Caucasus Times

18 August 2003

Inhabitants of Groznyy suburb claim the military responsible for abuses

As Caucasus Times correspondent reports, the Russian servicemen deployed close by open automatic and even grenade fire on the village almost every night, the locals complain, causing scores of locals wounded.

The local inhabitants confirmed, the shooting incidents began right after the drafted militaries at check points were replaced by the ones serving under contract. The people said, those on check points now had been here before, in 2000 winter, well known for their atrocities and abuses.

"Those are the same guys, mercenaries, who had been here in 2000. They have remained firmly in our memory as just beasts, that treated a human life as the least thing in this world," recalls Temirbalt, a 40-year-old local man of Aldy. "Just the other day one of them sarcastically grinned telling me "We are back to remind you something you seem to have already forgotten.

In winter of 2000, the Russian servicemen summarily slain scores of locals, while on a heavy-hand sweep in Aldy. This is believed to be an evil sign, the locals said, if those perpetrators who extrajudicially executed dozens of civilians, came back. Besides, the daily shootings give obvious proof to believe that.

"On August 8, the militaries started artillery shelling Aldy. As a result Usman Isayev, 43, received injuries and was delivered to a hospital. Three days over and they fired at a car, killing one and wounding three persons. But no one was held accountable for the murder. They just always have an excuse "We only returned fire". If the night shooting and shelling of Aldy continue the locals will step in protest actions, that might result in unpredictable consequences, but the military command ignore people demands. Since the militaries go unpunished they continue to do what they want," an unnamed local administration employee complains.

Groznyy military commandant's office declined commenting the situation, quoted as saying, the federal servicemen have not committed anything wrong against the civilians, thus turning down any charges.

Ruslan Adayev, Chechnya Caucasus Times