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Chechenpress
Russian "squadrons of death" achieve momentum
According to the data of the "Memorial" and Human Rights Watch, at least
2-3 people are kidnapped a day in Chechnya. The human rights activists
note that the number of civilians kidnapping had sharply decreased before
the so-called "referendum", and this tendency was retained for several
weeks after this event. Then the matter took its ordinary turn. It means
that people, as a rule, either disappear without leaving a trace, or
their relatives find their maimed bodies.
But "the people in masks, speaking Russian fluently and driving the
armoured cars of federal forces about Chechnya" have intensified their
criminal actions. "Seven people were kidnapped last night in Chechnya.
According to information obtained from the Internal Ministry of Chechnya,
the crimes were committed in different regions of the republic. The
masked and armed people took the civilians away from their homes at
night without giving any explanation", reported Interfax on 28
July.
The human rights activists are of the opinion that before the "autumn
election campaign" when the Chechen people will have "to elect their
pro-Moscow president and parliament", the terror will grow in momentum.
The same situation was in Chechnya before the "referendum", when the
mopping-up ("zachistka") operations were especially severe, and the
number of the kidnapped civilians reached the maximum.
The human rights activists note that before the "campaign of expressing
the will of the Chechen people" the Kremlin resort to the usual tactics
of total threatening. The residents of Chechnya, trembling for their
lives and lives of their relatives will take part in voting again. And
Akhmad Kadyrov will be the "President of Chechnya", and the Parliament
of Chechnya will be formed by the collaborators loyal to Moscow.
The terror, perhaps, will be diminished for a short time. Maybe. But
the Chechens have been deceived many times and have bitter experience
of vain hopes. Nevertheless, the hope remains, but there is no way out.
T. Nemirovich, Chechenpress, 29.07.03.
http://www.chechenpress.info/english/news/08_2003/10_04_08.shtml
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