Actual News from Chechnya

News update

Moscow has officially denied accusations that the Russian authorities have been pressing on the Chechen refugees staying in Ingushetia to return to Chechnya. "We have repeatedly emphasized that voluntariness must be the fundamental principle of the return of displaced persons from Ingushetia to Chechnya," Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov told Interfax. A number of media outlets reported earlier on Saturday that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees had accused the Russian authorities of actually forcing the refugees to return to Chechnya from Ingushetia. "I have not seen such accusations so far. It would have been strange if the UNHCR Office had come up with such a statement," Fedotov said. "In any case, statements of this kind - whether they have been made or not - could cause only perplexity. They do not reflect the reality and contradict the position of the Russian government," he said.
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A large-scale operation took part in Grozny to search and seize all vehicles that don't have state license plates. Chief of the Chechen presidential security service Ramzan Kadyrov said all of the security service's personnel and road police officers were participating in the operation. On Monday, over 70 cars without license plates had been brought to a parking area which is being monitored and regulated by the road police, he said. Kadyrov said checkpoints have been set up at virtually all crossroads in Grozny. "Vehicles without license plates are being seized regardless of who is at the wheel, whether it's an ordinary person, a minister, or a law enforcement officer," he said. He noted that most crimes in Chechnya are carried out by cars without license plates. Kadyrov said no one had been harmed in the operation, and the situation in Grozny remained calm on Monday. While speaking at a meeting in Grozny commemorating the 60th anniversary of the deportation of the Chechen people and marking the Defenders of the Fatherland Day, Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov said that when he was traveling to work that day, he counted over five cars without license plates over an 8-kilometer stretch between Argun and Grozny. He demanded that the problem be taken care of as soon as possible. (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

Russian scholars and college professors try to help Chechnya

The Institute of ethnology and anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Academy's Complex Research Center in Grozny , the Chechen Ministry of Industry, Transportation and Communications, and the Chechen Humanitarian Aid Foundation have held a nationwide conference in Moscow . They aimed to find out what scholars and college professors of the Russian Federation could do for the reconstruction and development of the Chechen economy. The International Foundation for the the revival and development of Chechen State University had done much in the effort to arrange this conference. The conference brought together policy-makers, scholars, and journalists of Russian and Chechen background. Dr.Dena Batayev addressed industrial recovery and prospects for housing construction in Chechnya . In Batayev's view, Chechnya was really doing something in this field, and, in terms of the immediate needs of the Chechen republic, it was necessary, to rebuild 25% to 30% of the plant that used to turn out housing construction materials: several steel concrete plants and the Argun plant for prefabbed housing construction. All the other plants must, in Dr.Batayev's view, be reoriented for solid housing construction which is best suited for seismic-sensitive Chechnya . Reconstruction and construction projects require a complex approach - such was the basic message of Dr.Batayev's speech. Construction projects require financial backing but Chechnya has enough material reserves and an adequate number of working men for a full-scale construction and reconstruction effort. It all boils down, as it always does, to the problem of cadre. Experts in housing construction are trained at the Construction Department of the Grozny Oil College named after Dr.Dmitry Millionschikov. Sergei Arutyunov, who heads the Caucasus Department of the Institute of Ethnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, also addressed the conference. He is confident that fundamental research in Chechnya will return to, if not surpass, its level of the 90's of the past century, thanks, in a great measure, to the relative stabilization of the situation. Arutyunov pins hope on the Chechen intellectuals who ought to safeguard and enrich the cultural potential of Chechnya.
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Issue 169
24.02.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

24 February 2004  Planner of bandit activity in Grozny killed in Ingushetia
A Chechen bandit leader Khamzat Tazabayev and his three gunmen have been killed in the Nazran district, the Russian North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia a source at the headquarters of the federal forces in the region told Tass. According to the source, Tazabayev had been the closest accomplice of Chechen notorious bandit leaders Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov and coordinated bandit groups operations in the Chechen capital.
(more News from Chechnya...)

24 February 2004  Groznys oil Institutes method introduced in production
Toward the end of January, 2004, an all-Russia scientific applied conference, called Academic and Institutional science for Chechen economy, was held in the Russian academy of sciences headquarters in Moscow. Experts from the Grozny oil Institute took part in the conference. Doctor of technical science and head of faculty, professor Deni Batayev, who spoke at the conference said that scientists of the Institute have developed a number of systems being successfully used in production and among them are investment projects and the mechanism of realizing investment programmes. The concept of how to restore both the Chechen economy and social life is under development. There are a number of theoretical developments in the production of building materials and their technology. Some of them are being jointly realized with the Moscow building engineering University . Among them are the production of small-grained composition and concrete for repairs and restoration work. The workouts have received the Russian academy of architectural and construction sciences high award. The developments made provision for ecology demands. Deni Batayev also spoke about the active participation in the researches by students and young teachers of the Grozny oil Institute. More than 6 thousand students currently study in the institute and it has a high reputation. The number of prospective students wanting to study in the institute increases year by year and many of the senior course students dream of working in the Grozny oil research institute after graduation so that together with older staff members can take part in solving specific tasks of restoring the republics oil sector as well as in developing new technology, that can be applied in different areas of the Chechen economy now being resurrected.
(more News from Chechnya...)

23 February 2004  Scientific Research in Chechnya Last Year
Chechnya made a breakthrough in scientific research last year. According to the head of the complex scientific research institute, president of the Chechen Academy of Sciences, Khamzat Ibragimov, this was possible owing to the contribution made by the Russian Academy of Sciences. The money given by the RAS was used to buy equipment for carrying out research in physics, chemistry and mechanics and reconstruction of the institute. Now Chechen scientists can do not only theoretical research but also practical. There is no need for them to go to other Russian regions. Some time earlier Chechen experts had to carry out research at the institutes in Moscow or Kabardino-Balkar University. The Academy of sciences is engaged in preparing a fundamental scientific work on Chechen history. The first volume is expected to publish later this year. Philologists are working on the creation of a Chechen grammar book, which consists of two volumes and will be released from press this year. 15 residents of Chechnya have lately defended their postgraduate theses and another five gained doctorates. Theses on science subjects were defended at Kabardino-Balkar University where Khamzat Ibragimov is a member of several Scientific Councils. The Academy of Sciences has been recently working on the setting up of Scientific Councils at the Complex Scientific Research Institute and Grozny University. Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov does his best to help the Academy. Last year he defended his Ph. D. thesis on political science at the Institute of Social and Political Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.

Russia - Chechnya

The pre-islamic customs, manifest in farming festivals

The traditional way to celebrate New Year's eve goes way back. The kindling of a new flame was a matter of utmost importance. A new flame was to be burning in the fireplace when New Year's meal was cooked. A long log was put in the fire. Its length determined how long the family would be celebrating. As soon as the log allowed the door to close, a New Year's party, with many good things to eat and drink, with dancing and jesting, could begin. Sooner or later, all logs got shorter, so that every family would sooner or later start celebrating . New Year's logs were prepared in advance: a standing tree, most often an oak, was put to dry. It was a great sin to use fruit trees for this purpose. The ancestors of today's Chechens believed that the forces of evil stepped up action on New Year's eve. They would, for protection, scatter things made of steel in the cattle-sheds and their living quarters. A plentiful meal offered guarantees for the family's wellbeing in the year to come. All creatures, including mice, were to have their bellies full on New Year's eve. Wheat breads were baked. The head, ritual bread was shaped as a circle, with lines radiating from its center. Breads with all kinds of filling in them were baked in addition to the magic one. The eldest member of the family got a square-shaped one while the guests were treated to round breads. Coins, grains of wheat or a spool of yarn might be hidden, for fortune-telling purposes, inside fancy breads. Other fortune-telling methods were applied on New Year's eve. A man was, for example, chosen to spend the night in the sanctuary. He would lie face down and keep his ear pressed to the dirt floor and would, in the morning, try to interpret what he had heard. The same kind of fortune-telling is known in Russia. A Russian village-dweller would go to a crossroads, mark a circle and press his ear to the ground. If he heard a loaded sleigh swish heavily by, next year's harvest would be good. If the sleigh seemed to be empty, the harvest would be poor. Chechens knew a very special method of fortune-telling. They would hold to light a ram's shoulder blade. Spots on the shoulder blade predicted whether next year's harvest would be good, what kind of weather they were to expect and even family developments. A similar method of fortune-telling is known in China. Young girls took advantage of New Year's eve in an effort to find out something about their future husbands. A Chechen girl would bake three very salty little breads. She would put two of them under her pillow and eat the third. The person who gave her, in a dream, a drink of water, was to become her husband. Young people or teenagers would put on their sheepskin coats the wrong side up, and either wear felt hoods decorated with horns or paint their faces black with chimney soot. Such dress parades, as well as the custom of singing carols and begging for penny gifts, are, incidentally, known, till this day, in many countries of Europe and America. But horse races on the third day of a new year are held in Chechnya only. The three winners should be given a horse, a saddle, a bridle, a whip or a piece of clothing. Nowadays, New Year's eve has nothing to do with farming. Neither does it with Islam. People simply get together on New Year's eve to say good-bye to the outgoing year and to welcome in a new and, hopefully, much better year.
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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.
(more about chechen traditions...)

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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