|
2004-01-20 10:01
19.1.2004 Chechen refugees given ten days to leave INGUSHETIA, Nazran. Chechen refugees living in Bart refugee camp in thetown of Karaboulak were told to leave the camp within 10 days. Accordingto the camp residents, the ultimatum was given by a member of a group ofofficials who had visited Bart several days previous.According to NGOs Council’s information centre, the group of officialsincluded representatives of Ingushetia’s Migration Service, members ofMoscow Working Group and heads of several Chechen district administrations.The ‘visitors’ called Chechen refugees to go back to their country andpromised to deal with all the problems of those who will return toChechnya of their own free will. One of the ‘visitors’ stated that ifthe refugees don’t leave the camp within 10 days, ‘measures will betaken’ against them.PRIMA News Agency [2004-01-16-Rus-03] The
policies based on the power side yield their fruits in the forming of
public consciousness. This is the only way you can explain the alarming
facts of individual squabbles between Chechens and Georgians. The tendencies
to achieve momentary dividends, expressed by some politicians in blaming
It
is especially noticeable among the students. There are a little over
a hundred students from among Chechen refugees and local Kistinians
(natives of Pankisi, The refugees, who are concerned about this
situation, have reminded of themselves once again to the UN Refugee
Committee, but they were turned down in a rude and insulting way at
the very first moment. It seems like the officials of that humanitarian
organization have plunged into anti-Chechen hysteria too. Especially
when they have an excuse. This organization was caught in bribery red-handed
more than once. That’s where the relations went wrong. The
other day the '24 Hours' newspaper wrote again about the practice of
bribery under the cover of that organization. For example, the queue
of transporting the refugees is not observed properly. People who least
need help get preferential treatment. There is a commonly known fact
in This organization feels no responsibility
whatsoever for the fate of the ones who suffered from tyranny. The UN-issued
refugee status can be voided at any time, and no one will be responsible. Many
problems concerning Chechen forced settlers are being solved without
the UN participation. It was especially noticeable last year, when a
Russian delegation came to It
was the issue of 800-900 Chechen refugees who remained in All
we have to do is hope that new Georgian leadership will nonetheless
give up the Shevardnadze policies and will be more considerate and humane
towards those who have to drag out a miserable existence in a foreign
land, and that the leadership will somewhat settle the dust around the
so-called 'Chechen factor'. For Kavkaz-Center 2004-01-21 00:36:43 Lubbers, Ingush President discuss displaced Chechens Sputnik tented camp in Ingushetia's Sunzhenski district could be closedby March 2004. © UNHCR/T.MakeevaGENEVA, Jan 20 (UNHCR) – The President of Ingushetia has responded to UNrefugee agency chief Ruud Lubbers' concerns about possible camp closuresin the republic by reassuring him that all returns to Chechnya will bevoluntary.On Monday, High Commissioner Lubbers met President Murat Zyazikov of theRepublic of Ingushetia, Russian Federation; and Stefan Vassilev, the UNResident Coordinator and acting Humanitarian Coordinator in Moscow.As of January 14 this year, there were 66,792 registered displacedpeople in Ingushetia from neighbouring Chechnya, according to UNHCR'simplementing partner, the Danish Refugee Council. More than 7,000 ofthem were hosted in three tented camps – Bart, Satsita and Sputnik –with over 23,000 in temporary settlements and more than 36,000 inprivate accommodation.At the Geneva meeting, Lubbers raised concerns over a recentannouncement by the Russian authorities that they would close the threeremaining tented camps in Ingushetia before presidential elections inthe Russian Federation in March. He noted that this could seriouslyjeopardise the principle of safe haven if the Chechens are evictedwithout options for alternative shelter in Ingushetia.President Zyazikov reassured him by making a personal commitment torespect the principle of voluntary return to Chechnya.The High Commissioner reiterated his wish to positively engage theinternational humanitarian community through a two-pronged approach –displaced Chechens who do not wish to return can continue to enjoy safehaven in Ingushetia while those who choose to return of their own freechoice would be supported by increased presence and greater involvementby humanitarian agencies in Chechnya.The Ingush President in turn expressed his full support for the proposalof a humanitarian conference in the region that would look at how tobest provide assistance in Chechnya, bringing together a wide range ofparticipants from the humanitarian community, the authorities and allsegments of the Chechen community.Meanwhile, on the ground, UNHCR has maintained close contact with thefederal, Ingush and Chechen authorities as well as non-governmentalorganisations and the displaced Chechens themselves on the issue ofpossible camp closures. UNHCR protection staff have been verifyingassurances by the authorities at all levels that all returns to Chechnyawill be voluntary.The UN refugee agency is also concerned that should the tented camps beclosed at short notice, there will not be enough adequate alternativeshelter in Ingushetia. Displaced Chechens have already occupied 114 outof 415 rooms being rehabilitated by NGOs in Ingushetia, and the wholerehabilitation process has been delayed by the difficulty in obtainingthe necessary permits from the Ingush authorities.At the same time, authorities in the tented camps – includingrepresentatives of the Chechnya administration – have been activelysoliciting applications for compensation for destroyed housing and lostproperty in Chechnya. The compensation, planned at approximately $10,000per family, gives the displaced people a major incentive to return if itis actually paid.However, the authorities at all levels acknowledge that a number ofdisplaced Chechens will choose not to go home. Continuing insecurity inChechnya remains the main obstacle to return. There are also concernsabout a lack of shelter for the returnees as additional temporaryaccommodation centres being prepared by Chechen authorities will onlyhouse 97 families.In addition to the issue of displaced Chechens, High CommissionerLubbers also appealed to the Ingush President on Monday to intervene inthe abduction case of Médecins Sans Frontières' Arjan Erkel in theneighbouring republic of Dagestan, saying that the abduction overshadowsthe image of the North Caucasus region to which Ingushetia belongs.
On January 14 in the village of Selmentauzen, Vedeno District, puppet structures kidnapped a local 20-23-year-old girl. The name of the victim is currently being established. According to the reports received from the village locals, armed men with masks and camouflage uniforms on broke into the house where the girl was living. With presenting no charges whatsoever she was taken away. It is also unknown what was the cause for kidnapping the Selmentauzen local, and which one of the puppet structures the kidnappers belonged to. The girl’s whereabouts have still not been established, - Council of Non-Governmental Organizations reported. Kavkaz-Center News 2004-01-17
January 15 A rally was held in the village of Achkhoi-Martan by Chechen mothers, whose sons have been missing or kidnapped in different times by unknown attackers. About 100 women who gathered at the rally blocked the central bridge across the Fortanga River, located near the District Administration and the Central Village Market. They addressed to the administration of Achkhoi-Martan District with the protest against ongoing kidnappings of civilians. The Society of Russian-Chechen Friendship told journalists that the invaders’ prosecutor’s office has been accused of mysterious disappearances of people and of covering the criminals. On the same day a rally with the demand to stop the practice of night abductions of people without presenting any charges was held on the Jokhar-Argun highway. The women blocked the road after early morning of January 15 in the town of Oktyabrsky (city of Jokhar) the invaders drove up in two BTR armored vehicles and one UAZ jeep and took away three young men ages seventeen to twenty (names currently being established). The protesters would not let the cars go by, they were demanding: «Return out children! If they are guilty, prove their guilt and then execute! Stop extrajudicial executions!» Kavkaz-Center News
2004-01-17 C.E. mission to come to Chechnya Moscow-based ITAR-TASS news agency reported that the Council of Europe came to an agreement with the invaders to conduct temporary target missions of European experts in Chechnya in 2004. This information came from the sources in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The decision has been made based on the agreement signed in the end of December between Secretary General of the Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer and the invaders’ regime. According to that document, the sides have agreed to conduct a new reform of cooperation in Chechnya, where nine specific programs will be implemented with the participation of experts from the Council of Europe. Council of Europe reported that these programs are concerning the mission to provide human rights and freedoms in Chechnya. At the present time Council of Europe officials are discussing technical details with the invaders in regard to the work of the European experts in Chechnya. The first experts are expected to arrive in Chechnya in the end of February to early March. Kavkaz-Center News 2004-01-17
The Chechenpress news agency jointly with the Human Rights center "Memorial" published a documentary book "Russia's Crimes of the Century in Chechnya". Based on the evidences, photos and documentary materials of the eyewitnesses, the book deals with the brutal, barbarous bombardments of densely populated quarters of the Chechen capital and elimination of the refugees by the Russian aircraft which has turned into one of retaliatory structures in repressive system of the Russian Armed Forces. On 21 October 1999, at the very beginning of war, the populated areas of Grozny came under strikes of tactical rockets "Land-Land". And when a flow of people surged to the "humanitarian corridor" "kindly" provided by the leadership of Russia, the desperate refuges were coolly shot from boards of the Russian planes and helicopters. All that has been until now committed by the Russian military in Chechnya, falls under definition of state terrorism, for which the criminal Kremlin leadership should be punished most severely. The book, first of all, should serve as a document of accusation for the future trial of the Russian war criminals. Below we present the foreword of the book written by the first Vice Premier of Government of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria, Special envoy of the President of ChRI Akhmed Zakayev. The foreword by Akhmed Zakayev: I can testify, that all those awful facts mentioned in the given book "Russia's Crimes of Century in Chechnya", actually took place, as at that time occupied the post of the first Vice Premier and was in the Chechen Republic with President Aslan Maskhadov. Having analyzed the rocket and artillery strikes delivered on the pupated areas of the Chechen Republic in the autumn of 1999, I became convinced that it was a purposeful action of mass destruction of the civilians. The injured and eyewitnesses, as well as the journalists and human rights activists are of the same opinion. Besides destruction of the population of republic, these terrible actions were also aimed at driving out the remained Chechens in Russia, so that they could chase after them all over its boundless territory, and then assimilate those who had survived. Thus, the Chechen nation should have stopped the existence. The leadership of Russia has prepared public opinion according to which after the actions carried out by the Russian military, people living in Chechnya should be announced the terrorists and gangsters, who should be annihilated, everyone to the last man. And as they are "terrorists", no international laws and conventions in the light of the new "antiterrorist" requirements can be applied with regard to them as to the participants of usual military actions, i.e. "combatants". Unfortunately, so it happened, - the international community, people all over the world whose minds have been "clouded" by the Kremlin's propaganda, believed practically each word of the young, vigorous, but at the same time extremely artful, severe and most false leader of Russia for the entire history of the country's existence. After four bloody years the awful and terrible false has crept outside. It happened thanks to the honest journalists and human rights activists. Especially should be mentioned the employees of the "Memorial" Human Rights Center, who have done a titanic work in extremely dangerous and hard conditions. And bowing low to their courage, I would like to say: "Thank you!" Further … In my opinion, the Russian military command began methodical and purposeful bombardments and shelling of the whole perimeter of the republic in order to accumulate a great number of refugees in the capital of Chechnya and in the populated areas in its environs with the sole purpose to subject the center of the more densely populated city to the strikes of tactical rockets. But it is not the most treacherous blow. The top of treachery and most boundless cynicism of the Russian military and political leadership was the strike delivered on the exhausted refugees when they thought that a step was left and they would be rescued. Poor people! They were sure that they would be given a chance to leave the limits of the ruined republic… The history knows no fact of more cynical, more treacherous and more severe annihilation of the civilians. And this horror takes place on the eve of the new, third millennium. So hardhearted was the mankind on the eve of the new millennium… It is impossible to read these line without shudder, the lines, through which oozes the blood of innocent people, - one cannot forget it, it should not be forgotten. Everyone, who is guilty of this awful, brutal crime named a crime of the century, should be severely punished. First of all, Putin, Eltsin, Patrushev, Sergei Ivanov, Rushailo, Gryzlov, Shamanov, Troshev, Kazantsev are those who are guilty of genocide in Chechnya. I declare it not because I am so bloodthirsty, no, by no means, I declare it because I do not wish this kind of crimes to be committed any more. But, unexpectedly, so it happened that instead of the deserved punishment, the Russian criminals have claimed for me, the man, who together with the other fighters of the Chechen Resistance resisted to monstrous crimes of Russia's a military and political leadership Ah, Almighty Allah! What is it? And how has such become possible? Is there any limit to the monstrous lie, treachery and hypocrisy of Russia's leaders? How could it happen that instead of true criminals, tomorrow, on 13 November, I have to appear before the Magistrate's court of Great Britain, hearing the case of my ex-tradition in Russia, in the country, which, day in and day out, devours my fellow countrymen? But I confidently declare, that the wise English justice will hand down a fair verdict. Moreover, I believe that not only the court and public of the United Kingdom, but also all people of good will take my side. I am also confident that international community at last should condemn the leadership of Russia, for whom the lawlessness has become a norm, and it has become especially noticeable recently in connection with the negative events taking place in Russia. I hope, the day will come, - as the true patriot of Russia Alexander Litvinenko said, - and the Chechen and Russian peoples together will try Putin, Eltsin and the whole political and military leadership of Russia in the center of Grozny, once the most beautiful city in the Caucasus which has been turned into ruins by the Russian barbarians. London, 12 November 2003 Chechenpress, 20 January 2004 |