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Gazeta Wyborcza 05-10-2003 issue (quick tr. of an excerpt by M.L.) Election in Chechnya: Empty polling (electoral) stations Reporting by Marcin Wojciechowski, Grozny-Shali 05-10-2003 A few people voted The buiding of Shali district - once the biggest village in the USSR, now the town of Shali (37,000 inhabitants) - reminds a surrounded fortress. Several dozens of security guards with machine guns, a metal detector at its entrance. On Tuesday, its mayor and his son were shot dead, therefore the extra security. - For sure, those were guerillas, there's only a few of them, but sometimes they let us know about their existence - says to Gazeta Sherip Alikhadzhiyev - the head of town's administration and superior of the killed one. On his shoulders, a leather belts with two pistols. He hasn't taken them off for the last four years, he resembles a sheriff, not some bureacrat. He doesn't want to divulge what's the number of his security guards. Several of his collegues, from other districts had been assassinated. There's a rumor that Alikhadzhiyev is still alive because he secretly keeps good relationships with the guerillas. He hires them to his security, if it's needed gets them out jails, warns about ambushes. The head of administartion voted already in the morning. - I supported Kadyrov, even if I in many things don't agree with him in the last years - he admits. - The reality today is, that only Kadyrov can be a president. It's better, that Chechnya is governed by one man with the real authority than by seven Russian power structures, which are responsible for our country today. To solve the smallest issue, it's needed to send many official letters, and not one of our leaders had such an easy access to the president of Russia like him. It would be a stupidity to waste a chance like that. Alikhadzhiyev admits that people still have been disappearing in Chechnya, there's no security, and compensations for destroyed property aren't paid as they supposed to be, but he asserts that it's better than a year or two ago. - We will have a president. In December, will have our parliament. There will be a legal authority, which might ask for the withdrawing of military from Chechnya, for punishment of war criminals. This can't be done other way. Aslan Maskhadov had had his chance, but he's wasted it - says the head of Shali administration. In his district there's 27 polling stations. I drive to few of them. In each of them - their chairman - usually a school director - tries to convince me that before lunch some 40-50% eligible voters have already voted. - So, why the polling stations are empty? - I ask. Beside the guards and clerks I don't see any voters. - There was a big crowd in the morning. We couldn't keep up with giving to people the voting cards. In the afternoon people will come again - the chairmen are asserting - as they have learnt this one song. When I leave one
polling station, at the courtyard, comes to me its vice-chairman. Carefully
looking all over around, he whispers: - Everything here, that's rubbish.
Since this morning only a few dozens people came in to us (for 1,500
eligible voters). In other stations is the same. Peple are afraid to
vote. Only these who work in the administration are voting. This election,
that's a total fiction. Do not believe in one word what they are telling
you here.
CHECHEN REPUBLIC OF ICHKERIA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESS-RELEASE: Russia’s farce with the so-called ‘presidentialelections’ in Chechnya completely failed Monday, October 06, 2003 Russia’s farce with the so-called ‘presidential elections’ in Chechnyayesterday completely failed. There were no elections as there were novoters. Only Russian genocidal troops and a few thousands of employeesof Russian occupational structures in Chechnya participated in thisspectacle. The Chechen nation, despite of the threats and violence from the Russiansecurity services and Kadyrov’s criminal gangs, refused to play a rolein this farce of free will. The Chechen people once again rejectedRussia’s genocidal rule and once again demonstrated that Chechnya cannotbe enslaved. Press-office
Russia: EU Issues Cautious Assessment Of Chechen Elections
By Ahto Lobjakas
Brussels, 6 October 2003 (RFE/RL) -- The European Commission says it doubts yesterday's presidential elections in Chechnya were "free or fair."
The Kremlin-appointed head of the Chechen administration, Akhmed-hadki Kadyrov, was today officially declared the winner of the elections with about 80 percent of the vote. His main rivals were either disqualified or withdrew from the race before the poll.
Diego de Ojeda, spokesman for Chris Patten, the EU's external affairs commissioner, said despite the dubious circumstances surrounding the poll, the EU supports any moves aimed at restoring peace in the breakaway republic. "It is clear that the situation on the ground is extremely complex and difficult, and it casts doubt [on] the possibility of conducting free and fair elections according to international standards," he said. "Nevertheless, what is most important to us is that these elections somehow gain respectability or credibility -- or legitimacy, more accurately -- within the Chechen population."
While international nongovernmental organizations have largely condemned the elections, major Western governments have been cautious about criticizing the vote. There were no EU observers present for the elections, as both the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Council of Europe declined to send monitoring missions.
De Ojeda said the EU "shares" a number of concerns expressed by many NGOs -- such as the continued use of military checkpoints and the fact that many Chechens outside the republic were not allowed to vote while many Russian soldiers inside the republic were.
But the spokesman said the EU sees the elections as an internal Russian matter, and supports all "genuine" efforts by Moscow to end its four-year war in the republic -- as long as they have the support of the majority of the Chechen population.
"Since these are internal elections, we look at the whole issue in Chechnya from a wider perspective, and that is [that] we would like to support any genuine efforts to solve the conflict in Chechnya. The [constitutional] referendum earlier in the year, [and] now the elections, are steps that the Russian leadership have declared are aimed toward a definitive settlement of the conflict in Chechnya. What we would like to underline is the need for the majority of the Chechen population to agree and subscribe to this process. And in that sense we welcome any steps taken by the Russian leadership and the Chechen leadership to gather a consensus among the majority of the Chechen population," de Ojeda said.
De Ojeda said the success of the election will ultimately be measured by its contribution to the process of "finding a [political] consensus that attracts the majority of the Chechen population." Such a consensus, he said, would be the decisive factor in ending the conflict.
The spokesman said the EU has no independent view on the legitimacy of Akhmed-hadji Kadyrov as president of Chechnya, noting the EU does not pass judgment on the outcomes of Russia's internal elections.
© 1995-2003 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc., All Rights Reserved. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
US says Chechen election fall short, missed chance WASHINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - The United States on Monday described the presidential election in Chechnya as a missed opportunity because it was not free and fair enough to help bring peace to the troubled territory of southern Russia.
"Unfortunately the presidential election and the political process that led up to it fell short of the potential for producing a positive democratic outcome," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a daily briefing.
"The election did not meet international standards for fair and free elections. We are disappointed by this missed opportunity. It is unclear whether the election will have sufficient credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of the people of Chechnya to advance the settlement process," he added.
A former Muslim cleric backed by the Kremlin coasted to a sweeping win in the election on Sunday, although many commentators doubt the result will halt a bloody separatist guerrilla campaign. --------------------------------------------------------------------
www.chechnya-mfa.infoministry@chechnya-mfa.info October
5th 2003 · Prague Watchdog / Timur Aliyev Timur Aliyev, North Caucasus – A vocational school in the Oktyabrsky district of Grozny, where election polling districts Nos. 398 and 400 are located, was hit by grenades and machine gun fire on the eve of election day, according to the press office of the Moscow-backed Chechen Interior Ministry. No one was injured, nor was the building damaged except for a few broken windows. There was no work stoppage as “windows were repaired early in the morning” stated Banata Baluyeva, chairman of the No. 398 election commission. “And all commission members were back on the job Sunday morning,” she added. According to the press office, no incidents have been reported on election day.
September 30th 2003 · Prague Watchdog / Timur Aliyev
URGENT! Planned action to discredit Chechen refugees The Chechenpress news agency has repeatedly reported that Russians FSB, SVR are preparing a provocation against Chechens living in western Europe, which were forced to leave Chechnya because of the Russian occupation. We believe it necessary to inform that Chechens living under the refugee status 6000 km away from Chechnya in the Spanish city of Malaga don't feel safe: even there they are in the reach of the powerful hands of KGB. The Family of Gandarovs is living under refugee status in a refugee camp SEAR at the following address c/ Ollerias 31 Malaga Sp. Besides, the editorial office of The Chechen Times has received preliminary information about the events which took place in early 2003. At that time in a center for temporary accommodation of refugees in Austria two Chechen refugees were killed. As a result of the provocation organized by ethnic Moldavians, which later turned into mass disturbances, more than 100 people were injured. No one can deny that the incident was a well planned action of the Russian secret services in order to discredit Chechen nationals. At the moment we are awaiting detailed information on this issue from our journalists, and as soon as we have details of the incident, we will definitely publish them. [06.10.2003 19:01]
The Chechen Times Timur Aliyev, North Caucasus - On September 29, twelve families of Chechen refugees in Ingushetia were roofless during the rain. The refugees, among whom were nearly 30 children, had to move from the Bella camp to the nearby Satsita camp because their old tents had been dismantled; however, new tents had not yet been built. "When the torrential rain started, we had to stay virtually in an open field," they said. The refugees were finally given shelter by their old and new neighbours in the Satsita camp. The rain went on till the morning of the next day. Earlier Chechen authorities decided that tent refugee camps in Ingushetia had to be dismantled by October. October
1st 2003 · Prague Watchdog / Timur Aliyev Refugee camp Bella dismantled Timur Aliyev, North Caucasus – The refugee camp Bella in Ingushetia has finally been dismantled. The last two tents were removed today. The majority of refugees have been moved out during the past two weeks. Some were sheltered in the nearby camp Satsita, and others returned to Grozny. Camp Bella was built in 2000 and housed about 3,500 refugees. According to official figures, approximately 150 families remained in the camp when the dismantling process started.
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