Actual News from Chechnya

News update

Sergey Stepashin, head of the Russian Book Union and of the Russian Audit Chamber, when meeting with students at the medical college in the capital of Chechnya, Grozny, handed them over 200 copies of fiction, reference books and encyclopaedias, RIA Novosti reports. Among the books delivered are works by the outstanding writers of the 19th and 20th centuries-Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Ivan Bunin, France's Balzac and Britain's William Shakespeare. The multi-volume History of Russia, which was also among the gifts, has been recognised as the best Russian edition of 2000. Sergey Stepashin visited Grozny to take part in the away session of the Audit Chamber board to consider the way the federal budget means for economic and social rehabilitation of Chechnya were being spent in the republic
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The International Red Cross Committee (IRCC) has introduced corrections in its activity in the North Caucasus on rendering emergency aid to restore destroyed infrastructures of regions suffered as a result of combat actions, Itar-Tass learnt at the Moscow IRCC representation. In the current year, the IRCC will double aid to hospital in Chechnya, as well as organize works on restoring water supply systems in several settlements of the republic. To render humanitarian aid in the North Caucasus, the IRCC has allocated more than 27 million dollars. Over 150,000 residents of the region get food and other kinds of aid every month. The IRCC began its activity in the North Caucasus in 1993
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Chechen history

Chechnya | Questions and answers

This pamphlet is about Chechnya , a Russian territory which has witnessed the most tragic events over the past decade. The book is the latest update on the Chechen Republic . And this is very important, since a lack of fresh and accurate information about events in Chechnya generates many distorted conceptions and rumours - both within and outside Russia . For example, that Chechen society is allegedly inherently alien to Russia , that pro-Russian elements in the republic are marginalised; and lastly, that Russian power structures are fighting the Chechen people, rather than armed bandit groups. The reality, however, is that only with the return of the legitimate authorities are villages and towns being restored, children going to school for the first time in many years, and pensioners receiving long-forgotten pensions, i.e. a social rebirth is underway. Lying ahead are a referendum on a new Chechen constitution, and parliamentary and presidential elections. These votes will be held, despite continued attempts by bandit groups and their leaders to scupper the process of normalisation in the republic, the latest terrorist act being the bombing of the republican government building. The war being waged by Chechen separatists against federal forces and more often than not against their own co-citizens is by no means a "national liberation struggle of the Chechen people", but an episode in the overall offensive by international terrorism on the fundamental principles of modern civilisation. The facts show that being a part of the Russian Federation in no way threatens the Chechen Republic 's cultural identity, the free use of its own language, and preaching Islam. On the contrary, it was during de facto "independence" from Russia that the Chechen people suffered a humanitarian tragedy on an unprecedented scale. Hostage-taking, the slave trade and plundering came to form the economic basis of the new regime, while chaos and war became the form of its political existence. We want to emphasise once more: Chechnya is part of Russia , geographically, politically and civilisation-wise. So a hypothetical triumph of radical Islamism on its territory would be anti-historical. Such a development would signify the establishment in the midst of Europe of a Taliban-like regime, with all ensuing consequences for the international community. The corporate author - journalists of the Russian Information Agency Novosti - have attempted to be as brief as possible on providing answers to the most-often asked questions (above all posed by a foreign audience) about the Chechen issue. Hence the book's title: " Chechnya : Questions and Answers". It draws heavily on information provided by various Russian ministries and departments that in one or another way are involved in normalising life in the republic.
Russian Information Agency Novosti
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Chechen culture

Music

The modern school of professional music draws inspiration from the richest heritage of folk singing and musical tradition. Melodies, composed by unknown authors who lived a long time ago, are still loved by the people. But the 20th century left us a long list of folk musicians, creators of popular pieces of music.20th century creations are usually named after those who composed and played them. Music sheets exist thanks to professional musicians. The Bisirkhoyev family, Yusup Gadayev, Sesikat Dudayeva, Ibraghim Batayev, Baudin Suleimanov are the best known of the folk musicians. Highly talented accordeon player Magomayev composed the well known "Shamil's Prayer." One day, a legend says, Imam Shamil's forces were trapped. The situation was hopeless. But Shamil got an idea. At first he knelt in prayer, then gave orders to his musicians and, loath as he was of any kind of entertainment, started dancing. His fiery dancing aroused his men. And, in the midst of the dancing, Shamil gave orders for fighting. His men fought like lions and broke the circle of siege. "Shamil's Prayer" consists of two parts: the first is sad and slow-moving, the second makes you want to dance. Composer G.Kh.Melpurnov (1900-1957) did much for the development of professional music in Chechnya. It was on his initiative that a band of folk instruments was formed in 1936. The bandmen played the traditional dechik-pondur, harmonica, zurna, and percussion instruments, as well as the more modern balalaika counterbass and updated adkhoku-pondury. While collecting and polishing Chechen and Ingush folk tunes, G.Kh.Melpurnov produced his own arrangements and original pieces of music.
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Issue 86
19.04.03

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

19 April 2003  The UN supports Russias policy on Chechnya
Another attempt to have the UN Human Rights Commission approve an anti-Russian resolution on Chechnya has failed. The resolution, submitted by the European Union and a number of countries seeking EU membership, secured the support of only 15 of the 53 Commission member-states in the voting on April 16th. 21 delegations voted against the draft resolution, which essentially not only fails to help search for political solutions for Chechnya, as the chief Russian delegate Leonid Skotnikov put it, but , strictly speaking, gets in the way of a political settlement by sending a wrong signal to the few opponents of the process. The Russian Foreign Ministry official spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in a comment on the vote that the results are yet another evidence that the world community has been growing increasingly more aware of that the people of Chechnya have made their choice in favour of peace and development together with Russia and have turned their back on terrorists and extremists. The Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian Parliaments lower house Dmitry Rogozin said that an odious resolution on Chechnya by the UN Commission would have proved glaring evidence of the double standard policy and would have therefore triggered a strong reaction from Russia. The way the UN Commission voted was to be expected, the Russian Government Minister for Chechnya Stanislav Ilyasov says, since Moscow has been making consistent efforts to guarantee human rights in Chechnya. The process may have sometimes failed to proceed smoothly enough, he said, yet some positive change has been on hand, - the judicial system in Chechnya has again become operational, while the military prosecutors office and the local police have grown much more confident and energetic. The Russian Presidents point man in charge of guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of man and citizen in Chechnya Abdul-Hakim Sultygov described the UN Commission voting as the world communitys long-awaited insight. The United Nations has taught the Council of Europe a good lesson, he said. By refusing to support the resolution on Chechnya, Sultygov said, the UN Commission member-nations made it clear that the world community sees as the more important the currently made efforts to settle the Chechen crisis politically. By voting down the resolution on Chechnya the United Nations clearly provided support for Russias domestic policy.
(more News from Chechnya)

18 April 2003  The United Nations will contribute to the constitutional settlement of the Chechen problems
President Putin's human rights commissioner for Chechnya Abdul-Khakim Sultygov has told media people in Geneva that Russia is willing to join forces with international human rights watches for "practical efforts that leave no room for the politization of the situation and interference in the affairs of a sovereign nation." Sultygov wants cooperation between Russia and international human rights watches to rest on "programs and projects that aim to settle the people's problems." Expanded cooperation is what Sultygov discussed with the United Nations' Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Vieira de Mello. Vieira de Mello agreed that "one would find it impossible to make serious progress in the field of human rights in Chechnya if one ignored factors that would lead to the radical change in the situation - the constitutional referendum, the upcoming amnesty, the restoration of a normal legal system and the efforts to settle a whole range of problems, including that of blood feud." Vieira de Mello agreed that the referendum was "the most important step on the road for the settlement of the Chechen crisis and the beginning of a comprehensive political accommodation." In Sultygov's view, the referendum gave the Chechens a chance to say how they felt about international terrorism. The returns of the referendum proved that "the problem of international terrorism no longer existed as a political problem in the Russian Federation." Vieira de Mello agreed that other countries could cash in on the Russian experience in settling conflicts. Sultygov and Vieira de Mello agreed that the United Nations would help Moscow settle some of the Chechen problems. It would, for example, be engaged in the social rehabilitation of amnestied Chechens.
(more News from Chechnya)

18 April 2003  Audit Chamber has uncovered misspending in Chechnya
The Russian Audit Chamber has uncovered misspending of 366 million rubles (some 11 million euros) in Chechnya, Chamber's Head Sergei Stepashin said in Grozny to RIA Novosti. According to him, the Government gave the money in question to the republic for rebuilding social services. The Audit Chamber has revealed that 21 million rubles out of the total 366 million were misappropriated. "The facts have been established and the necessary documents will soon be handed over to the prosecutor's office," Stepashin pointed out. Chechnya's 2002 budget was executed in full, he said. At the same time, according to Stepashin, in many cases money was not spent wisely, but "was spread all over the republic." On Friday, the head of the Audit Chamber arrived in Grozny to hold the department's first field check-up to see how the federal target program for the reconstruction of Chechnya is being implemented. Stepashin is being assisted by Head of the Chechen Administration Ahmad Kadyrov and the republic's Cabinet members.
(more News from Chechnya...)

18 April 2003  Minister Zorin: The formation of power in Chechnya will return Russian-speaking population to the republic
The formation and the legalisation of bodies of power in Chechnya will make it possible to return Russian-speaking population to the republic. Minister of Nationalities Policy of the Russian Federation Vladimir Zorin spoke about it at a briefing, answering a RIA Novosti correspondent's question. According to the minister, the recent referendum on the Chechen constitution and its results "will put a gravestone on the idea of separatism and nationalism in the Chechen republic." When commenting on the legal assessment by the government of the facts of genocide with regard to the Russian-speaking population in Chechnya, Vladimir Zorin said that "history will assess these facts and will do justice to such actions." At the same time, Zorin underscored that not only Russian-speaking inhabitants were leaving the republic. For instance, in 1996 and after the elections of the president of Ichkeria in 1997, some 60,000 people, mainly Chechens, left the republic.
(more News from Chechnya...)

17 April 2003  Chelyabinsk Region and Chechnya Decide To Boost Cooperation
Chelyabinsk region has become another Russian region to sign with Chechnya a bilateral agreement on boosting trade, economic, scientific, technical, social and cultural ties. Chelyabinsk regions Governor, Petr Sumin, and the head of the Chechen Administration, Akhmad Kadyrov, signed the document in absentia - Mr. Sumin in Chelyabinsk and Mr. Kadyrov in Grozny. The agreement is yet to be filled with exact guidelines, but now it provides for concerted action to create favorable economic, financial and legal conditions for investment and business activities and for exchange of information, technologies and experience. The two sides also plan to draw up complex development programs and programs for supporting small-scale business. Chelyabinsk region that has considerable resources is ready to supply Chechen industrial enterprises with building materials, metal production, road-building machinery and machines.
(more News from Chechnya)

Chechen ethnos

The invasion of Tamerlane

An even more fearsome invader, Tamerlane, followed on the Tartar-Mongols' heels. He had defeated the Golden Horde before making an incursion into the mountainous part of Chechnya and destroying the reviving villages and towns. He did away with the Simsim Khanate of Islamic Chechnya whose ruler, Gayur Khan, was an ally of the Golden Horde. Tamerlane's forces numbered up to half a million fighting men. But in Chechnya Tamerlane met with stiff resistance. And it was only after several attacks by his hundredfold stronger forces that Tamerlane managed to seize control of the mountainous villages. That is why in Chechnya the Lame Timur - Tamerlane - was cruel as never before. He turned the hostilities into a regular bloodbath. Villages were burnt down and razed to the ground both on the plains and in the mountainous part of Chechnya.The ancestors of today's Chechens would not bow down to the invaders. But to fight off Genghiz Khan's and Tamerlane's hosts, they had to bring to perfection their system of defensive installations. The highest density of population, the lack of arable land forced them to take advantage of every mountain slope and every small plateau. They had gained experience in terracing the reclaimable land. They brought soil and humus to their terraced fields and kitchen gardens.Dwelling and defensive towers made of mountain rock, as well as the multitiered crypts of more than 500 "cities of the dead," can still be seen in the mountainous part of Chechnya. Magnificent monuments of architecture are located in the Argunski, Assinski and Dzherakhovski Canyons, and in the environs of the high-altitude lakes of Kazenoi-Am and Galanchozh.
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Chechen history

The current conflict in Chechnya is largely rooted in the history of Russian-Chechen relations, which include six stages.

The first stage
The first stage, which started in the middle of the 16th century and lasted until the end of the 17th century, was marked by a peaceful colonization of the region. That period is characterized by vassal-allied forms of relations between Moscow tsars and elders of Chechen communities. Moscow was trying to expand its influence in the region by political and economic means mainly. The policy was a success and Chechen communities voluntarily (by signing agreements) announced recognition of the supreme power of the Moscow state.
The second stage
The second stage, which lasted almost throughout the 18th century, marks the beginning of Russia's open military expansion to the North Caucasus. Under Peter I and then Catherine II the doctrine of colonizing the mountain areas prevalent.
Though in 1781 oaths of allegiance were officially registered the voluntary submission of Chechen communities bordering on Russian fortresses, the year 1785 marked the beginning of a powerful movement in Chechnya under the leadership of Sheikh Mansur. That was when Chechen people launched an armed struggle for freedom and independence. Sheikh Mansur was the first to make an attempt (still popular nowadays) to unite peoples of the North Caucasus into a single Islamic state. But he failed to do so.
The anti-colonial movement started in Chechnya by highlanders spread to other regions of the North Caucasus. Taking part in the resistance were mainly the lower strata . As for the rich, at first they tried to use the peasants movement to consolidate their power in the mountain communities and restore freedom of choice in relations with Moscow. Soon afterwards, they got scared of the growing anti-feudal movement of Sheikh Mansur and in a number of cases even joined Russian troops to suppress the mutinous peasants. The first imam of North Caucasian highlanders fought tsarist troops for about six years, but suffered defeat. Sheikh Mansur was captured in 1791 and died in the Schlusselburg Fortress.
The third stage
The third stage of Russian-Chechen relations falls on the first half of the 19th century. During General A.P.Yermolov's term as Commander of the Russian army in the Caucasus (1816-1827) military pressure intensifies as Russian troops continue to advance deep into Chechnya. Chechnya responds by stepping up its resistance movement, which, for more than 30 years, was headed by Beibulat Teimiev. Teimiev for the first time managed to unite most of Chechen communities. And he made an attempt to unite mountain people too by concluding an alliance between free Chechnya and feudal principalities of the North Caucasus. Beibulat Taimiev called for a peaceful solution to the conflict and wanted to avoid a big war with Russia. His treacherous murder led to the escalation of military operations.
(more about chechen history...)

Chechen cuisine

"The Chechens, like the rest of the highlanders, avoid extremes in their eating and drinking habits. What they usually eat is chureks or corn bread with mutton lard spread on it, and wheat stew with lard in it; water is their basic refreshment." "...Unleavend wheat or barley bread baked on charcoal, milk and cheese constitute their daily menu; meat is eaten, very rarely, by the richest of the Chechens." That was written about the Chechen eating habits in the 19th century. And it was not until the late 19th century that many vegetables grown in Europe - tomatoes, cabbage, radish - had found their way to the kitchen gardens of mountainous Chechnya. Chechen farming units have, since times immemorial, been self-sufficient, with only spices and sweetmeats being bought at the market. And, although they have become familiar with the cuisines of many other ethnic communities, the Chechen women cherish the very special culinary traditions of their own.
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