Actual News from Chechnya

News update

Russian special services set to recalibrate in neutralizing Chechen militants

The director of the Russian Federal Security Service Nikolai Patrushev promised to recalibrate the activity of his body to neutralize the leaders of Chechen militants. We will surely draw conclusions, he told today to reporters referring to the seizure of hostages in Moscow. Russia, he said, has faced a resounding display of international terrorism. The names of leaders standing behind the terrorist act are known and have already been mentioned. But we will have to make corrections in our work to neutralize them, head of the FSS said. Nikolai Patrushev believes that the operational command tackling the release of hostages has acted smoothly and concertedly. The FSS chief applauded the actions of the Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov and the city services.
(more news...)

Head of Chechnya's Regional Security Council Rudnik Dudayev backs targeted security operations in his region

He tells the agency Interfax he hopes the crackdown will eliminate the remnants of terrorist gangs that operated in Chechnya. Mr Dudayev says the terrorists carry out their operations after crossing in from across the Caucasus section of the national border, together with loads of arms and supplies. This path, he insists, must be immediately cut. He also urges special services to expediently find out where the terrorists get Russian-made shoulder-fired missiles with which they bring down helicopters. Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov announced the start of a major federal offensive in Chechnya on Sunday. Acting on intelligence about new guerilla-style attacks and suicide bombings in the pipeline, Russian forces launched what the minister describes as 'a large-scale, tough but targeted special operation' to have all surviving Chechen-based terrorists either captured or dead. Mr Dudayev placed part of the blame for increasingly frequent terror attacks in Chechnya and elsewhere in Russia on reckless politicians who raised hopes of a negotiated deal with the authorities in the separatist camp. Instead of laying down arms and turning themselves in, the surviving bushwhackers are stepping up guerilla violence in the futile hope of forcing the government to the negotiating table.
(more News from Chechnya...)

Federal forces step up security in major Chechen cities

Acting on orders from Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, they are carrying out a targeted operation to foil terrorist plans to destabilize Grozny, Gudermes, Argun, Urus-Martan and Shali. Deputy commander of the federal forces in the region Colonel Boris Podoprigora tells the agency ITAR-TASS there are numerous Arab mercenaries among the terrorists who are trying to infiltrate Grozny and other Chechen population centers. Their mission is terror and sabotage in all forms. Security forces are holding 32 suspects after seizing them in round-ups in places like markets and transport terminals. The Colonel says soldiers pay particular attention to maintaining adequate security around regional and local officials, who are under constant threat from terrorists. Undercover officers are actively detecting terrorist stooges in regional and local law-enforcement.
(more News from Chechnya...)

Chechen cuisine

Thoroughly wash and treat with fire (best with blowlamp) mutton head and legs until all hair is burnt away. Then boil the head and legs in a big pan. Take out the boiled head and legs and put them in an oven to dry and stay warm. Use the broth to boil dumplings made from wheat or corn flour. Serve the dumplings, head and legs on one big dish. Garlic sauce is prepared depending on the number of portions. A guest is offered the head and he is the first to cut off the piece he fancies.
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Issue 40
05.11.02

Actual News

05 November 2002  Russian Children Foundations programs for helping Chechen kids

The Head of the Chechen department of the Russian Children Foundation, Ramzan Khasukhanov, believe his organization must strive to improve the lives of children despite any difficulties. The Health and Children program is being successfully implemented in the republic, he remarks, under which over 100 Chechen kids are receiving medical treatment in Moscow hospitals. 45 more children from the Shali orphanage will leave for the Russian capital in assistance of the Chechen Labor and Social Security Ministries. The Chechen programs are likewise being implemented in the framework of the All-Russia Children Foundation. For one, a program for Chechen children whose families suffered in the Chechen wars. The program is headed by Grozny native Lubov Krizhanovskaya who was forced to flee the republic but did not forget about her compatriots. The programs trustee funds are chaired by Iosif Kobzon. 70 children are in charge of the foundation. Deposit accounts with funds raised by sponsors are available for them. The foundations Chechen department functions thanks to efforts of its own and sponsors. Under its charter, the officials work free of charge. All the more estimated their efforts must be. Mr. Khasukhanov says there are many kind people helping the Chechen kids. The Krasnodar schoolboys and girls have gathered coats and school items for the young Chechens. The Russian Charity Organizations Union has granted them three motion picture projectors. The Novo-Ordinsk Company provided the republican endocrinology center with a set of pen-shaped syringes for diabetic children. Through the effort by the Russian-US children foundation four Chechen kids have been sent to the United States for operations. An operation for heart costs at least 80 thousand dollars, but the Chechen children underwent it free of charge. The Chechen department is planning to realize the project called Chechen Children as Peace Ambassadors. Mr. Khasukhanov says they want to include children in the international peacekeeping process and make the world see the situation in Chechnya through their eyes. He says his office is going to collect essays and pictures, in which the young Chechens express their feelings.
(more News from Chechnya)

05 November 2002  Groups of Artists in Chechnya Restore the Republics Cultural Life

664 cultural centres are operational in the Chechen Republic today. They include 297 public libraries, 236 clubs and palaces of culture. Over 3,000 schoolchildren receive additional training at 31 children-training centres. The republican school of arts has resumed classes, with over 300 internal and external students following instruction. Audiences in Chechnya enjoy performances given by the State Dance Ensemble VAINAKH and the NURADILOV theatre company. The NURADILOV company has resumed the performance of two stage productions from its former repertory, and the productions are Bozh-Ali by A.-Kh. Khamidov and Marriage by N.Gogol. The theatre company also offers a concert programme under the title of Pages of Our History. Currently the group is engaged in putting on a new version of Bozh-Ali. The performance is due at the Stage Without Borders festival in Vladikavkaz later this year. The Chechen State Philharmonic Society is operational again. It boasts four groups, namely the male group ILLI, the female group Zhovhar, the instrumental music group Daimohk and the popular music ensemble Ekspansiya. And a new folk and dance ensemble of young performers has come into existence in the republic recently.
(more News from Chechnya...)

04 November 2002  Chechnyas Naursky district - Stavropol region: peoples democracy at work

The administration of Chechnya’s Naursky district has signed an agreement with the Stavropol region government on cooperation in restoring the economy and the social sector of the Chechen republic. Under the agreement, Stavropol will help in restoring healthcare, and education, repair and maintenance of schools and hospitals. Agriculture experts from Naursky district will share know-how in field-crop cultivation and cattle rising and enhance their proficiency at Stavropol farms. According to first deputy head of the Stavropol government Valery Gaevsky, who signed under the agreement, the document is above all a political gesture of good will. Unfortunately, Stavropol region battered by the summer flood can’t help much at the moment. Nevertheless, the locals and the regional authorities can’t remain indifferent to how their next door’s neighbours are getting along. It is in their vital interests that the situation in the area grows stable. The agreement and the accompanying protocols stipulate that the cooperation will go along two directions. The territorial one supposes that each population center of Naursky district will be assigned to a certain Stavropol district. The territorial one supposes help by the Education Ministry, the Healthcare Ministry, and others. Besides, Stavropol is ready to carry out contractor’s work in restoring housing, road network and other facilities. Machinery spare parts, boiler houses, vine saplings, timber, including other construction materials, have already been shipped to Chechnya under the initiative of Stavropol residents. This is how “people’s democracy” works.
(more News from Chechnya...)

04 November 2002  A Chechen delegation participates in a youth festival in the North Caucasus

The festival of Young Stars of the Caucasus participating young peoples arts groups in the southern federal district was held between the 30th of October and 2nd of November in Dagestan. Young collectives from 12 regions, including Chechnya took part in it. The groups staged concerts in many cities, visited the Dagestan State University and went on excursions in the capital of Makhachkala. Unlike the previous festivals this time there was neither jury nor winners. The festival was aimed to exchange cultural and spiritual values, strengthen friendship between regional youth organizations, work out plans for joint work in the future and conclude agreements to promote neighbourly relations. (more News from Chechnya)

Modern customs and traditions

A legend says that the ancestor of all Chechens - Nokhchuo - was born with a piece of iron in one hand and a piece of cheese in the other. "Grace seldom rests on places unfrequented by guests," "a guest brings joy,""the longer the guest's way to your house, the more respect you owe him..." Many sayings, legends and fables focus on the sacred law of hospitality. The villagers are most hospitable. Every coutryside family has a special guest room that is always kept clean, with clean bed linen, in a word, ready for a visitor. No one makes use of this room. Even the children are forbidden to play or do anything else in this room. Every family must be ever ready to serve the guest a meal. Chechens used to set aside a special stock of food supplies for this purpose. No questions are to be asked of a guest in the first three days of his visit... He is considered a privileged member of the family. In the olden day, the daughter or daughter-in-law of the head of the family would even help him to take off his shoes and overcoat. The guest enjoys the warmest reception at meal times. A Chechen must risk his own life to protect the life, honor and property of his guest. This is one of the basic rules of Chechen hospitality. The Chechen code of conduct says guests should offer no payment to the family they stayed with. A guest may only make a present to the children of that family. The ancient rules of hospitality were obeyed regardless of circumstances. Any good man, regardless of his ethnic roots, merited a warm reception. There is a direct connection between hospitality and greetings. To greet someone, Chechens open up their arms, that is bare their heart for us to see that they neither hide mean intentions nor plan any evil.
(more about chechen traditions...)

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