice for people to understand that nothing can be achieved by means of terror, cruelty, killings, tortures. Didn't Malika speak about it in her report? What shall be done for people to demand: "It is time to stop this massacre!"

In the very beginning of "Haji-Murat" Leo Tolstoy wrote about a bush of "thistle" ran over by a cart: "As if a piece of body was torn out, an arm cut off, an eye put out. But it still stands upright, does snot yield to the man destroying its neighbors."

That symbol reminded me of Chechnya. And of Malika's fate. She was a heroic woman. The whole village - are eyewitnesses. All those whom she defended running deadly risks. Do you remember words from her report: "I do not know for how long I will stand, but I am still upright."

On a death picture she is in a puddle of blood. People say she was killed with a shot in a temple. To be on the safe side. Her killers will probably also be decorated. I would like to look at a person who pulled the trigger.

[29.04.2003] F. Soyarimova