MOSCOW (Reuters) - A leading Russian human rights group accused Moscow Thursday
of terrorizing people in Chechnya into voting "yes" to a new constitution for
the rebel province in a March 23 referendum.
The Kremlin-sponsored vote on the constitution would pave the way for a presidential
election in Chechnya, which is the only one of Russia's 89 regions not to have
an elected leader.
President Vladimir Putin is likely to use the installation of a civilian government
in Chechnya, which has been devastated by a decade of war between separatists
and federal forces, as a card in his own election campaign next year.
"An atmosphere of fear and terror has been created in Chechnya ahead of the referendum,"
Oleg Orlov, head of Moscow-based group Memorial, told a news conference.
"If that is what the organizers of the referendum planned then they have definitely
succeeded," he said.
Memorial is one of a small number of independent bodies to have a presence in
Chechnya. It documents rights abuses in the war-ravaged republic and presses prosecutors
for action.
Orlov said there were indications that security forces were conducting fewer large-scale
sweeps for separatist rebels, but the number of kidnappings and "disappearances"
had surged.
"Only a handful of such cases are recorded by the prosecutors and even fewer are
investigated," Orlov said after distributing a list of dozens of people
who he said had gone missing in Chechnya in January and February alone.
He said some kidnappings could have been carried out by the rebels because sometimes
attackers wore masks, but Moscow's involvement was evident when kidnappers drove
armored personnel carriers or people disappeared at checkpoints.
Moscow says all major cases of rights abuses are duly documented by the authorities
and properly investigated.
The Russian army says it controls the province but rebels kill servicemen and
pro-Moscow officials almost daily.
Putin, who won the presidency in 2000 on the back of his tough stance toward Chechnya,
has refused to negotiate with guerrilla leaders and insists that the referendum
and a presidential election will help end the decade-long conflict.
But with most Chechens distrustful of anything Russia does in the region, Orlov
said Moscow seemed to have turned to force as the easiest way to achieve
the needed result.
"I have spoken to many people and they say that they will definitely take part
in the referendum and will certainly vote for the constitution," Orlov said.
"Because if our village ends up voting 'No' when others voted 'Yes', it will make
Moscow suspicious, will lead to disappearances and sweeps. That is why we
will vote 'Yes' and press neighbors to do the same," he quoted villagers
as saying.