Actual News from Chechnya

News update

President of Ingushetia (North Caucasian republic neighboring on Chechnya), Murat Zyazikov arrived at the UN Headquarters in Geneva to discuss issues connected with the return of displaced persons from Ingushetia to Chechnya. Zyazikov's visit will last until January 20. The Ingush president will meet with representatives of the UNHCR, the UN Development Program and the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. About 4,200 forced migrants from the Chechen republic are residing as of today in three tent camps in Ingushetia. On Friday Russian Federal Minister for Chechnya, Stanislav Ilyasov promised President Vladimir Putin that "all forced migrants will return to Chechnya from tent camps in Ingushetia by March 1." At the same time, he said, 25,000 of them are staying to permanently reside in Ingushetia. Ilyasov said the process of returning migrants had been on for over three years. There were 750,000 displaced persons in Chechnya. Now only 50,000 remain, half of whom, mainly Ingushes, want to stay to live in Ingushetia. This issue has been agreed upon with the Ingush leadership, the minister said. Ilyasov added that every day up to 100 families of forced migrants are sent back to Chechnya.
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A plane carrying 180 pilgrims who are heading for Saudi Arabia for this years Haj will take off from Moscows Vnukovo airport. This is the first charter flight, which the Russian national carrier, Aeroflot, has organized for Russian Muslims. Mufti Ismail Shangareyev told Itar-Tass that Aeroflot and the Council of Muftis of Russia had signed a contract under which Aeroflot committed itself to make regular flights from Moscow to Jeddah and back in the days of the Haj. In previous years, Russian pilgrims had to use the services of foreign air companies to fly to the Arabian peninsula from Moscow with interim landings in the Middle East countries and even Africa. Russian pilgrims will still be able to fly by Jordanian and Uzbek airlines that will make regular rather than charter flights from Kazan, Tatarstan, and Ufa, Bashkiria, this year. Most Muslims in the Kazan region traditionally use ground transport to go on a pilgirmage to Saudi Arabia. The first groups have already crossed the border. The Dagestani airlines have organized four charter flights for the pilgrims. About 5,000 Russian Muslims will make the Haj to Mecca that will last for nearly three weeks in 2004. (more...)

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 aked 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 economics

Chechnya reconstruction: progress and plans

The year 2003 was marked in Chechnya by significant progress in economic reconstruction as well as by the March constitutional referendum, the October elections for regional President and the December elections to send deputies to the federal Lower House. According to Director of Finances and Economy at the presidential office for Southern Russia Dr Yuri Palastrov, Chechnya reconstruction programmes gobbled up a total of 21 billion roubles in 2003. The republic's own spending amounted to 10 billion roubles, including all 1.2 billion that Chechnya coffered after raising revenue and paying federal taxes. Federally-funded programmes produced nearly 240 thousand square metres of new or repaired housing space, 8 new or repaired schools for 2,930 students and 25 new or repaired health clinics. All pensioners, people on benefits and public employees were finally restored to full and regular pay. Chechnya was self-sufficient in grain, meat, dairy and poultry products. The harvest of sunflower seed increased 2 and a half times, and the harvest of maize, 5 times against the respective figures in 2002. The proceeds from oil reached 230 million dollars. The tax collection approached 4 billion roubles. Dr Palastrov describes all this as evidence of recovery picking up. Regions outside Chechnya, including neighbours in the Southern Federal District, built or rebuilt 17 schools in the republic, two district general hospitals and one social services centre. In 2004, 22 billion roubles are expected to be spent on reconstruction in Chechnya. Federal programmes should build or repair 700 thousand square metres of housing space, resurrect 470 factories, plants, infrastructure installations, schools, hospitals and kindergartens and create 20 thousand jobs. One hundred and 50 thousand unemployed people are entitled to free consultation. One thousand of them will be offered coaching for new skills. Thirty thousand will be welcome to take up community jobs. The administration will continue to accommodate returning refugees and pay out compensations for property that was lost in the separatist wars. Yuri Palastrov tells us he expects important breakthroughs in the reconstruction process this year.
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Issue 159
19.01.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

19 January 2004  First Aid help for Grozny Residents
Last year doctors at the Grozny First Aid center speedily and effectively rendered first aid assistance to residents of the Chechen capital. Unfortunately, terrorism remains the bane of Grozny and doctors are always the first on the scene of a terrorist attack to help victims and they have been saving many lives with their timely assistance. Doctors professionalism undoubtedly, is the main factor in first aid but equipment also plays an important role. However, this is an area in which all is not well in the Grozny first aid center. At the present time the Center badly needs an ambulance for resuscitation, cardiological examination and timely help. Currently, the Grozny center has only one resuscitation vehicle and moreover, the vehicle lacks a radio, forcing doctors to go back to the Center to get information about another emergency call from the same region, from where they have just come. But despite the technical inadequacy, Grozny doctors continue to do their professional duty of ameliorating the suffering of people. The chief medical officer of the Grozny First Aid Center, Yakhya Alleroyev, hopes that in the new Year, the Russian health ministry will help them cope with the problem.
(more News from Chechnya...)

19 January 2004  Russian, Saudi Muslims suggest holding international Islamic conference in Moscow
Chechen President Akhmat Kadyrov and Saudi Islamic Guidance Minister Salih al-Shaykh suggested holding an international Islamic religious conference in Moscow during their meeting in Riyadh. "During the meeting, the two parties pointed to the advisability of Moscow hosting an international conference of religious leaders and members of Muslim countries' intelligentsia under the 'Islam is a Religion of Peace and the Good," Russian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Andrei Baklanov told Interfax. "A decision was made to continue discussions on this issue taking account of the fact that sustaining peace and being capable of preventing conflicts are the most important issues for the Muslims and other people [of other religions]," Baklanov said.
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19 January 2004  Russian Deputy Interior Minister: Problem of forced immigrants from Chechnya is solving
Today, there are about 4,600 forced immigrants from Chechnya living in three temporary tent camps in Ingushetia, Russian Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Chekalin told RIA Novosti. The deputy minister noted that the Russian Federal Migration Service (FMS) is taking all necessary measures in order to return those immigrants to their homes in Chechnya. "We have raised this question in front of the Chechen administration and have formed a special resource program for building temporary accommodation stations [PVR] for 5,000 immigrants," Mr. Chekalin said. The deputy minister noted that there is no room in the already operating PVR for the rest of the Chechen immigrants. However, some immigrants are not planning to return to Chechnya, Mr. Chekalin said. "There are some people that will never leave, its their destructive job to organize various protests and give foreign journalists interviews," the deputy minister said. Foreign humanitarian organizations send substantial aid to these temporary tent camps, Mr. Chekalin said. The deputy minister believes that this aid is often being sold to support Chechen terrorists. According to the Ingushetia administration press service, around 50,000 Chechens who fled their homes during the war, currently reside in Ingushetia. Almost 16,500 immigrants have been placed in the 28 operating PVRs in Chechnya.

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen traditions

The word "Nokhchallah" does not lend itself to translation . But it may and must be explained. "Nokhcho" stands for Chechen."Nokhchallah" brings together all the specific properties of the Chechen character. It implies a whole gamut of moral and ethical norms. It may be described as the Chechen code of honor. Chivalry, gentility, diplomatic skills, manliness, generosity and reliability are the qualities which a child of a hardline Chechen family imbibes with, as they say, his mother's milk. And the Chechen code of honor is rooted in the remote days of Chechen history. In the severe conditions of bygone years a refusal to open the door to a stranger could lead to lethal frostbites. He could succumb to fatigue or famine, fall prey to a wild beast or highway robbers. The ancestral tradition which has been held sacred, demands that a stranger be welcomed in, seated by the fire, offered food and shelter for the night. Hospitality is, thus, "nokhchallah." The narrow roads and paths of Chechnya zigzag around mountain cliffs and on the brink of precipices. A fight or a heated argument may send one down into the abyss. Politeness and willingness to compromise are "nokhchallah." The strenuous conditions of their life taught the highlanders to help and support one another, which is also "nokhchallah." But "nokhchallah" has nothing to do with the Table of Ranks. There have been neither princes nor serfs among the Chechens. "Nokhchallah" is an ability to deal with people without showing your privileged position. The privileged should be extra polite and accommodating to avert hurting anyone's feelings. If two men meet and one of them is riding on horseback and the other walking, the one who is riding shall be the first to utter words of greeting. If the one who is walking is older that the one who is riding, the rider shall dismount to greet the older man. "Nokhchallah" is friendship that lasts all life: in joy and sorrow. Highlanders hold friendship sacred. Inattentiveness or impoliteness shall be forgiven if they are displayed to a brother, but to a friend - never! "Nokhchallah" is special respect for women. A man dismounts his horse before entering the village where the relatives of his mother or his wife live. And here is a story about a man who asked to spend a night in a house that stood on the outskirts of a Chechen village, without knowing that she was alone. The hostess could not reject his request. She gave him something to eat and made a bed for him. In the morning, the man realized that the woman was alone and that she had spent the night sitting by a lit lantern in the anteroom. As he was hurriedly washing up, he brushed the woman's hand with his small finger by accodent. The man cut the finger off with his knife before leaving that place. Only a man brought up in the spirit of "nokhchallah" will go to such pains to protect a woman's honor. "Nokhchallah" rules out all attempts at subjugation. Male Chechens have, since times immemorial, been brought up as protectors and trained to bear arms. "Come at liberty" is the oldest of the greetings in actual use in Chechnya. The freedom of spirit and readiness to fight to protect it is "nokhchallah." "Nokhchallah" demands that Chechens respect all other men, regardless of their social origins, family background and religious beliefs. The bigger the difference between a Chechen and someone else, the more respect the Chechen shall accord that someone. You have a chance to be forgiven for hurting a Moslem's feelings because, people say, you may meet the person whose feelings you have hurt on Judgement Day. But all is lost if you have hurt the feelings of a person of a different creed, because there is no chance of ever meeting him. The sin will stay with you forever. "Nokhchallah" is no book of do's and don't's. It is of their own free will that the Chechens obey its rules. It is a condensed
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Chechen tarditions

The book "Vainakh Ethics" by Edi Isaev is an utmost important work at a time when the life in Chechnya is returning to normal. Edi Isaev is a historian, Professor at the Chechen State University, writer and publicist directs his book to youth. In introduction he emphasizes: "The norm of Vainakh ethics is the code of wise truths of people that reflects their ideals." The book is educational. It contains the ideas on ethics by thinkers of various people and various times from Epicurus and Confucius A.S. Makarenko and L.N.Toltoi. The second chapter is devoted to ethic norms of Chechens. The third chapter considers in detail traditional family ethic code. The final chapter is devoted to Islamic ethic norms. Materials from the book Vainakh Ethics by Edi Isaev is devoted to customs and traditions of Chechens.
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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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