The Information Channel Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Issue 62 24.01.03 Actual News from Chechnya News update A. Kadyrov: Moslem world must know the truth that Russia fights against terrorists in Chechnya but not against Islam or Chechen people The head of the Chechen administration Akhmad Kadyrov plans to inform the Islamic society truth about the developments in the North Caucasus and Chechnya. In an interview with ITAR-TASS he emphasized: Moslem world must know that Russia fights against international terrorism but not against Moslems or Chechens. He made this statement on the eve of his visit to the Middle East and North Africa. He will head the Chechen delegation and muftis of the North Caucasus who will pay a nine-day visit to Libya and Jordan. According to A. Kadyrov, there are many envoys of Maskhadov in the East, including Jordan where so-called Ichkeria office is functioning. Akhmad Kadyrov emphasized that the Caucasian and Chechen diaspora in the country is large but they do not receive unbiased information much since the representatives of Maskhadov and Udugov spread misinformation. ITAR-TASS quoted Russian Presidents envoy to Chechnya Adlan Magomadov as saying that the programme of the Chechen delegation includes meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Libya and Jordan and the public figures, religious leaders and the representatives of the Caucasian diaspora. The delegation also includes Adlan Magomadov, and the muftis of Chechnya, Kabardino-Balkaria, KarachaevoCherkesia and Ingushetia Akhmad Shamaev, Shafig Pshikhachev, Ismail Berdiev and Magomed Albogachiev. more... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=Moseng) The President of Ingushetia and a delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Union discuss the situation in the region The President of Ingushetia Murat Zyazikov and the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Union, PAEU, have discussed the situation in the region and the tent camps in Ingushetia and the return to Chechnya of refugees from the republic. The delegation headed by the reader of a report to the political commission of the PAEU, co chairman of working group of the Lower House of the Russian parliament-PAEU Lord Jadd and it arrived in Magas from Chechnya on Thursday. Murat Zyazikov informed the delegation that 308000 refugees have been registered in Ingushetia since September 1992. Many of them either returned home or moved into other Russian regions. At present there are 64 000 residents of Chechnya in the republic who lives in tent camps, private houses or rented buildings. According to the President of Ingushetia, the refugees get medical and food aid. Murat Zyazikov said that humanitarian agencies had given special aid to the refugees. Concerning the return home of the refugees President of Ingushetia said that there had bee no single evidence that they were forced to return to Chechnya. (more... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=Moseng) Multi-ethnic Chechnya The history of the Cossack community of Chechnya Some pages of the history of the Terski-Greben Cossacks Hired hands or paramilitary protectors of the Russian border were, since the late 15th century, called Cossacks. Cossacks who lived in today's Chechnya were known as Greben because "greben" stood in their dialect for a mountain ridge, and, somewhat later, as "Terski" because they lived in the flow of the Terek River. Cossacks made their first appearance in the northern Caucasus in 1578 or 1579. Moscow, who had, on demand from Turkey, destroyed its fort on the Sunzha River but still wanted to keep an eye on the local developments, ordered some Volga River Cossacks to move to the Caucasus. Moscow considered that area patrimony of the Kabardian princes. It offered no direct support to the Cossack community of the Caucasus. But a loyal friend of Moscow, Shikh-Murza Okutski, is said to have taken the Cossacks under his wing. The 300-to-500-strong all-male Cossack task force neither toiled the land nor married in the northern Caucasus. A long time before the appearance of Cossack strongholds in the Terek basin, natives made life difficult for the steppe nomads. By the 16th century, they came to control both banks of the Terek River up to the Daryal Canyon. Moscow kept building up presence in the flow of the Terek River but it was not until the mid-17th century that Cossack paramilitaries had settled there for good. It was not until that time century that the Terski-Greben Cossacks were first reported to take to farming and to form a self-governed community ("voisko") that elected its commander ("ataman") and ruling council ("krug.") Runaway serfs and disillusioned townspeople of Central Russia, the Volga Valley and Ukraine joined the Cossacks of the northern Caucasus. The greatest number of runaways made it for the Terek in the wake of the devastating peasant wars and uprisings of the 17th and 18th century. Native-born highlanders, as well as their runaway prisoners of war, would also join the Cossacks. Ethnic Kabardian, Chechen, Kumyk, Georgian, Armenian, and trans-Kuban Circassian outlaws and castaways saw Cossack villages as safe havens. The multiethnic composition of the Cossack villages left an imprint on the local customs and traditions. Endless enemy invasions of the 16th and 17th century made it difficult for the Greben and Terski Cossack to build townships on both banks of the Terek River. But enemies destroyed what the Cossacks had built only to see new fortifications rise in another strategically important place. And the local residents refused to stay put: Cossacks as much as native-born highlanders migrated between neighboring villages. 19th century historian V.A.Potto speaks about this in his "Two Centuries Of The Terski Cossacks." Imagine, he wrote, that a man by the name of Hassan kidnapped a local belle by the name of Fatima. The two of them fled to a Greben stronghold. In the morning, Hassan turned into a Cossack by the name of Ivan and Fatima was now known as Maria, or Mashutka, that is little Masha, in the Greben tradition. Both Cossacks and native-born highlanders - Chechens and Ingushes, to name but a few of these - plowed land and indulged in livestock-breeding. That would not keep them from protecting the border of Russia. They joined forces to build military fortifications and translated if negotiations were held. (in detail ... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng§ion=mhiscoseng&row=1) Chechnya: news | arguments | facts 24 January 2003 Chechnya makes efforts to normalize education system and introduce extracurricular activity Chechnya gradually restores schools in cities and villages and children get an opportunity to study under normal conditions. According to the Minister of Education Lema Dadaev, 14 schools were commissioned last year and another 4 or 5 are now under reconstruction. Last year a school for 320 children was built in the village of Ilinovka in the Grozny district. Earlier, children studied in a private house in three shifts. They moved into the well-equipped school with computer classes in January. Until recently, some children in the Shatoi district studied in a tent-school. They have received a repaired school. Oktober school in the Vedeno district is included in the reconstruction plan since it needs another building to hold classes in one shift. 220 children study in the school and it has a staff of 19 teachers. Owing to the sponsorship of the Russian regions of Samara and Permi they received textbooks but there is a shortage of textbooks and literature in Chechen language. The studying conditions of many schools in Chechnya are far from normal. Despite the difficulty children study with enthusiasm. For one, 20 pupils in the secondary school in Shatoi got excellent marks in the first term, and another 40 had all excellent marks but one credit. The pupils of the Kalausskaya secondary school often take part in district competitions and win prizes. It is the smallest school in the district with one hundred pupils and is the winner of the districts best school competition. Chechen schools also try to introduce extracurricular activity. The secondary school in Shatoi, for one, holds concerts of armature groups, festivals and competitions. An arts center for children and youth was set up in the Nadterechny district last year. 250 children attend the centre, which has a staff of 20 teachers from the schools in the district. The centre has 19 groups. Girls prefer to make soft toys, while boys radio technicians group and aircraft and ship-model construction classes. Last year the centre held several exhibitions of the work done by children. More than 4000 people attended the exhibitions. Children took photographs of the exhibits to prepare a photo-album for school museums. (more News from Chechnya ) 22 January 2003 A school of young talents needs sponsors The art school in Shali district center was set up in December 2001. More than two hundred children attend music, choreography, choir and drawing classes. The choirs leader is the Principal of the school, Roza Gamilovskaya. Mrs.Gamilovskaya believes that her choir has gifted children only. The master of the drawing class, Malkhan Emzaev, is proud of his students too. Students in the choreography class have prepared several national dances for a republican contest. But to the great disappointment of both children and teachers, the dances had to be called off the program because the school had no funds to buy the costumes. The school needs sponsors desperately, Principal Roza Gamilovskaya says, first of all, to purchase musical instruments. The balalaika, dolo, guitar and accordion the school possesses were all bought by the principal for her own money. When the children play the instruments, the audiences become breathless with anxiety. But folk instruments are very expensive, so the school cannot buy them without outside help. Sponsors could also help with the premises, Mrs.Gamilovskaya says wistfully. For the time being the various classes are held at secondary school 8 in Shali. Were all thankful to the schools principal for giving us a shelter but the problem is still there: the classes leaders have to squeeze into their students timetable. The school also needs a pianist. But there is no room for him, and no room for the piano either, Mrs.Gamilovskaya laments. The principal is sure that potential sponsors would come up with the assistance quickly enough if they saw the joy in the students eyes as they attend the classes. (more News from Chechnya... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=diaryeng 21 January 2003 Labor and Social Development Ministry helps Chechen children Chechnya's Labour and Social Development Ministry paid the delayed children's allowance by the end of the last year. The money from the federal budget was transferred to each district's social service departments that paid off the arrears for October and November or deposited for the recipients. Children's allowance in Chechnya, like in Russia, is 70 rubles per child per month. Lonely mothers get 140 rubles per month. Russia's Social Insurance Ministry is expected to carry out "present" payments since January. Every mother will get 4 500 rubles when a child is born. Under law parents must draw up papers concerning children's allowance and other payments before the child is six months. At present there are six orphanages in Chechnya. Three out of them, one in Ahalinsky for 90 children and another in Kurchaloevsky for 50 and the third in Gvardeisky for 90 were opened last year. The children at the Gvardeisky orphanage in the district of Nadterechny attend a school in the village of Gvardeiskoe. This has a favourable effect on their psyche. A rehabilitation centre for disabled children is expected to open in Argun shortly. Qualified doctors will work at the centre. The Labour and Social Develop Ministry registers disabled children and give them pension allowances. After the completion of the 9th class these children are sent to technical training collages as their desire. The disabled teenagers from Chechnya now study at the boarding-technical-collage in Kalachaevsky, Volgograd region, boarding-economic-college in Mikhailovsk, Ryazansky region, and in the inter-regional rehabilitation centre for deaf. All these disabled children get passage free-of-charge to travel to and from Chechnya for treatments. They and their parents are guaranteed free-of-charge traveling in city transport service. (more News from Chechnya... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=§ion=diaryeng -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chechen ethnos The chechens after the caucasian war 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. (more ... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng§ion=etneng&row=13) Chechen culture Traditional Folk Arts Mens and womens national costume This costume reflects accepted esthetic principles and traditional lifestyles. Most materials for it are produced locally. They are leather, sheepskin, wool, woolen cloth and thick felt. Most men traditionally wore a waisted garment called beshmet a sort of tight semi-caftan reaching 8 to 10 centimeters above the knee (or a little lower in older men) and usually buttoned up from the waist to the neck using string buttons and button nooses of string. It has a stand-up collar and banana sleeves with buttons of the same type. It sometimes also has a wool or cotton wool lining for warmth. Materials for beshmets range from crude cotton cloth to expensive industrially-manufactured woolen cloth or even satin and silk, depending on occasion and wearers means. The colour may be anything from grey to bright red or blue. In old times, no undergarment was supposed to be worn underneath the beshmet. Mens pants sharply narrow down and disappear into knee-high stockings of woolen cloth, usually with leather garters under the knee. In combination with soft footgear of morocco leather or rawhide, such clothing makes for easy and noiseless movement across difficult mountainous terrain and is ideal for hunting, herding and waging war. It also stresses virility by accentuating thin waist, broad shoulders, elegance and good bearing. On festive occasions, Chechen men supplemented the beshmet with a light overall called cherkeska in fact another beshmet of thin woolen cloth, but without a collar, with a single button on the waist and with flared sleeves reaching below the hands. Such sleeves are usually seen rolled up. The cherkeska is recognizable by its symmetrical chest rows of gazyrnitzas narrow vertical patch pockets for shotgun or rifle cartridges. The advent of the repeat rifle in the late 19th century reduced the gazyrnitsas to traditional decoration. A narrow waist belt around a buttoned cherkeska usually served for carrying daggers, swords and pistols. Chechnyas high-rise environment often required the wearing of one more overall called burka a bell- shaped sheepskin cover for keeping warm and dry, particularly on horseback. In the nighttime, a burka became an almost ideal sleeping bag. (in detail ... http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng§ion=ctradeng&row=2) Copyright CHECHNYA FREE.RU http://www.chechnyafree.ru/index.php?lng=eng -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=news.media.chechnyafree http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com