Actual News from Chechnya

News update

A group of militants was killed during a special operation in Chechnya. One of the killed militants had a British passport on him, RIA Novosti was told in the press group of the Regional Operative Staff for Controlling Anti-terrorist Operation in the North Caucasus. The special operation was carried out in the Kurchaloi district of Chechnya where the federal units uncovered the militants' base where ten people were hiding, the press group's officer said. According to him, three bandits were killed in the shootout and two were wounded. The rest of the bandit group was dispersed. On the site of the fighting the bodies of two foreign mercenaries were found. One of them, judging by the documents, is an Algerian native, Yassin Binatia who lived in Great Britain and penetrated into Chechnya through Azerbaijan and Georgia, the Staff's spokesman said. The second killed mercenary had no documents on him, however the video film captured by the federals featured the address of the militant to his relatives where he calls himself Osman Larouind and explains that he arrived in Chechnya with a French faked passport via the Transcaucasian republics, the Staff spokesman said. On the tape, the militant asks his sister living in Great Britain to find in the Finsbury Park mosque certain Imad and Abdul-Karim, allegedly militants' recruiters, and ask them to send legal documents to him through Azerbaijan or Georgia, said the press group's officer. Apart from that 50 kg of TNT, five kg of plastic explosives, 27 electric detonators, weapons and munitions and video cassettes were discovered on the site of the gang's camp.
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A large arms cache has been found in Chechnya. "An arms cache was discovered in the outskirts of Alkhan Kala residential area of the Grozny district during a search operation conducted there yesterday," said a source in the Interior Ministry of the Chechen Republic. "Hidden there were two homemade launchers of non-guided missiles with six warheads, two flame throwers, six anti-tank grenade launchers with 24 grenades, two machineguns, a Kalashnikov submachine gun, an anti-tank mine, 21 shots for an under-barrel grenade launcher, 5 hand grenades and 5,250 cartridges of various calibers," a source in the Chechen Interior Ministry said. According to him, at present it is being established to whom the discovered arms cache belonged. (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
(in detail ...)

Chechen economics

Chechen power production specialists engaged in shock work

The 2004 plan for restoring power production in Chechnya exceeds that of last year by 50%. The Argun thermoelectric plant, a very important power and heat production facility, is due to be put into operation by the end of the year. The plants first 6 megawatt - turbine is to start active operation shortly. Energy consumption in Argun and the nearby villages will make up 3 megawatts. When put into operation, the first phase of the Argun thermoelectric plant will make it possible to galvanize work at the Argun integrated house-building factory, the ferroconcrete structure factory, the sugar-mill, the meat-preserving factory and other facilities. Actually the Argun thermoelectric plant can already start providing the required amount of heat energy. The planned generation of electric power will help to largely reduce its production cost and the cost of a kilowatt-hour. In early March the construction of the Grozny-330 substation will get under way. The substation will start active operation later this year. The voltage of 330 volts will be transformed into 110 volts for the republic to be able to set up a large electricity reserve. The substation, a facility of federal importance, will become the biggest of its kind in the North Caucasus power system. Later this year the construction will begin of a new Nurenergo administrative and production building. A lot is due to be done to further improve the reliability of the republican power supply system and develop power bases. With this in mind, the top managers of Nurenergo are focused on training professionals on the ground. Young specialists take a refresher course, and Nurenergo has sent 80 students to Russian colleges and universities, including 30 of them to Grozny colleges. The problems that Chechen power production specialists face are settled quickly because the top management of Nurenergo, as well as of Russias Unified Energy Systems have been focused on these specialists family life conditions, and also on what opportunities they have for rest and medical treatment. All of Chechnyas power production specialists have homes to live in. Originally the comfortable pre-fabricated houses for the 400 families of Chechen power production specialists came complete with anything, from forks and spoons to refrigerators and TV sets. Nurenergo has its own rest and recreation centre on the Caspian Sea shore. But Nurenergo workers are also offered places at the best sanatoria of the North Caucasus and other Russian regions, so they could enjoy rest and improve their health.
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Issue 173
09.03.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

09 Mart 2004  The Chechen authorities intensify work to instill moral and patriotic values into the young
The Grozny Youth Affairs Department works to provide legal aid, health care, entertainment, employment and housing to young people. According to head of the Patriotic Upbringing Section Anzor Murzayev, it is also struggling to create positive role models for boys and girls who had little in the way of education or normal life during a decade or so of incessant separatist wars, government changes and ideology shake-ups. Head of the Information and Analysis Section Hozhakhmet Haladov tells us that the Department often convenes forums at which war-scarred 20-year-olds get a taste of peaceful socializing, establish contacts, exchange ideas and also enter intercultural dialogue that is so important for ruining the common stereotype of Chechens as rebels and outlaws. Mr Muzayev speaks about plans for a regional campaign to advance the social and psychological rehabilitation of and instill patriotic values into Chechnya 's young. He also advocates a federal programme to help the republic's young people.
(more News from Chechnya...)

09 Mart 2004  Khambiyev who laid down arms may be exonerated
The Prosecutor's Office of the Chechen Republic told RIA Novosti that one of the leaders of the illegal armed formations, Magomed Khambiyev, who laid down arms, may be released from a criminal punishment. "The appendix to Articles 208 (participation in an illegal armed formation) and 222 (illegal keeping of arms) provides for releasing from a criminal punishment in case of voluntary withdrawal from the band and voluntary surrender of arms," the source said. He added that "if Khambiyev was not involved in other crimes he would be released from a criminal punishment." According to him, a check of Khambiyev's implication in other crimes has already started. The spokesman for the Regional Operational Staff for controlling the counterterrorist operation in the North Caucasus, Colonel Ilya Shabalkin, told RIA Novosti by telephone that it is still too early to speak of amnesty of the so-called "Defence Minister of Ichkeria." "We have information that Khambiyev surrendered to Kadyrov's security service but it is early to say that he has been amnestied," Shabalkin said. He went on to say that "the Prosecutor's Office of Chechnya is now engaged in this procedure, and a surrender is likely to be formalized on March 9." Colonel Shabalkin explained that Chechnya's Prosecutor's Office takes decisions on amnesty of militants, who have laid down arms, after verifying their involvement in grave crimes. According to him, 21 people from Khambiyev's detachment laid down arms on March 5. "In all probability, this impelled him (Khambiyev) to surrender to the republic's authorities," the Staff spokesman added. Magomed Khambiyev gave himself up and laid down arms at Centoroi settlement on March 8. He surrendered to representatives of the security service of Chechnya's president Akhmad Kadyrov. "According to the law-enforcement bodies' information, Khambiyev practically stayed idle for the past eighteen months," Colonel Shabalkin said. "But before that he took an active part in the illegal armed formations."
(more News from Chechnya...)

09 Mart 2004  Defense Ministry: Basayev and Maskhadov are on the territory of Russia
The ringleaders of Chechen militants, Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov, are hiding on the territory of Russia, a high-placed source inside the Russian Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti . "It would've been wrong to say that Maskhadaov and Basayev are in Chechnya proper, it would be more correct to say that they are hiding on the territory of Russia," the source specified. "Their elimination will help to normalize the operative situation in Chechnya and will weaken to a great extent the bandit formations operating in the republic," he said. The source also stressed that Basayev and Maskhadov "symbolic figures" whom the international extremist organizations back up. Manhunt for Basayev and Maskhadov continues, the source said.

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen culture

Efforts at restoring theater art in Chechnya are going on. After a 3-year stay in Anapa, Krasnodar and Nalchik , members of the state dramatic troupe have returned to Chechnya . They number 26 and despite the lack of their own stage, they have performed two new spectacles of the children fairy tale, Brave Titiva and the play of the classic Chechen literary giant, Khalid Oshayevs Selset. The spectacles were staged by an old actor of the theater, peoples artist of the Chechen-Ingush ASSR, Ban-Ali Vakhidov. He has with the new crop of artists brought back the best spectacles of years gone by such as Bozh Ali by Abdul-Hamid Hamiyev and the Marriage by Nikolai Gogol. The well known artists, Dagun Omayev, Nelya Khodjiyeva, Khamid Azayev, and Raya Isayeva, have remained in the theater. They made the theater famous by their creativity. New names are emerging however and last season, 6 new artists were recruited. Chechen actors are also being trained in the Moscow Institute of culture and arts. Chechen officials believe that graduates from theNakhi studio of the institute will form the nuclei of the youth theater, planned to be opened in Grozny. The Chechen culture ministry is taking steps to reopen the Russian dramatic theater bearing the name of Lermontov, founded in 1938.Most of its actors who left Chechnya in the 90s are anxious to return and negotiations are already going on with the director of the Russian dramatic theater I Gurevic and several leading actors.
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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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