Actual News from Chechnya

News update

According to the ITAR-TASS news agency, a conference has been organized and held in Caracas, Venezuela, by the Academy of Politologists and International Experts of Venezuela and the Russian agency Roszarubezhtsentr, to focus on the Chechen factor in international terrorism. As Venezuelan MP Saul Ortega addressed those present, he stressed that the problem of Chechnya is Russias internal affair and that the world community welcomes any peaceful moves by the Russian Government towards respecting the rights of various ethnic groups. He urged the world community to wage a decisive struggle against international terrorism. A prominent Venezuelan lawyer Amilcar Gomez, for his part, strongly condemned the double yardstick approach by the Governments of a number of countries to the developments in Chechnya. Mr. Gomez said the illegal armed groups in Chechnya are no more than ordinary gangs and that they should be treated as terrorist groups in compliance with international law provisions.
more...)

The command of the united force in the North Caucasus is preparing to withdraw part of troops and hardware deployed in Chechnya. The federal manpower in the republic amounts to about 80 thousand now. The defense ministry press secretary Nikolai Deryabin told ITAR-TASS that more than one thousand troops and some 200 items of hardware are to be withdrawn by the end of March. He said that the plan to do so has been mapped by the general staff in cooperation with the federal authorities. First on the withdrawal list are units that have engaged in blocking population centers and districts and fire backing of troops. The 42 infantry division, military commandants offices and several mountainous units will remain in Chechnya. According to the press secretary, engineer units will be more vigorous in construction and repair of roads, bridges and other infrastructure objects, especially in mountainous districts.
(more...)

Religion in Chechnya

The nature of Kunta-Khadzhis teachings is best reflected in his sermons and instructions that were collected from accounts by murids of the Kunta-Khadzhi fraternity. The most serious of works about the life of Kunta-Khadzhi is a book by philosopher Vakhit Akaev, which is called Sheikh Kunta-Khadzhi. Life and Teaching and which came out in Grozny in 1994. The author writes: Islam that got established in Daghestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia is of specific nature, which formed under the influence of Sufism. The Sufi Order facilitated dissemination and strengthening of Islam in the North Caucasus. It got stronger in Daghestan in the 19th century, when many representatives of official Islam stopped following the Koran and Sharia and began to encroach on the rights of the poor in favour of the ruling classes. That prompted Imam Gazi-Muhammad to declare gazavat or holy war on the ruling clique of mountaineers and expansionist policy of tsarism in the North Caucasus. The Kadiri tarikat, a social movement and religious concept, known in the North Caucasus as Zikrism, emerged at the end of the Caucasian war and at the initial stage its ideology differed radically from the concept of holy war. The founder of Zikrism Sheikh Kunta-Khadzhi, a native of the Chechen village of Ilskhan-Yurt, appeared on Chechnyas political scene at a time when people, weary of continuous war with the tsarist regime, needed peace. Kunta-Khadzhis sermons calling for peace, brotherhood and support for the poor and orphans found a response among the people, driven to the point of physical extermination. Central in his sermons were the ideas of non-resistance to evil with violence, renunciation of military actions against the tsarist regime, which outnumbered mountaineers in military might, and appeals for submission. Kunta-Khadzhi was fully aware of the fact that irreconcilable resistance to the tzarist regime might result in a complete of annihilation of Chechens. It was that very circumstance that made Kunta-Khadzhi appeal to the idea of ending the bloodshed and returning to peaceful life. Zikrism ideology ran counter to the concept of holy war, or gazavat, which called for continuing the struggle till final victory. Shamil pursued Kunta-Khadzhi for his anti-gazavat ideas.
(in detail ...)

Russia - Chechnya

To Chechen children

The Russian Education Ministry is doing much to help restore education process in Chechnya and revive interest of the young in sport. Various departments of the ministry are supporting Chechen sports schools. One of the priorities is to arrange competitions engaging Chechen youth. About a year ago, the ministry held a seminar for Chechnyas district authorities responsible for youth policy. Every department of the ministry told about its prospects for working in the republic. Sport competitions were at the focus of the discussion. Chechen delegates asked why the Ministry does not invite Chechen athletes to all-Russia competitions organized with its participation. There are many sportsmen in Chechnya, they said, going for wrestling, martial arts and football. As a result of the meeting, it was decided to reinvigorate the work of the ministrys departments in supporting youth sport in Chechnya. The job of the day is to purchase sports outfit for Chechen schools, provide coaches with methodic textbooks and, most importantly, invite Chechen teams to competitions across Russia. This will allow Chechen children to see how Russia at large is living and will help unite kids of our country regardless of nationality, says Igor Melnichenko, head of the patriotic and civil education board under the youth policy department of the ministry. This year, the Chechen youth is expected at the All-Russia tournament of junior football players Leather Ball. Last years tournament was won by the team from North Osetia. This event is held with the financial support of the Education Ministry, the State Sports Committee and the Russian Football Union. Chechen young athletes will be also welcome at competitions in the Southern federal district.
((more...)

Issue 73
04.03.03

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

04 Mart 2003  Chechnya braced for a constitutional referendum on March 23

Ballot papers.
The regional electoral authority has approved three, each distinctly coloured and possessing several protection features. One solicits for 'yes' or 'no' to a new constitution, another, to a law on electing the President and the third, to a law of forming the regional legislative assembly. Each is bilingual, in Russian and Chechen. The Chechen version is the work of philologists from Grozny State University and of experts from the Federal Electoral Commission. The papers are now in print and should be available for local distribution before March 2.
Polling stations.
There are 414, 34 more than was originally planned. Even small villages have their own polling stations.
There will be stations on the border with Ingushetia, so that Chechen refugees in that region could take part in the voting. The authorities are providing buses for taking refugees to these polling stations. Chechens in remote places will be served by mobile polling stations.
Permanently stationed troops are supposed to take part, accounting for under 7 percent of the total electorate.
Campaigning.
Local electoral authorities are sending out invitation booklets with guides to polling stations and with key parts of the draft constitution that goes to the popular vote. Colour campaign and education posters dubbed 'Constitution in Pictures' are being put up in towns and villages. Ahead of the referendum, the 'Ada' analysis centre polled 1000 people in 9 villages for opinion on relevant matters. Sixty percent said they would come and take part. At the same time, as many as 51 percent did not even know what questions they were supposed to answer on March 23.
Funding.
The federal government has disbursed 59 million roubles for holding the referendum. Approximately 25 more million roubles have come from a foundation run by the NGO 'Campaign for a Constitutional Referendum in the Chechen Republic'.
Banking details:
Name - Campaign for a Constitutional Referendum in the Chechen Republic .
ITN 2016013560 .
Acc 40703810334000000103 at the Chechen Regional Branch of Rosselhozbank PLC
Corr acc 30101810900000000719 BIC 049626719 .
Payment type - 'electronic' .
Benefactor's bank Rosselhozbank PLC, Moscow .
Benefactor's name - Campaign for a Constitutional Referendum in the Chechen Republic .
ITN 2016013560 .
Acc 40703810334000000103 at the Chechen Regional Branch of Rosselhozbank PLC, Grozny, BIC 044525111 .
Acc #30101810200000000111
Acc @30301810500000013400 .
The foundation spends its referendum money on printing campaign material and copies of the new Chechen constitution. Each allocation is subject to approval by the Campaign's Governing Council, of prominent public figures and religious leaders in Chechnya. They also act as a watchdog to rule out theft and embezzlement. Another such watchdog is in Chechnya's regional electoral authority. It functions under the authority's deputy head Buvaisar Arsakhanov.
Observers.
To demonstrate compliance with international norms in the March referendum, the Federal Electoral Commission and the regional electoral authority in Chechnya have invited observers from the Council of Europe, Europe's security organization the OSCE and the Executive of the Commonwealth of Independent States. An early February poll by the agency 'Grozinform' suggests an 85-percent public 'yes' to the presence of international observer staff.
(more News from Chechnya)

3 Mart 2003  Young Chechens say yes to referendum
The upcoming referendum is one of the most actively discussed issues in Chechnya and something young Chechens are very much interested in. Chechen youth representatives have recently been meeting with the chairman of the State Dumas Chechen affairs committee, Valentin Nikitin, to discuss the young Chechens participation in an upcoming constitutional referendum. Two round- tables have recently been held reflecting young Chechens strong desire for peace. One was held at the economy department of Grozny University with students, teachers and representatives of an referendum-preparing groups discussing the run up to the March 23 vote. The second one was at the Chechen governments youth affairs committee involving committee members, the staff of the Molodyozhnaya Smena newspaper, of the National Council of Childrens and Youth Organizations, the Chechen Youth and A Step Into the Future public organizations, of the students committee of the Chechen teachers Training College and the Chechen Media Union. The participants appealed to all Chechens to take part in the referendum. The ongoing preparations for the March 23 vote have also found their way onto the pages of the Molodyozhnaya Smena newspaper founded about a month ago. Even though politics takes a back seat to other issues here and editor Ramzan Gutsiev says that the newspaper will focus on youth and student affairs. These issues are also very high on the mind of the federal government, which is allocating money for supplementary education, sports and culture. There are more than 10,000 kids attending all kinds of special interest clubs, the Terek team has made it into the premier football league, more than 100,000 children have been taken to health-building camps elsewhere in Russia in the past couple of years and a host of amateur childrens and junior ensembles re-established and successfully performing in and out of this country. Young Chechens also maintain close contacts with their peers abroad and the recent participation by members of Chechnyas National Council of Non-Governmental Youth and Childrens Associations in a seminar held in Budapest late last year was a prime example of this growing activity.
(more News from Chechnya...)

02 Mart 2003  The government of Russia signs into action this year's program for the reconstruction of Chechnya
Prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov has earmarked 3.5 bln rubles for this year's efforts for the social and economic reconstruction of Chechnya. Although last year's allocations exceeded this year's by 1 bln rubles, the federal minister for the Chechen Republic Stanislav Ilyasov says that the sum total of all allocations for the reconstruction of Chechnya is higher than that of 2002. According to Ilyasov, the Chechen Republic will find its own ways to raise more money. He puts this year's Chechen budget at more than 10 bln rubles, which means that this year's budget tops last year's by almost 3 bln rubles. For the first time ever the Chechen budget has room for a capital investment program: about 2 bln rubles will be invested in the reconstruction effort. Plus the Chechen oil revenues. Ilyasov refuses to see the bottom lines of the federal allocations as final. The federal government may, in his view, earmark more money for Chechnya. It is, for example, considering the allocation of additional 200 mln rubles for the spring sowing. Besides, the federal government is thinking in terms of raising more money for the reimbursement of lost housing. On instructions from President Putin, lists are being drawn up of those who have lost their housing units owing to the war action. Since the country's chief executive is paying special attention to this problem, Chechens may start receiving reimbursement payments before the end of the year.
(more News from Chechnya...)

Chechen culture

Traditional Folk Arts

There are many things that life in the mountains taught Chechens. They are excellent huntsmen, soldiers, fortification builders and armourers. The earliest Chechen arms were made of stone and wood. Sharp-pointed and round stones were catapulted by means of a sling from high fortress towers. Long-range offensive weapons included the so-called "javelin-thrower". This pure Chechen invention consisted of a pair of wild goat's sabre-shaped horns fixed on a wooden stand with leather belts or goat tendons stretched between their ends. For close combat the Chechens had clubs, leather-covered shields and chain mails. Projectile wooden weapons such as bows, arrows and spears were made of hornbeam. Growing in abundance in Caucasian forests, the hornbeam tree was considered sacred and was not allowed in construction. Young shoots were used for making arrows. Flat-shaped and feathered, they were shot from a huge, heavy two-string composite bow with horn on the belly and sinew on the back, the shaft often wrapped in leather. Shooting from such a bow at a galloping speed requred strength, sharpsight and coordination of a horseman. Chechens were expert in archery. Arrows and bows were used until the early 18th century. With the appearance of metal the Chechens became famous for their sabres, cavalry swords and daggers. A folk saying "a sabre as fierce as a bear" stems from an ancient steel-tempering technology in which bear's fat was used. The secrets of steel-tempering were strictly guarded and passed from father to son. Here is one of them: a white-hot steel plate attached to a long rope was thrown into a precipice and then lifted quickly. The friction of steel against air was said improve its quality. It took an armourer and an apprentice some two weeks to make a dagger and more than month to make a sabre. Daggers were especially popular. They were used in combat, labour, hunting and even dancing. Before the Caucasian war daggers were not very sharp. A soldier who stubbed an enemy with a dagger was considered a poor fighter. In defense Chechens were as inventive as they were virtuosos in the production of assault armory. Khalkhan - a metal bear-spear half a meter in length, with a thick wooden haft - was a specifically Chechen means of defense the object of which was to catch and break the sword of the enemy. It was also used as a support stand for a flint gun. The Chechens were very proud of their weapons. They adorned their houses with sabres and guns, hanging them on a carpeted wall for everyone to see. Even poor men preferred to have high-quality weapons.
EXCERPTS FROM THE LATEST BOOK ABOUT TRADITIONAL CHECHEN ARMS
The following are excerpts from 'Chechen Arms'. This lifetime work of Isa Askhabov is a comprehensive encyclopedia on the subject, with hundreds of references and at least as many illustrations captioned in Russian and English.
SHASHKA
It's a kind of sword.The name of it derives from the Chechen word 'sashkho', which means 'a long knife'. A good shashka is feather-light, vine-flexible and razor-sharp. The most prized shashka types are 'gurda', 'kaldam' and 'ters-maimal' ('little wolf'). Such weapons were highly valued by Russian army officers in the Caucasus as well as local Chechens and Cossacks. An outstanding specimen was the object of envy and sometimes of armed contest for the possession of it. A 19th-century Russian writer describes instances when dozens died in fierce fights over the dead body of the last owner of a really good shashka sword. The 'little wolf' is so flexible it can be placed into a 40-centimetre sieve. Taking it out without suffering harm is a challenge indeed. 'The waking of a Chechen wolf' is the traditional name of the exercise.
DAGGER
A fragment from a poem by Alexander Pushkin in the epigraph describes the dagger as the ultimate judge and custodian of freedom.Archaeologists keep digging up two types: the polished and the burnished, both up to 60 centimeters long and up to 9 centimeters wide. Over the 19th century, the dagger grew much smaller and lighter as its combat role diminished and habits changed. The blade, however, remained superb.A good Chechen dagger could cut blacksmith's tongs in two.A 19th-century ethnographer reports discovering a dagger with one of its sides like a saw. This saw, he says, could cut tempered steel. The late 19th-century arms maker Talkhig forged daggers from British sewing-machine needles. Each remained easily discernible in the finished product, as if the maker had only covered them all with a layer of varnish.An outstanding dagger could change hands for several dozen sheep.The villages of Bolshiye Atagi and Maliye Atagi were clusters of smithies turning out daggers and swords
(in detail ...)

Copyright © CHECHNYA FREE.RU