Actual News from Chechnya

News update

Russia is doing its best to return the Russian citizens detained in Qatar home, the Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said at a press conference in RIA Novosti. "Russia's stand concerning the Russians detained in Qatar has been stated by Russian Foreign Minister," he said. Three Russian special service agents were arrested in Qatar on February 18th on suspicion of being involved in the murder of Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, former Chechen separatist leader. One of them, a diplomat, was later released. The ministry's statement pointed out that Russian citizens "stayed in Qatar legally and carried out information and analytical tasks related to fight against international terrorism without any violations of local legislation". At present the arrestees are kept in a prison of the Qatari capital of Doha, and the local authorities insist that they should stand a trial. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced last week that Moscow insisted that the detainees should be returned to Russia.
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Konstantin Kosachyov, chief of the international affairs committee of Russia's State Duma (parliament's lower house) has said the degree of and reasons behind the United States' involvement in the arrest of the Russian nationals in Qatar is yet to be found out. Mr. Kosachyov commented on a recent statement by Steven Pifer, US Under-secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, in which he admitted that Washington had provided technical assistance to Qatar in arresting the Russian nationals on suspicion of involvement in the assassination of Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, a Chechen separatist leader. "It is deplorable that the US, which had recently advanced the initiative that Mr. Yandarbiyev should be put on the list of the most dangerous terrorists of the world, compiled by the UN, did not provide technological and political assistance to the international community, when it was searching for this international terrorist," said Mr. Kosachyov. No evidence of the Russian nationals' involvement in the assassination of Mr. Yandarbiyev has been furnished, noted the MP. The chairman of a related Duma committee criticised the Qatari authorities for not allowing the arrestees to meet their lawyers. Three Russian security officers were arrested in Qatar on February 18 on charges of being part of the assassination of Mr. Yandarbiyev. One of the arrestees, who had a diplomatic passport, was released later. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in the wake of the arrest, saying the officers were staying in Qatar legally and were gathering and analysing information as part of an anti-terrorist effort and did not violate Qatari law. (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

Small businesses get a boost

The Chechen government is giving much help to the local businesses, which it sees as crucial for achieving much-awaited political and economic stabilization in the republic. Last year the number of small businesses soared to more than 3,000 compared to just a handful only three years earlier and there are more than 10,000 business people without a legal person status now at work in Chechnya channeling an estimated 500 million rubles in tax money to the state coffers. The small businesses are helping the state and the state is fully returning the courtesy opening, among other things, a republican business center to train business managers and entrepreneurs. The center that opened doors in Grozny earlier this year is headquartered in an all-new office building. Similar centers will soon be opened in Gudermes and also in the Skelkovskoy and Shali districts, all paid for by the republican government. This year the Chechen budget will, for the first time, earmark easy loans for the local small businesses. To apply for such a loan, one is supposed to submit a detailed business plan to a relevant government committee. More than 700 such business plans have already been put forward. The loans are not very big but they are still enough to get your business started. Small-business loans are also coming from the federal budget and this year the Antimonopoly Ministry will hand out 3 billion rubles in such easy loans to get private regional businesses going. Minister Ilya Yuzhanov (?) Chechen businessmen are first in line to get them. Chechnya also wants the local businesses to be insured by the federal governments small business support fund.
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Issue 177
23.03.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

23 Mart 2004  A Chechen-Russian-English Dictionary is in the works
Work on a new Chechen-Russian-English Dictionary is going on in both Moscow and St. Petersburg. Providing the basis for the new dictionary are the unique and widely used dictionaries published in the Soviet era by the famous linguist, Akhmat Matsiyev. The first of those dictionaries- the Chechen-Russian dictionary contained 20 thousand words and the first impression was in 1961 and released in Moscow, but has not been reprinted ever since. Scholars spent more than 20 years working on it. Simultaneously, Mr. Matsiyev worked productively on a Russian-Chechen dictionary but didnt complete the work He toiled up to the letter P and after his death the work was continued and completed by the lexicographer A Karasayev. The Russian-Chechen dictionary by A Matsiyev and A. Karasayev, was printed and released in Moscow in 1978 and has also not been reprinted. Dr. Of philology, professor Zulai Khamidov and a. Doctor of Philosophy in philology science, a Dean of the St. Petersburg State University, Brilliant Abubakarov, are currently compiling the first edition of the new Chechen-Russian-English dictionary and they plan to complete work on the project and submit it for printing toward the end of this year.
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22 Mart 2004  Police detain 5 militants on Ingush soil
Five members of illegal militant groups have been detained in Ingushetia (neighbours Chechnya) during special checks, the regional headquarters for the anti-terrorist campaign in the North Caucasus told RIA Novosti. "Policemen have detained 2 militants on the wanted list in Ingushetia's Nazran district and brought them to a pre-trial detention centre. The detainees were carrying grenade launchers and ammunition to a Kalashnikov sub-machine gun," said a headquarters spokesman. He said their whereabouts had been revealed by earlier detained militants. Three more militants were detained in Nazran during special checks. They were carrying 2 ASC-74 sub-machine guns and ammunition, a Makarov pistol, 3 grenades, 3 silencers, an improvised bomb and military uniforms and outfits. Investigation is under way.
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22 Mart 2004  Attempts to illegally receive compensations thwarted in Chechnya
Attempts to illegally receive compensations amounting to more than seven million roubles have been thwarted in Chechnya, the press service of the regional headquarters controlling the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus told Itar-Tass. Twenty-six houses were examined in an inspection that was conducted in the republic's Shelkovskaya region to check compensation applications, and only in one case it was confirmed that the application to receive compensation for lost property was valid. Residents said that they had decided to deliberately file the false applications because of the lack of finances for new housing construction or some repair. According to the preliminary estimates, diversion of about 7,700,000 roubles from the budget fund was prevented. Materials on the discovered fraud facts are handed over to the regional economic crime-combating department.

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen traditions

A legend says that the ancestor of all Chechens - Nokhchuo - was born with a piece of iron in one hand and a piece of cheese in the other. "Grace seldom rests on places unfrequented by guests," "a guest brings joy,""the longer the guest's way to your house, the more respect you owe him..." Many sayings, legends and fables focus on the sacred law of hospitality. The villagers are most hospitable. Every coutryside family has a special guest room that is always kept clean, with clean bed linen, in a word, ready for a visitor. No one makes use of this room. Even the children are forbidden to play or do anything else in this room. Every family must be ever ready to serve the guest a meal. Chechens used to set aside a special stock of food supplies for this purpose. No questions are to be asked of a guest in the first three days of his visit... He is considered a privileged member of the family. In the olden day, the daughter or daughter-in-law of the head of the family would even help him to take off his shoes and overcoat. The guest enjoys the warmest reception at meal times. A Chechen must risk his own life to protect the life, honor and property of his guest. This is one of the basic rules of Chechen hospitality. The Chechen code of conduct says guests should offer no payment to the family they stayed with. A guest may only make a present to the children of that family. The ancient rules of hospitality were obeyed regardless of circumstances. Any good man, regardless of his ethnic roots, merited a warm reception. There is a direct connection between hospitality and greetings. To greet someone, Chechens open up their arms, that is bare their heart for us to see that they neither hide mean intentions nor plan any evil.
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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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