Chechen first-graders will not have a new ABC book. 20 thousand copies of the book, printed on high-quality paper with colourful illustrations and in a nice hard cover have come off a production line of the Nizhpolygraph plant in Nizhny Novgorod. The head of the Chechen regional administration Akhmad Kadyrov asked in person the Nizhny Novgorod Governor Ivan Sklyarov to help issue an ABC book for children of the war-weary republic. Naturally enough, the response was a positive one. The Nizhny Novgorod region repeatedly rendered humanitarian assistance to Chechen children sending them clothes, stationery and food. The region is also taking part in the restoration of Chechen economy and construction and repairs of buildings, roads, bridges and other communications and infrastructure facilities. Working on the ABC book the Nizhny Novgorod polygraphic workers found its authors, who made the necessary amendments to the text. The slides the book was printed from were in such condition that they had to be made anew.At first there were plans to publish 5 thousand copies only but after more calculations and consultations with the Chechen administration it was decided to increase the number of copies four times.Residents of Nizhny Novgorod are sure that their efforts will not be in vain and that Chechnyas first-graders will start school with a new ABC book.
Teachers training collage in Grozny
The shortage of school teachers is among the many problems before Chechnya that makes efforts to return life to normal. This problem is more acute in rural areas. Nevertheless, the Chechen authorities do their best to solve the problem. To this end the teachers training collage in Grozny makes a significant contribution. The college is one of the oldest in the republic and was founded in 1935 under a decision by the Russian Federations Peoples Commissariat of Education. It has been training primary school teachers in the past 75 years. The graduates from the college teach in almost all 447 schools now functioning in Chechnya. According to the director of the college Amirbek Zairkhanov, youth from rural areas come to study at the collage with pleasure since they desire to return to their villages after graduation. The college has decided to open its branches Vedensky, Nadterechny, Shalinsky and Yrus-Martanovsky districts. The director says that the collage has close contacts with the Teachers Training Institute in Grozny. The graduates from the collage are being admitted to the 2nd or 3rd courses so that they could return to rural areas as graduate-trained teachers. The staff of the institute also delivers lectures at the college and holds seminars. The director of the college believes that such a method makes it possible to fill all teachers vacancies at the Chechen schools in ten years.
(more...)

Famous Chechens

Following the recapture of the North Caucasus from anti-Bolshevik forces in the spring of 1920, the Bolsheviks of the Terek Region, which included what is now Chechnya and Ingushetia, elected him to their five-member politburo. As leading Bolsheviks, he and Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of Chechnya Tashtemir Eldarkhanov represented the Chechens at the Constituent Assembly of the Terek Region's Peoples in November 1920. The Assembly declared what is known as the Highland Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and elected Akhtakhanov to sit on the Republic's Central Executive Committee. In 1923, days after the Highland Republic spawned the Chechen Autonomous Region as a separate entity, he was elected to the Revolutionary Council of that Region and appointed to head the Region's office in Moscow, at the All-Union Central Executive Committee of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. After returning to Grozny in 28, Akhtakhanov headed the city's labour exchange until this closed in the summer of 29. His last post was at the head of Chechnya's Regional Children's Affairs Commission. In an emotional reaction to the autocratic methods of Joseph Stalin, with whom he got personally acquainted during his time as an underground revolutionary activist, Akhtakhanov put a call to the Kremlin dictator and challenged him to imagine a face-to-face meeting between them. Then he fired all seven bullets in his revolver into the microphone. Local doctors tried to save Akhtakhanov by declaring him insane. Officials in Moscow disputed the diagnosis, transferred Akhtakhanov to a Moscow prison hospital and did away with him within days. His grave is in the Tatar Cemetery in the Russian capital.
(more about famous chechens...)

Chechen cuisine

Dough: wheat flour - 100 g , yogurt - 100 g , baking soda - 0.2 g , salt - 0.5 g Filling: cottage cheese - 75 g , egg - a quarter , salt - 0.5 g , butter- 20 g To make dough, combine flour with warm yogurt, add salt and baking soda, blend thoroughly. Mix cottage cheese with egg and salt. Cut batter into pieces of 200 to 230 grams each. Roll out until they are 0.3 centimeters thick. Place filling in center of each piece of dough, roll over and press to seal and roll out until they are 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Bake in ungreased griddle turning them over at regular intervals. When ready, brush both sides with hot water to make chepalgash soft and to remove burnt flour. Brush with butter, put pancakes one on top of another. To serve, cut each chepalgash into 4 to 8 pieces and sprinkle these with melted butter. Potatoes may be used instead of cottage cheese for filling.
more about chechen cuisine ...)

Issue 34
15.10.02

News from Chechnya

14 October 2002  A Festival of Chechen culture in Moscow

A Festival of Chechen culture kicks off in Moscow on November 16th, which is International Tolerance Day. According to Chechen author Said-Khamzat Nunuev, Deputy Chairman of the Festivals Organizing Committee and Chairman of the Council of the Chechen Center for Peace and Non-Violence, the purpose of the Festival is to introduce residents and visitors to Moscow to the achievements of Chechen culture and the arts and to the Chechen spiritual values and ethnic identity. The Festival will last three days and has a packed schedule. The opening ceremony will supposedly be attended by the head of Chechen administration Akhmad Kadyrov, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, top Kremlin officials and representatives of the government and Culture Ministry. A concert that will start the Festival will feature prominent Chechen performers, such as Movsar Mintsaev, Ali Dimaev, Liza Akhmatova, Mariam Tashaeva and Suleiman Tokaev. Next to come will be the Lovzar dance ensemble led by Magomed Takhaev and the Zia kids dance group. The pop group Loam will make an appearance too. The second day will feature an art exhibition at the Central Art Hall and a one-man show of a prominent wood-carver, Ilyas Dutaev, the first Peoples Artist of Chechen-Ingush Republic. On the program of the third day are meetings of Chechen writers and journalists with their Moscow colleagues. Invitations have been sent to such famous authors as Fazil Iskander, Viktor Prokhanov, Rimma Kazakova, Andrei Voznesensky and top Moscow reporters. The Chechen Republic will be represented by Abuzar Aidamirov, Musa Geshaev, Shaikhi Arsanukaev, Alvadi Shaikhiev, Musa Akhmadov, Said-Khamzad Nunuev. Authors and journalists from Moscow and Chechnya will hold round-table discussions on matters relating to literature and journalism.
(more news from Chechnya)

14 October 2002  Chechen judoists brace for Russian championship

Sport masters Salam Mezhidov, Rustam Deniev, and Ruslan Chapaev featured for the Chechen republic on Russias lineup at a major big-prize judo tournament. Apart from Russians, the audience watched top-caliber athletes from Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Azerbaijan. Salam Mezhidov outstepped his teammates taking bronze and defeating Russias current champion Sergei Konovalov. Rustam Deniev and Ruslan Chapaev did not go any higher than the 5th place. All the three, however, gained an offing to participate in an international tournament in Baku for the prizes of General Aslanov. Azerbaijans capital hosted judoists from Iran, Turkey, and Ukraine. S. Mezhidov became heavyweight champion there while R. Deniev and R. Chapaev won bronze. Now S. Mezhidov is training in Krasnodar ahead of fighting on the Russian team at an international tournament. After that, the three Chechen athletes will challenge themselves at Russias championship.
(more from Chechen diary)

13 October 2002  Chechen Constitution will correspond with the federal legislation

Russian Justice Ministry provides wide-ranging aid for Chechnya as it is working on a national constitution. Deputy Minister Leonid Zabarchuk says the first version of the document has undergone experts estimates in the Ministrys federal department to South federal entity. As a whole, the project elaborated by a group led by the head of the Chechen Administration Akhmad Kadyrov has been praised. However, some flaws were underlined and now the project is to be worked out up to the end. A Chechen constitution must strictly correspond to the Russian one and the federal legislation. Central authorities and the local administration insist there is no need for hurrying up with a referendum on the matter, since proper conditions must be created for this. What would have a considerable impact on this score is the current census that is crucial for Chechnya, the Russian Presidents special envoy for human rights in the republic Abdul-Khakim Sultygov says. The census will put the statistic data in order and help estimate the number of eligible voters that is necessary in the course of preparations for a referendum in Chechnya. Russian Justice Ministrys experts are checking all standard and legal acts relating to Chechnya. A group of experienced specialists from Moscow is sent to assist local lawyers.
(more news from Chechnya)

13 October 2002  Less crimes in Chechnya

In an interview with Moscow-based Nezavisimaya Gazeta Chief of the Russian Interior Ministrys department in the South federal entity Colonel General Mikhail Pankov says the number of crimes is reducing in Chechnya. A series of high-profile crimes has been investigated, and 85 active members of illegal armed groups arrested. Over 2.5 million rubles worth thefts of food and medicines by Chechen Health Protection Ministrys officials have been detected. Mr. Pankov believes local residents must protect law and order in the republic themselves. Permanent interior departments function in all 20 regions, in 13 of which local policemen are charged with the task. Interior departments are yet to be set up in the Kurchaloevsky, Nozhai-Urt, Vedeno, Shatoi, Sharoi and Itum-Kalinsky regions. However, policemen from other regions must be still involved in providing law and order. There is acute shortage of specialists in mountain regions of Chechnya. Officials of the interior department are voluntarily heading for the areas under one-year-contracts. Mr. Pankov underscores professional Chechen policemen who fled the republic at uneasy times, are also invited. (more from Chechen diary)

12 October 2002  Russian Presidents decree creates legal basis for military in Chechnya

Russian President Putin has signed a decree confirming temporary regulations for military commandants offices deployed in Chechnya to improve activity on guaranteeing security and fighting terrorism in the republic. Under the decree, federal bodies of executive power that directly take part in fighting terror, preventing and checking terrorist activity, local administrations and populated areas are to assist military commandants offices deployed in Chechnya. According to Chechen military commandant Sergei Kizjun, the decree is a very timely document that creates a legal basis for activity by military commandants offices in the republic. Commandants have obtained extended functions and are instructed to coordinate activity of all bodies responsible for fighting rebel and terrorist groups. He believes the document will be enforced until Chechen citizens are able to walk peacefully at night along streets of Grozny. Mr. Kizjun foresees this would realize soon for the situation in Chechnya is gradually returning to normal.
(more from Chechen diary)

Chechen ethnos

The Tatar-Mongo invasion

The drawn-out Caucasian war left an imprint on the Chechen economy, family and society, Remembering that "all Moslems are brethren," numerous representatives of the ethnic communities of Daghestan and other neighboring regions had moved to live on the fertile land of Chechnya. Up to one third of the Avars, Darghis, Andis, Kumyks, Circassians, Tartars, Kurds and others moved to live in Chechnya. Tsudakhar, Andi, Kumyk, Tartar and other communities have preserved their identity in Chechnya. The Chechens welcomed representatives of other ethnic communities, protected them and rendered them all the necessary aid and assistance. They marked off territory where the newcomers could build their homes. The Chechens and the newcomers enjoyed equal rights in the use of meadowland, community pastures and other vitally important places. They danced on rare occasions now that many families were mourning their dead and everyone felt the economic strain of the war effort. Simplified wedding rites got to take less time. That was a positive development in the life of Chechnya. On the other hand, Shamil was trying to raise the defensive potential of his Imam ate, and his people were to follow to the dot his rules for family relations and in the economic and social fields of life. Transgressors against those rules faced up to capital punishment. All male Chechens were obliged to fight the imperial troops. People were forbidden to hire mourners for funeral ceremonies. A funeral would be over after a prayer and a few words of condolence. The slightest disregard for the Shariah ban on alcoholic beverages and smoking was severely punished. No girl could stay single if she had come of age. Neither could any grown-up man. Bride ransom (kalym) was reduced because people were encouraged to get married. But the law of Shariah practiced in the Imamate affected little, if at all, the highest-lying communities. They stuck to the older tradition. With the defeat of the Imamate, attempts were made to revive the ancient customs and traditions. The elders, Sheikhs, mullahs and alims again became the most honored of men. The Czar of Russia would not share his control over the Northern Caucasus with anyone. But apprehension of new uprisings and fear of Islam forced him to make some concessions . A Chechen court of law was instituted under the military administration of Chechnya. But its limited rights had been continually reduced to all the more limited ones as time went on, until it was replaced by district courts of Chechen law. The mullahs and elders, whose moves could hardly be controled by the military administration, retained their influence over the people. They collected taxes - zakat - under the law of Sharia', held clandestine court hearings, opened schools of Islam and determined the character of relations with the colonial administration. What was officially labeled as a military-popular government may be more accurately described as military occupation of Chechnya. The courts of Chechen law were forbidden to hold hearings of serious cases, such as blood feudcases. Nonetheless, Chechens would still turn to mullahs and elders for help in the settlement of complicated problems. The neighboring Russian and Cossack villages exercised a beneficial influence on the economic traditions of the Chechens. Chechen life took a turn for the better when the Chechens had learned to use such a revolutionary invention as steel plowshare, the so-called Lithuanian scythe, roof shingle, window glass, glass- and chinaware, and steel forks and spoons. The Chechens got acquainted with the samovar, the accordion, sugar, potatoes and factory-made broadcloth. The kerosene lamp enabled them to work longer hours. But it took them a long time to write the bottom lines under the old way of life and isolationism. Blood feuds and "gui kheikhar" - the outlawing, to the accompaniment of gunfire, of a village or several villages - had been reported till 1917.
(in detail...) 

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