INFORMATION CENTER OF THE SOCIETY OF RUSSIAN-CHECHEN FRIENDSHIP
Press release No. 332, December
30, 2002
Report from Ingushetia
What is going on in the village Aki-Yurt?
The situation in the refugee camp "Iman" seen with the eyes of migrants and our
correspondent
Last time I was in the refugee camp "Iman" (In Chechen means "belief") in spring
2001. The tent camp situated on the territory of collective farm of the village
Aki-Yurt (Malgobek district) differed greatly from analogous temporary camps in
Ingushetia. Primary and secondary schools in neat wooden houses built by Austrian
humanitarian organization "Hilfswerk", gas pipeline laid on to every tent, asphalt
pavements and even flowers grown by migrants near the places of their temporary
habitations… All that after half-destroyed cowsheds of the village Nasyr-Yurt
and invariable dirt of the tent camp "Bart" situated in swale was a pleasant surprise.
It seemed faces of people who lived there reflected less despair so common for
refugees.
Till last time 3 800 lived there, a rehabilitation centre for children, automobile
engineering school, sport gym, unarmed self-defense school, hairdressing saloon
functioned.
Today it is impossible to recognize the camp "Iman". To say correctly, the camp
does not exist. Covered with snow asphalt pavements divide the camp into yawning
black square spots - places of former tents. Pieces of cut tents lie on
the ground. The scene reminds us about archeological dig of an ancient abandoned
town with excavated asphalt roads and basements of houses, ruined buildings, walls
… Only 16 clay houses that survived by miracle stand apart.
What happened? Has the situation in the Chechen Republic in the previous
month changed so radically that in the period of severe winter frosts hundreds
of people gathered their possessions and moved to their motherland?
I asked the last inhabitants of the "ancient settlement" in Aki-Yurt about that.
Move the tent away and live the way you like…
House No. 1. Length - 7-8 meters, width - about 4 meters. Plus a small board lobby.
Two small windows. The walls are black from soot, along the perimeter of
the room - wide floorings and two-tiered beds, the place is left for only a small
iron stove put in the centre. And children - from one-year-old babies to teenagers.
They are everywhere - on the beds, floorings, on the floor, run, crawl, go in
and out, and it is impossible to count them. They are black from soot as
the interior. The head of the family is Salaudi Dukhigov aged 39 and his
30-year-old wife Elena Ilyichyova.
- I, Dukhigov Salaudi Salambekovich, was born in Chechnya, in Achkhoi-Martan district,
since 1970 I have lived in Russia. In Kazakhstan I married a Russian girl. In
1993 I returned to Chechnya. After the first war I lived in Grozny, Zavodsky district.
In 1999 the second war started and I had to move here, to Ingushetia, to this
camp. Here we have been living in relatively good conditions, at least nobody
has complained. Humanitarian organizations helped, once in two months -
Ministry for Emergency Cases.
Everything started in September. First they came and asked to leave the camp,
then started threatening.
- Who?
- They were the representatives of Ministry for Emergency Cases of Ingushetia.
And not long ago before the holiday Ramadan (December, 5 - S.D.), two days before
it, colonel Rostovtsev and the head of Migration Service Isa Khashiev arrived.
In Nazran there was also a short stout serviceman but I don't know him. During
the day they came to my tent for at least 20 times - I counted. At first
they suggested that we should have moved to other temporary camps -in Karabulak,
Malgobek. "You may go where you like - just take the tent away". But where
will I go with in December 20 children? While I am moving, they will all catch
cold. The frosts have just fallen.
- And how many people live here?
- 6 children are mine. 10 children from my brother's family are also with me.
His wife's brother and mother died - so 4 children are from their family, orphans.
My wife, one of my relatives and me - all in all 23 people. But recently because
of the threats on the side of militia and Migration service I had to send older
children (aged 15-17) away. They may do with me everything they want - I don't
care. Let them kill me, I won't leave this place till I'm alive. But they may
seize the
boys and then blackmail me.
- What did they threaten you with?
- They said they would put drugs and weapons stealthily. "We may find anything
we wish in your house". "UAZ" (a car) came and even now I sometimes see it in
the evening. They come and threaten. As a rule I don't stay in the house in the
evening. Neighbors also guard me. Khasiev himself threatened us that he
would pull this house down.
I've dreamt to work in UNO. My father always told me - it doesn't matter how bad
you feel, you should always help others who are in trouble. I saw that UNO members
came here - foreign and local - they really helped people a lot. But recently
I doubted my dream. Why I doubt? A man from Ingushetia came in a UNO car and offered
me a prefabricated house. They also offered it to other people. But there was
one condition - to pull down our clay houses and build new ones in a yard of some
local resident. I don't know who can build in December. And then, what is the
difference where I stay? I said, let's put all new houses in one place,
near the school or the machine- shop, even in the field. But not in somebody's
garden as they demanded. They refused. I had to sign a contract and only then
I could get a new house. Who will let me live in his garden with 20 children?
In a week they will tell me, "Go away". Where will I go?
- So you had to solve the problem of finding the place where to stay yourself?
They had never intended to resettle you?
- Of course, survive as you can. They don't want to supply us with gas or electricity.
I must do it myself and what's more - to pay the owners of the land which I am
supposed to rent.
- What do you think? Who was disturbed by you, the migrants? It was a good, comfortable
camp. Why there appeared a necessity to destroy the camp in the winter and to
"push" the migrants out? To use UNO with those prefabricated houses?
- Well, firstly, I think that the money for the camp disappeared. Secondly, we
are needed in Chechnya today. What we are needed for - the whole world knows.
For referendum. To show that migrants have returned and it is possible to start
the process. Nobody is interested in our real political position - I know it perfectly
well. They need the fact of our presence. The head of the collective farm appealed
to court that the place occupied by the camp is needed for new constructions -
in
winter! But I am sure that it is not his idea. Now I'm waiting for the court decision.
In 10 days it will come into force. Having the document in their hands police
officers will forejudge my family, destroy the house. The head of the farm has
already come here and threatened us. Some journalists were here at that time…
And of course this camp is an eyesore in our government's eye. Putin declares
that the war stopped, or is going to an end, objects are being restored, refugees
return. And at the same time correspondents go to and through, television, and
show hundreds of tents, show that nobody wishes to come back to Chechnya
while Russian forces are there. It means that Putin lies. And who wants to look
a chatter before the whole world? By the way, when they were pulling down the
houses no journalists were permitted. The camp, all roads were blockaded …
- How did they move the tents away?
- They cut them with knives, broke the doors.
- Who did it?
- Militia and migration service. There were a lot of people. About 15 cars arrived
at the school building. They made the school their headquarters, while they were
destroying the camp. The school was built in 2000. It was built especially for
migrants' children. It seems, it will be closed soon. And people here are so threatened
that they are afraid to sign appeals to defend themselves, to defend the school.
Khashiev said, "These are 3 people who have signed it. When Russians
come, you will be thrown away". Yakubov - I don't know what he is, but I know
he works in militia in Grozny - he came. I don't know what will happen next.
- Did you build the house yourself?
- This house was built by another family that moved away. Now I must pay for it
200 dollars - I bought it by installments. In 4 months I must pay the whole
sum. And at first I talked to Khashiev and Rostovtsev. I said I couldn't resettle
- my 10 children study in this school. They allowed me to stay. They said I could
live there as long as wished, only I had to take the tent away. But they said
it after they had already pulled the tent down. It was on November 27 - 28. And
I started to live in it. And now the head of the farm tells us to go away and
to live as we like. The camp commandant Ruslan who was appointed by them
says the same - we
have never voted for him, he is a local resident.
I appealed to Putin. All in vain. We addressed to Putin with the help of NTV channel.
I thought that perhaps American or other foreign TV channels will help. No result.
Now about 2000 migrants live in the village Aki-Yurt and nearby settlements. The
majority put the tents in some other places - under the sheds. In private
yards, abandoned farms … And about 150 people stayed in the clay houses
- the bravest.
Recently the law-enforcement structures invented a new trick to get rid of me.
It was rumored that I am here to let correspondents earn money. They set us against
each other. And I have children …
I appealed to UNO general secretary and asked to give us political asylum. I sent
it with the members of French organization "Doctors against hunger". I don't know
whether it will find the addressee …
What frightens most is my children's future. If they stay in such conditions for
another two years, they will grow older and really become terrorists. I'm
afraid of it most of all. I'd like to see my children in a healthy civilized society.
I wish they will be able to stand not only for themselves but for the world. I
wish they receive proper education. And now my children and I are pushed into
some abyss.
There was a rehabilitation centre for children, teachers and psychologists worked
with them. But it was liquidated together with the tents. They want to close the
school, and the farm administration has long taken notice of the houses it occupies.
Local schools don't accept our children. Perhaps, they think they should study
in heaven …
Government calls those who refused to go to Chechnya to be killed "active Maskhadov
followers", "terrorists supporters". But what a terrorist am I with 20 children?
And the last - My wife is Russian. It is one of the most serious obstacles on
my way to Chechnya. Because federals killed families, mothers or children. People
will look sidewise at us in case we return to Chechnya. The same in Russia. She
is Russian and I'm from Chechnya. There is no place for us.
Future is uncertain.
The school. A row of one-story wooden houses. At the entrance an announcement
is hung: "On December 30 at 10.00 a New Year carnival will be held. You may take
part in a contest: poems, dancing, songs, the best decorations of tables.
Only people in costumes are allowed." "Pupils from refugee school are invited
to attend computer courses. Those who wish may come on December 23 at 15.00 to
the school." Clean classes, computers, a spacious teacher's room. 103 pupils from
the 5th to 11th form study at school. "Primary school is located in other wooden
buildings. But it is only now. The houses are really very good - they will suit
the farm administration perfectly.
Unfortunately we came during the brake - the first shift has already finished
their studies and the second one hasn't started yet. Only the manager of household
Makh Yusupov and a teacher of mathematics Pasikhat Zubairaeva are in.
Makh Yusupov: The school was built in 1999 when the camp appeared. Now there is
no camp but our school still stands. The majority of migrants is not going to
return to Chechnya. But the administration promises to let them finish this school
year. And future is uncertain.
"We don't know which court considers our case".
One more house - the room is the same but the board lobby is a bit larger. On
the roof there is a "goose" with cut wire. Unlike Salaudi who is considered
to be the main "dissident" here the owners of this house don't dare to connect
up to electric line at daytime - they'll do it at night, and now they sit in darkness.
It's good that not in cold. Some migrants connected their houses with gas pipeline,
but illegally of course, after they had agreed with welders. At present they wait
for punitive actions and new disconnection. This house is not supplied with gas
- they prefer not to get in conflict with government and heat with firewood, which
they bring from afar. But people want to stay even in this hut without gas and
electricity. The owner of the house is a 30-year-old migrant from Grozny Maryam
Sharipova. She has a flat in
Grozny in a half-destroyed block-of -flats. There are 5 members in her family.
I ask Maryam the same questions: what happened, who was against the camp?
- It's all politics. On television they say one thing and here we see and experience
quit the different. They said the tent camp in the village Aki-Yurt was broken
up because people wished to return home. We did it not out of free will. we were
forced to pull the tent down. they said that if we didn't do it ourselves iun
2 hours they would do it with the help of bulldozers or cut it with knives.
- Who threatened you?
- Russian and Chechen militiamen. Of they didn't show us they documents or told
their names. But as far as I understood they were from Grozny and there was also
militia from Ingushetia. They said we should take the tents away and resettle
in these prefabricated houses. we could even put the tent under the roofs of the
new houses or under some sheds - only to make less noticeable. they said that
according to sanitary standards the tents couldn't stand there. For 3 years
they had been standing here and now they brake all sanitary norms. by the way,
all the tents were new. We have just changed them. We had prepared for the winter
- we changed
floor and the oven. Of course, people had never intended to return to Chechnya,
especially in such nasty weather. Our hands were freezing when we took the
tent away.
It took them 4 days to liquidate the camp. they blockaded all roads and allowed
nobody to come, first of all correspondents. They started on November 28 and on
December 2 there was no any camp here. At that time we were preparing for Uraza
(a holiday), humanitarian organizations brought us food for the holiday. But militiamen
refused to let them come here. When they started pulling the camp down we
demanded to show us court decision. But they didn't. You know, they don't consider
us to be human beings. I told the militiaman who was talking to me that if he
didn't produce documents and had no court decision with him, God knows
what he really was, perhaps, a gangster, though he was in camouflage.
- What do you think, how it will all finish?
- I think that if government was interested in observing our human rights, they
would have let lawyers help us. Then we would have had a feeling that we have
rights, that we have Constitution. We are also Russian citizens. But we are migrants,
we had to run from the war. We are really tired of threats, bombardments. We want
others to respect our rights.
They stopped providing us with electricity. Workers came and said' "We are sorry,
but we were told to disconnect you."
- How long do you live without electricity?
- 3 weeks. We heat with firewood. But it's dangerous to do it all night.
Small children may be poisoned by gas. In the evening when farmers go home we
use electric line. Such New Year presents we got from our government.
We settled in new houses. But in a week they ordered to go away or they would
pull our houses down. But we built this house ourselves - we made clay, bought
materials. and now they say that as soon as they receive court decision, they
would inform us and in case we refuse to move they would force us to do it.
- Were you invited to court?
- No. They never sent us any papers. We even don't know what court considers our
case. We have no notion who is responsible for our future.
P.S. When I came from Aki-Yurt to Karabulak it became known that they stopped
supplying clay houses with gas. They will punish those who used some gas or electricity.
Stanislav Dmitrievsky
December 21, 2002
Aki-Yurt - Karabulak. Ingushetia.
Photo 1. Clay houses in former tent camp "Iman" in the village
Aki-Yurt.