REN TV 15 September 2003

Chechen government intends to move all refugees from Ingushetia in two weeks

[Presenter] In line with the government's plans, not a single refugee camp should be left in Ingushetia by 1 October. Some 10,000 people have to be resettled to Chechnya. Newly-repaired youth hostels provided with electricity, gas and water and heat supply systems are waiting for the refugees. People can live here as long as they want - till compensation is paid and damaged houses are restored. However, many still do not want to come back to their motherland.

[Correspondent Aleksey Zubov] Several KamAZ lorries and a bus carrying refugees entered Groznyy in the evening. The vehicles were allocated by the Ingush emergencies ministry. On their arrival in Groznyy, the refugees started voicing indignation at the rush to take them to a temporary accommodation centre in this bad weather although the centre's dyed walls had not dried out.

[Unidentified woman] It was possible to wait a week and then take everyone here. It is raining today and our stuff has become dirty.

[Correspondent] However, those who arrive first have an obvious advantage - they can chose a room they like. This temporary accommodation centre has been set up in a former kindergarten and can host 300 refugees, 3.2 sq. m. per a person. The Khamzatov family of 10 people gets 2 rooms. They have been living in a refugee camp in Ingushetia for four years and now say that the new dwelling is much better as it is provided with electricity, heat, gas and water supply systems.

[Zina Khamzatova, captioned as former refugee] I'm pleased with these two rooms. It was very difficult to live in a tent. We were suffering from diseases.

[Correspondent] People take with them everything they can bring. Even old wood plaques from tents can be used here, in devastated Chechnya. However, the main things they bring are flour, sugar, pasta and tinned meat which refugees received in Ingushetia for nine months. People are accommodated in a temporary accommodation centre as soon as a special commission approves it. The Chechen government says that people, who now lose their status of displaced persons, can stay here as long as they want.

[Lema Kaplanov, migration service's department head] They will stay in a temporary accommodation centre till they have their compensation is paid and their houses restored.

[Correspondent] Superintendents from refugee camps are usually appointed superintendents of some temporary accommodation centres. As refugees know these people, trust them more than any authorities and often agree to move for that reason only. However, some refugees still hide their faces from camera even here, in Groznyy.

[Larisa Shakhabova, captioned as former refugee] I do not known why they are afraid. Some people told me to wait and move after the presidential election. But I am sick and tired of living in tents where I have spent almost four years.

[Correspondent] Repairs are going on in nearby youth hostels. Building workers say that they were suddenly sent there a month ago and haven't have days-off since. A task was set to complete the repairs by mid-September.

[Unidentified male building worker] We work from eight [in the morning] to seven [in the evening] every day and do not have days off.

[Correspondent] Some 5,000 people - one in every 10 of 50,000 refugees still living in Ingushetia - are expected to be placed in temporary accommodation centres which have become operational in Chechnya this week.

[Video shows refugees in a temporary accommodation centre]