Actual News from Chechnya

News update

According to ITAR-TASS citing a source in the command of the federal force, todays session in Grozny featuring the Russian general chief of staff Anatoly Kvashnin, command of the federal force in the North Caucasus and officials of the Chechen administration focused on coordination between federal power structures and republican authorities and security measures in the run-up top of the referendum on the draft of a Chechen Constitution. According to the source, general Kvashnin, who came to Grozny early today for a planned visit, will also hear the report by commander of the federal force lieutenant-general Sergey Makarov on the condition of troops and will also visit units and elements of the force, including those of the 42 infantry division deployed in Chechnya permanently. A previous trip of general Kvashnin to Chechnya took place late in October last year and broke off because of the hostages seizure in the theatre complex in Moscow.
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The Chechen central lections Committee has set up a team to oversee expenditure of funds allocated for the referendum on the draft of a Chechen Constitution slated for March 23. According to a Grozny-based ITAR-TASS correspondent, the team led by deputy head of the Chechen central elections committee Buvaisari Arsakhanov includes representatives of power agencies, the Central Bank and Sberbank. It has been created in accordance with the clause on referendum ratified in a decree by the Russian president on December 12 last year.
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Chechen economics

In 2002, over 3.7 billion roubles were raised, three times the figure for 2O01. One billion and 445 million went to the federal, and one billion and 307 million, to the regional treasury. The remaining billion or so is accounted for by the universal social tax and by public insurance payments of all kinds. The three most important taxation instruments were the natural resources tax (over 1 billion roubles), the corporate profit tax (740 million) and the personal income tax (over 400 million). Over half of the tax revenue in 2002 came from the republic's oil sector. Over 330 million came from the construction sector (against just 37 million in 2001). This spectacular growth is accounted for by the fact that all guest construction companies started paying their taxes in Chechnya. According to head of the regional branch of the federal Tax Ministry Islam Vazarkhanov, the upsurge in tax collection reflects an almost threefold increase in Chechnya's GDP in 2002. Chechnya's regional tax service marked its 3rd birthday in January 25. It consists of top-notch professionals in the fiscal field. Ten have been awarded Tax Ministry Honour Badges. Dozens received diplomas or memorable gifts. Mr Vazarkhanov believes that in 2003 the tax collection may reach 5 billion roubles as the economy continues to expand.
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Russia - Chechnya

Russian regions to Chechnya

The terrorist act at the government Hall in Grozny has invoked a feeling of pain and resentment among all those who care for the future of Chechnya. This found reflection in many messages of condolence both from home and abroad. One of the telegrams was signed by Saratov region governor Dmitry Ayastkov. Saratov patrons consider Chechnya as the 42nd municipal body of the region (all in all, there are 41 municipal entities in the region). They empathize with the difficulties Chechnya is going through. Terrorists are challenging not only authorities but the society too, and we have to stay reasonable so as not to extend anger and incitement from a bunch of wild bandits to the entire people, governor Ayatskov said in an interview with our correspondent. Mr. Ayatskov also emphasized that by expressing condolence to victims of the terrorist act, he expressed the feelings of all the population in Saratov region, residence of 17 thousand Chechens. Chechens, he said, are provided with housing, job and they study in schools and institutions of higher education. The Saratov administration is closely working with leaders of the Chechen-Ingush community in addressing various problems. There are virtually no conflicts, however, noted the governor, people are well aware that terrorism has no nationality no matter with what nation murderers would associate themselves. According to the governor, Saratov region is successfully cooperating with the Chechen republic. This year, just as before, it will help veterans by inviting them for rehabilitation and treatment and in summer, it will as usually arrange recreation for Chechen children. Saratov policemen who are on duty in Grozny rural district will also receive help. Governor Ayatskov stressed that the region would do all it can to make life easier for the long-suffering Chechen people because there is no such thing as somebody elses grief.
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Issue 65
04.02.03

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

04 February 2003  Chechen news media working to restore peace in the republic
50 news media registered on the territory of the Chechen republic comprise 25 periodicals, 24 electronic media and the Grozny-inform news agency. Recently there appeared a republican newspaper in Chechen Daimokh. The childrens magazine Raduga has been published since last year. Two district newspaper coming out in 10 thousand copies are now available too. All these publications have appeared in the past two years: before that there was the Marsho newspaper covering the developments in the Urus-Martan district and odd issues of other periodicals. The Chechen Information Ministry and the regional agency of the Russian Information Ministry are functioning normally. Another achievement in the work of Chechen news media is the republics own publishing base in Znamenskaya. Before that all periodicals were published outside Chechnya. At the moment the republic has no radio stations of its own but programs of Radio Russia and Yunost radio station are broadcast on 60% of Chechnyas territory with the help of radio transmitters. Programs of Chechnya Free radio station are received across the republic. 60% of the republics territory is covered by ORT and RTR television, 30% - by TNT and about 5% - by Culture channel. Additional equipment is required for a more extensive coverage. The problem will soon be tackled by the Russian Information Ministrys agency for the Southern Federal District in cooperation with the Chechen Information Ministry and other organizations. According to Tatiana Seledtsova, the head of the Russian Information Ministrys agency for the Southern Federal District, restoration of information space in Chechnya is proceeding at good pace. Assessing the performance of the Chechen news media, Mrs.Seledtsova says they support the federal policy. Journalists are fully aware of the fact that their priority is to bring about lasting peace to the Chechen soil. They are doing their utmost to provide a broader coverage of the positive changes in the life of Chechen people be it a good harvest, restoration of social infrastructure or preparations for a referendum on a Chechen Constitution. Meanwhile, the authorities are working to provide Chechen media workers with professional assistance. Chechen journalists are attending classes at a journalists training center that was set up in the Southern Federal District three years ago. An agreement has been reached on exchange programs between Chechnya and other republics of the Southern Federal District. The programs will be held on a regular basis and will undoubtedly help Chechen specialists upgrade their professional skills.
(more News from Chechnya)

03 February 2003  Chechen children read Russian classical literature
The republican children s library has been functioning for two years. The number of books in it is gradually increasing. The former readers presented about 300 books. But the library received books mainly from Moscow. At present the library has 3 000 books. Under the Russian government programmed designed to reconstruct the republic, Chechnya was supplied with 19 000 books, which were distributed among libraries. Though the republican library is very small and its staff consists of 8 people it serves 700 readers. This is a quite big number for Grozny. Children mainly read Russian and foreign classical literature. They link Russians with Tolstoi, Pushkin, Lermontov, and Gorky& The number of readers is gradually increasing. According to the director of the library Zulai Saidumova who works there for 15 years, at present library is like a holy place. The staff is first and foremost oriented in the school programme. The Russian government satisfies all their requests. The trade union council also helps the library. It supplied a building for the library. The director speaks highly of the contribution made by the secretary of the federation of independent trade unions in the southern federal district Alexander Velichko who gave the library an advanced computer. She said that the library has its own trade union. The librarians feel that they are protected. They appeal not only for material help but also for passes to sanatoriums and resort centres and to get treatments.
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03 February 2003  Exhibition of work by press reporters in Chechnya
A photo exhibition Chechnya our pain and anxiety - has been opened at the Photocentre Association in the Gogolevsky Boulevard. One hundred photographs on military theme show a picture story of the events between 1999 and 2002. The photos show the day-to-day life of servicemen, fighting, rare minute of rest and the pain of the war. As part of the exhibition a photo album of Fatherland, Duty and Memory on the event in the North Caucasus was presented. The album was released by Voeninform agency. It has about 300 photographs by reporters from the Moscow-based dailies, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Izvestiya and Krasnaya Zvezda and news agencies ITAR-TASS and Voina Rossii and other military and civil mass media. One of the authors of the photos is an independent press reporter who won the world press photos Golden Eye prize, which is Oscar for reporters. The album includes photos from 17 reporters. The reporters displayed not only professional talent but also heroism. They had to risk their lives often. Speaking at the opening ceremony and the presentation of the album the Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov noted that the presence of Russian servicemen in Chechnya is not only a barrier to terrorism in Russia but it also lays obstacles to spreading it to other countries. The press reporters were awarded prizes and certificates. Nikolai Pankov emphasized their professional talent.
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Chechen traditions

Modern customs and traditions

Chechen mothers enjoy a special social status. The husband is no more than the head of a family but the woman has, from times immemorial, kept the fire, and the worst thing one Chechen can say to another is "I wish the fire went dead in your fireplace." The Chechens have always held in the highest esteem those who keep the fire. The fire-keepers enjoy a very privileged position. No one but a woman can break off a blood feud fight. A combat engagement may come to an end if a woman has showed up at the battlefield. A woman can stop bloodshed by baring her head and letting her headkerchief fall between the fighters. If your worst enemy touches with his hand the hem of a woman's dress, you have to lay down weapons: he is now protected by that woman. A man who was allowed to touch with his lips the breast of a woman, becomes the woman's adopted son. A woman who was determined to put an end to hostilities, sent out her children, with a mirror or a looking glass in their hands, to face the fighters. That put an end to the fighting. A man should, in keeping with a western tradition, let a woman go first. In Chechnya, a man goes ahead of a woman. This tradition is rooted in the past. Very dangerous encounters - with a wild beast, a highway robber, a deadly enemy - might happen on the narrow mountain paths...It was only natural for a man to walk ahead of his female companion and be prepared to defend his wife and the mother of his children from any kind of peril. It is customary to greet a woman standing. If an elderly woman passes by, a man, whatever his age, is to get up to his feet. He should be the first to utter words of greeting. Lack of respect for one's mother and her relatives disgraces a man. Respect of your wife's relatives is a merit that may earn you a place in paradise.
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Chechen culture

Chechen Language

Chechen, together with Ingush and Bats, belongs to the Veinakh group of the Iberian-Caucasian family of languages. The Chechen and Ingush languages have developed a written tradition. Not so the Bats language. The earliest description of the Veinakh languages is found in the Big Comparative Dictionary of Russian Empress Catherine the Great (second half of the 18th century.) The Dictionary presents about 400 Chechen words and their Ingush and Bats equivalents. Baron P.K. Uslar described the Caucasian languages on instructions from the general staff of the Russian Army. His voluminous "The Chechen Language" came off print in 1888. It contains a grammar of the Chechen language.
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