From Gazeta Wyborcza, 12.08.2003 issue (translation by M.L.)

The Russian Human rights defenders: The elections in Chechnya are going to be a farce

By Marcin Wojciechowski, Moscow

A few days ago on the biggest TV channels, it was shown as Chechen refugees got new apartaments in the building on the 24th Tchaikovsky Street in the centre of Grozny. The building was clean, near by it, a nice playground for children. People were happy in the front of cameras and were sincerely thanking Kadyrov for this great present. When all the TV crews have left, it turned out, that the apartment building belongs to the local textile firm, and all the apartments in it have already its tenants. The first night these refugees spent "under the sky" and the next day, when they understood that
they've got deceived, after making some fuss, they've returned from where they came from.

- That's unbelievable what our media are doing to promote Kadyrov - says Anna Politkovskaya. Her and other Russian and Chechen human rights defenders organized a meeting yesterday in Moscow under the slogan "Vote, when you are still alive".

Controlled by the state TV channels are trying to convince that in Chechnya is better now, peace and security is coming back, and bombings and attacks on Russian soldiers which take place on daily basis, are organized by small groups of guerillas who are tied to Usama Ben Laden's al-Qaeda. A warrant of stability that's Akhmad Kadyrov, a former mufti, who in the first Chechen war was advocating the introduction of Sharia'h and was calling for jihad against Russia. Now,  he's one of 14 candidates for the president of Chechnya and favorite in the elections planned for the 5th of October. Although, officially Putin declares impartiality, with support of Kadyrov came up the pro-Kremlin party "One Russia" and Putin promised to him that he was going to take him on a session of the UN this fall.

- Two candidates for president of Chechnya called me yesterday - tells Politkovskaya. - They were talking to me in whisper. They were afraid that they were being wiretapped. They were telling that Kadyrov's men threaten them, obstruct collecting papers necessary for their registration. From fear, these persons don't sleep in the same place twice. Can a normal elections take place in this atmosphere?

Cases of intimidation of  the whole villages by Kadyrov's men have been confirmed by the Moscow millioner - Malik Saydullayev, who also runs in the elections for the president of Chechnay and came back from the Caucasus last week. Kadyrov's rivals are put through all sorts of difficulties with their registration. According to the law, a candidate for president  has to have his own election fund, but there's no banks in Chechnya. Kadyrov has opened his account in a
Russian [military] field bank. Other candidates have with this a big problem and they might be not registered. To complain to some members of the Central Election Committe , who supposedly are to watch the correct run in these elections, can't be done, they sit under guard in the abode of local authorities, which means they're under control of Kadyrov's men.

According to Russian and Chechen human rights defenders Kadyrov is highly unpopular. - I've talked to hundreds of people in Chechnya and nobody said a good word about him. They call him a traitor and turn coat. They accuse him that he hasn't done anything in the last three years to prevent abductions of civillians and to bring some peace there - says Lyudmila Alexeyeva from the Moscow's Helsinki Group. But, apart from Chechens, also soldiers and policemen, who are
stationing in the republic, will be voting in the elections.  Officially there's 70,000 of them, unofficially there's talk about
130,000. - According to our data 200,000 Chechens have voting rights, a part of them, intimidated in the end, probably will support Kadyrov. If you add number of votes from the military, then Kadyrov has a victory in his pocket - says Alexeyeva. Her organization, although against the elections, wants to send to Chechnya before the 5th of October, a couple hunderd of observers. They supposedly have to reach all 360 elections committees. - I'm not naive. I know, that our participation won't change the outcome of elections, but we will be able to estimate, in what degree the electing of Kadyrov is lawfull. We'll announce how many Chechens were voting for him, and how many of Russian soldiers.  The Chechen issue is so hopeless today, that right now, nothing more can be done, than just to inform our public opinion about the real situation in the republic - says Alexeyeva.

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