Subscribe.Ru -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue 60 17.01.03 Actual News from Chechnya News update Financial Times: Traces of Producing Poisoning Substances In Europe Lead To Georgias Pankisi Gorge Traces of the plot to organize underground manufacturing of poisoning substances in European states, including Britain and France, lead to Chechen militant bases in Georgias Pankisi Gorge. European Intelligence services has been long suspecting there are links between the discovery of the highly toxic poison ricin in London and Islamic activists trained in Pankisi camps. According to The Financial Times, quoting sources in foreign special services, these links are becoming more evident. Terrorist groups have used the chemical poisoning substances as the main device to undermine the situation in Europe. The Algerian nationals arrested in Britain in connection with the ricin case are among the terrorists who have received training in producing the simple chemical weapons in the Pankisi Gorge. According to the information published in the newspaper, the terrorists have been entering Western Europe from Georgia through Turkey. more...) The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe makes more constructive moves for a political accommodation in Chechnya The deputy chairman of the international affairs committee of the lower house of the Russian legislature Leonid Slutsky says that the House and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe maintain close relations in an effort to settle the Chechen problem. Slutsky has told the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS that the Russian and European lawmakers were working hand in hand and that the Parliamentary Assembly made increasingly balanced and constructive moves for a political accommodation. Slutsky led a Russian delegation to the latest session of the Assembly's Political Commission which was held in Paris and which put the Chechen developments on the agenda of the Strasbourg session of the Parliamentary Assembly. Slutsky describes the preliminary discussion of the Chechen developments as quiet and balanced and feels that the man who delivered the keynote report on the situation in Chechnya, Lord Judd, had taken into account the latest developments inside and outside that North Caucasian republic. Lord Judd had even taken into account things that had happened in Moscow and beyond the border of Russia. He held a highly positive view of what the Russian leadership, including the lower house of the Russian legislature, was doing for a Chechen accommodation and for cooperation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Slutsky expects the upcoming visit by a PACE delegation to Moscow, Grozny and Nazran to help Lord Judd draw up an unbiased report on the situation in Chechnya, which would enable the Russian lawmakers "to launch untroubled, businesslike, constructive cooperation for a Chechen accommodation with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe." Whether an ad hoc group of Russian and European lawmakers will again meet in session, is to be decided at this month's session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, he said. (more...) Religion in Chechnya Kunta-Khadzhi Kishiev the Chechen Mahatma Gandhi The teaching of Kunta-Khadzhi Kishiev (continuation) Dont long for earthly honours. Earthly honours are illusions. Be happy and proud that you are equal among equals. If you discover you know more or have more, be quick to give it away, for otherwise it will be lost. What you have given away will come back, become a witness on Dooms Day. Dont argue with the authorities, dont try to replace them. All authority comes from God. Allah knows better, what authority to establish and where and for what purpose. The authorities have their own account to give to God. Dont be enticed by the seemingly prestigious status of the authorities. Our tarikat is, undoubtedly, higher, for earthly authorities are supposed to resolve earthly problems mainly. No one has yet been sated with earthly pleasures. Earthly life is like salt water: the more you drink it, the more thirsty you become. Calm your souls in tarikat. A calm soul, striving for the Almighty, is eternal joy and happiness. A murid must respect an older person, for the latter has seen a lot, gone through a lot and knows a lot. A murid must respect a younger person, for it is possible that he hasnt committed many sins yet. A murid must respect every person and be courteous to all, for it is the only way for his soul to stay calm and not let him diverge from tarikat. Feel deep affection for animals surrounding us. Take care of them in the right way and the right time. Cows, sheep, horses, dogs or cats cannot tell us of their needs. So we ourselves have to know and remember about them. Dont rush to say your prayers if your cattle need water or food.Our souls must be pure and calm, when we pray to Our Maker. We have to be more attentive to animals than to people, for the animals are unaware of what they are doing. Cattle caught wandering in the kitchen-garden should not be beaten or cursed. They should be cautiously sent away, for they came there through peoples negligence.Torturing or tormenting animals is a grave sin. It is a sin to kill innocent birds, insects, all living creatures. All living creatures that do no harm to human beings must be protected by murids. All vegetation is alive too and has a soul of its own. Hide an axe, when you enter a forest, and cut the tree or pole you have come for. Care for every tree, bush or blade of grass. Love them and treat them as good friends.It is a terrible sin to cut a fruit-tree, a tree by the riverside or a tree by the roadside, which gives shadow to a traveler on hot day.Murids should plant trees everywhere and look after them until they grow. Water is the most sacred of Gods creations, for water, according to the Koran, never stops glorifying the Almighty Maker even when all living and non-living cease to do so.It is a great sin to pollute water. In spring and river water people use for drinking it is not allowed to wash dirty things, bathe or wash off dirt. For this purpose, you have to pick up some water and walk away from the spring or river. It is forbidden to throw rubbish into water and change the course of the river without need, for an action of this kind will kill all living creatures in the dried-up river-bed. (in detail ...) Russia - Chechnya Russian regions to Chechnya Sverdlovsk Chechen community condemns terrorism According to the special representative of Chechnya in Sverdlovsk region Lom Ali Saliev, terrorism, as a solution of the Chechen conflict, will not stand. Most of the Chechen community members all over Russia were shocked by the tragic events in Moscow. Saliev and other community leaders spoke on the local TV channel against terrorists, phrasing their determined position on the hostage-taking in Moscow. Saliev believes that the peoples wounds started to skin over as the situation in Chechnya is coming back to normal. He says that Chechnya has established relationships with other Russian regions, and that Ekaterinburg authorities have been sending humanitarian help to the Chechen refugees in Ingushetia. However, according to Saliev, terrorists barbarously tried to ruin peace in Russia, and to separate its people. Though he is absolutely sure that bandits and terrorists will fail. Saliev has underlined that Ekaterinburg is still ready to aid Chechnya, since its authorities are eager to help Chechens to return to their normal lives. (more...) Chechnya: news | arguments | facts 17 January 2003 The situation in Chechnyas oil sector Oil production is the basic sector of the Chechen economy. To manage the facilities of the oil complex a joint stock-company Grozneftegaz was set up. 49 percent of the companys shares belong to the Chechen government. Owing to the efforts by Chechen oil workers all burning oil wells were extinguished by spring 2001 and oil production reached 705000 tons. Last year the production increased twice and proceeds from the oil sale was estimated at 6 billion rubles. When taking into account the high oil prices on the world markets in 2002, this amount is almost three times exceeds the revenue of the year 2001.Under a decree by the Russian government, all oil produced in Chechnya is sold abroad and the proceeds from the oil sale goes to the restoration of the Chechen economy and the social area, including the development of the oil sector. The Chechen Fuel and Energy Ministry has no plan to make significant increases in the production in the next two or three years because it considers that it is expedient to maintain a production of 1.5 to 2.0 million tons a year. To this end it is sufficient to use the gushing forth oil wells and preserved ones and there is no need to bore new wells that need large investments. According to the Fuel and Energy Minister Umar Yasaev, there is no need to increase the production until the theft of oil is not stopped. He said that 160 million rubles were spent last year to guard the facilities of the oil complex. For this purpose 1200 guards have been recruited. But this has failed to solve the problem. An internal investigation showed those guards themselves proved to be accomplices of robbers. The guards who were convicted will be punished by law. Such a conspiracy shows that the problem cannot be solved using force. When many people have no jobs the theft of oil and the production of petrol is the only source of revenue for them. A shortage of quality oil products also promotes illegal oil business. All these are economic issues and the authorities must take measures of economic nature to solve them. The government must create new jobs and organize selling of quality oil products. Grozneftegaz has allocated 50 million rubles to buy oil products this year. The government plans to restore a network of petrol stations. This will create a serious competition to illegal oil producers. The Fuel and Energy Ministry is going to focus on solving these issues this year. (more News from Chechnya) 15 January 2003 Chechen Refugees Solved And Unsolved Problems The return of the Chechen refugees remains the top priority for the Chechen authorities. By January the 1st 2002 there were 148.000 Chechens in neighboring Ingushetia, but by the end of last year the figures reduced to 67.000. In November and December 3.500 returned to their homes. The number of residents of the make-shift camps has reduced twice. By the present moment 16.500 people still remain in five camps in Ingushetia against 32.500 in early 2002. The Ingush camp Iman and the Severnii and Yuzhni camps in the Znamenskoie village of the Nadtereck region have been taken down. So, all tent camps on Chechen territory have been abandoned. According to the head of the Chechen Governments refugee committee, Maghomed Ghidizov, the terrorist act in Grozny on December 27th has virtually had no impact on the return of the refugees to the republic. The last group of refugees in 2002 arrived in Grozny late in the evening December 31st and these families managed to celebrate the New Year at their homes. This year the Chechen Government is planning to return up to 3.500 people. Most will be accommodated in new temporary premises set up in Grozny. These are the former hostels that have been restored and supplied with all necessary conditions. Six premises with a separate room for each family can receive a total of 4.000 returnees. The refugees can also accommodate in the private housing and sign a contract with a host. The Government also allocates subsidies for rent and food 20 rubles a day for one returnee. According to Mr. Ghidizov, those who came back to Chechnya in November and December, will get compensations this month. The outcome of the latest opinion polls conducted at the premises in Grozny signal say more about the sources of income of the Chechen returnees. 40 % of those capable of working obtain unemployment benefits. For instance, the benefit for the head of the family of three members totals not more that 1.000 rubles. 5-8 % managed to find jobs, 16 % acquire pensions and all the families are regularly paid benefits for children. The refugees say there are two main problems preventing their early return to Chechnya the lack of private security guarantees and unsolved problem of compensations for housing and property lost during the 10-year long armed conflict in the republic. (more News from Chechnya...) 13 January 2003 Environmentalists in Naursky district sound alarm According to environmentalists, the Naursky district of Chechnya lost more than 50 million rubles in damage inflicted by illegal oil production and violations of production technologies. One of the sources of pollution in the district is unauthorized dumping of domestic and construction waste. About 120 hectares of pastures and forest belts are littered with rubbish. Forest felling, especially in the flood-lands of the Terek River, which is the result of the absence of any gas supplies and shortage of solid fuel, poses a serious threat to the environment too. The districts territories are also contaminated with oil production refuse. Protection of the environment in the Naursky district is on the agenda of a district environmental committee and a special coordinating council. In 2002 conservationists held several clear-up actions and they are constantly engaged in campaigns to win over local people. Measures to prevent felling are underway too. The Mekenskaya-Nikolaevskaya gas pipeline is under construction and the people get regular supplies of coal and firewood. The South-Center company, which is accountable to the Emergencies Ministry, has begun to re-cultivate 70 hectares of land. In 2001 the environmentalists of the Naursky district provided the republican prosecutors with information to launch a number of lawsuits in connection with illegal production of oil products that damage the environment. (more News from Chechnya...) 12 January 2003 Chechen Peasants Wrap Up Agricultural Year Successfully In late November the Agricultural Minister submitted a report on the agricultural and industrial sector activities to the Chairman of the Chechen Administration. The agricultural year has wrapped up successfully, despite last summers devastating floods, terrorist acts and lacks of spare parts and fuel and lubrication materials. For next years crops the republic delivers 15.000 tons of seeds from the Rostov region, as well as fuel and lubrication materials from the Astrakhan region and the city of Tuapse. Each Chechen region is trying to resolve the agricultural problems effectively thanks to local resources. Khasan Bugaev has been a chief agronomist of the Gudermes region for the past five years. He is sure the field workers perform their activities better and better each year, which is proved by last years figures. The region has harvested 21.7 centners of winter-crops per a hectare, whereupon the best farms of BART and Engelurtovsky 30 centners. The cheque system embraces about 9.300 hectares in the region. Last year the farmers started to use cheques to grow sugar beet, and the experiment proved successful, resulting in a good harvest. To provide residents with jobs, including temporary replaced from other regions, many farms of the region have got engaged in vegetable-growing. For one, the Khanghishurtovsky region has harvested 300 tons of onion from the cheque fields, that is an excellent result. Rotation of crop is returning to normal, and lucerne is to be introduced. All these inspire hope for a good harvest this year, Khasan Bugaev says. (more News from Chechnya) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chechen ethnos Instilling discipline Military democratic rule was established in the Nashkh mountains. Numerous legends give us an idea of the strict laws of military discipline of that period.The coulcil of the elders would, from time to time, check up whether all the male villagers were ready for self-defense. This is how they did this. An alarm would unexpectedly be soundede, most likely at night. He who was the last to show up at the appointed place was pushed down from a cliff. It is clear that no one dared be late... A Chechen legend dwells on this. There were two friends one of whom had fallen in love. An alarm was sounded one night when he went to the faraway village where his girl lived. His friend knew where he had gone and knew that he would surely be late for the drill. He hid in the forest so as to be able to tail behind the happy lover to the marshaling area. The man who had gone to see his girl finally showed up. The elders commanded that he be pushed off a cliff but his friend ran up to them shouting: "Hands off! I am the last to come!" The elders found out what had happened and are said to have pardoned both friends. That time they made an exception to the iron rule. (more ...) Chechen culture Traditional Folk Arts THE HISTORY OF CHECHEN WEAPONS THE AUTHOR IS ISA ASKHABOV, AND THE TITLE IS CHECHEN ARMS Unveiling the book, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Tourism in the Russian Lower House G.Omarov had this to say: ... the freshly published book Chechen Arms symbolizes the historical and cultural unity of all peoples in the Caucasus. It calls for peace, ethnic harmony and neighbourhood in the Caucasus area. Archives contain next nothing on the subject and previous publications are sketchy. A whole body of facts concerning Caucasus arms and history would almost certainly have sunk into oblivion if I. Askhabov had not defied the difficult war conditions of the 1990s to collect memories and material evidence of old arms smithies in highland villages around Chechnya. His work boosted the list of known Chechen arms smiths from 14 to 162. Dr E.Astvatsaturian of Russia's State History Museum wrote a preface to Askhabov's book. She says the author's success in identifying people behind signatures and brands should enable Russian museums to correctly attribute hundreds of Chechen swords and daggers in their collections. One fine Chechen dagger at the State History Museum has been proven to be a creation of the famous arms smith Makhmad from the village of Dzhugurta. The Chechen writer A.Aidamirov praises the author for shedding light on forgotten chapters of the Chechen history as well as adding to the knowledge about traditional Chechen arms. The federal law-maker from Chechnya A.Aslakhanov says Isa Askhabov discovers dozens of new names and examines the traditional armoury as an aspect of culture rather than a collection of weapons of war. The Chechen poet M.Geshayev, member of Russia's National Writers Union, writes about his joy at encountering a work which brings to light the names of people who excelled at crafting traditional arms. Doctor of History S.Umarov says Askhabov's book is very enthralling despite a severe-sounding title. It concentrates not so much on arms as on the stories of people who made and carried them. The Chechen ethnologist S.Hasiyev hopes the book will contribute to the universal heritage by revealing new facts about the Chechen people. The author I.Askhabov will be thankful to everyone, who will submit additional information on the matter. You can send your proposals to our Website . (in detail ...) 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