Actual News from Chechnya

News update

One of the two remaining tent camps for Chechen refugees in the Ingushetia republic on the border of war-torn Chechnya closed, Russia's federal migration service said. "Sputnik, one of the two remaining camps, closed today. The last 137 people there have gone back to Chechnya," Yelena Alexeyeva, a spokeswoman for the service, told AFP. "The only tent camp remaining in Ingushetia is Satsita, which currently has 1,900 refugees," Alexeyeva said. In January then minister for Chechnya Stanislav Ilyasov vowed to close Ingushetia's tent camps by March 1, though authorities backed off the deadline after an outcry by rights groups. The camps in Ingushetia are an embarassment to the Kremlin, which insists that the war that it launched in the Caucasus republic is over and the refugees can safely return home. But many of the refugees have refused to return because a guerrilla war between separatists and pro-Moscow forces continues to claim lives on nearly a daily basis and random kidnappings are common. Authorities have been luring refugees back to Chechnya with promises of compensation for lost homes. As of February 13, 65,208 refugees had registered for assistance with United Nations-affiliated international organizations in Ingushetia, according to UN figures. Out of these, 5,678 were in the three tent camps, 24,035 in temporary settlements, and 35,495 in private accomodations.
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Federal forces have averted a terrorist act in the centre of Chechnyas capital Grozny. A spokesman for the regional Interior Ministry told Itar-Tass that sappers had found and defused a powerful explosive device planted under a concrete slab on a street in one of populous city districts. The bomb consisted of 400 grammas of plastid, an electric detonator and destructive elements. It could be set off with a radio. Security forces are searching for people who laid the bomb. (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

Urus-Martna district prepares for fieldwork in the spring

State farms in the Urus-Martan district have prepared tractors and other agricultural machinery for fieldwork in the spring. Only Gekhinsky, Alkhanyurtovsky and Solnychny farms have sufficient seeds. But the rest have between 50and 60 percents only. The neighbours have helped the farms in the Urus-Martan district to solve this problem. They offered seeds and the directors of the state farms will organize transport to bring them. The state farms in the district will grow grain only because they have no watering systems for growing vegetable. This problem will be solved shortly. According to the head of the agricultural department of the local administration Khodzh-Akhmed Khachukaev believes that the district will gather a good harvest since all farmers are determined to do so. He hopes that many farms will excellently fulfill this years target.
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Issue 179
05.04.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

05 April 2004  Terek qualifies for the quarterfinals
The soccer team Terek from Grozny has qualified for the quarterfinals of the Russian Cup for first time. On the 24th of this month it played 1:1 draw in its home match against Kuban of Krasnodar in the second-leg. It won 3:0 its first match week earlier. The teams coach Vait Talgaev is dissatisfied over how Terek played the home game. He said: I am not pleased with our teams play. Players were inactive in defence. They played actively in the previous game in Krasnodar. There will be a tough talk with players. The following players played the game: Sergei Krashenko, Alexander Shamarko, Deni Gaisumov, Maksim Bokov, Alexander Lipko, Denis Klyuev, Vladimir Sokolov who was replaced by Timur Dzhabrailov in the 76th minute, Dmitri Khomukha, Andrei Fedkov who was replaced by David Sourada in the 68th minute, Oleg Tereokhin, and Anton Kocherga who was replaced by Victor Bulatov in the 63rd minute. Terek opened the score by the efforts of two players who unexpectedly launched an attack. Kocherga gave a good pass to Klyuev in the penalty area and he had enough time to move into a good position and send the ball to the net. The guests could equalize in three minutes. Ushenin gave a pass from the right flank to the penalty area and Lysenko headed the ball into the net in a beautiful jump. Terek concentrated on defence in the second half and Kuban was free in the midfield. The activity of Kuban decreased as the time passed since it was submitted to the draw. Significantly, the match was played at the Central Stadium in Pyatigorsk that has accommodation for 5000 fans. Terek will play its quarterfinal with Rotor from Volgograd, Lokomotiv of Moscow with Shinnik from Yaroslaval, CSKA of Moscow with Krylya Sovetov from Samara and Torpedo-Metallurg of Moscow with Rostov from the Rostov-on-Don. The matches will be held on the 14th and the 21st of April.
(more News from Chechnya...)

04 Mart 2004  Chechnya's national museum is reviving
The Chechen national museum created by joining two large museums in 1996 in the North Caucasus the museum of the local lore of the Checheno-Ingush autonomous republic and the fine arts museum was inflicted heavy damage in the tragic years. 90% of its funds were either destroyed or stolen. The Chechen authorities have started to revive the museum. According to the director of the museum Vakhid Astalov, the museum started to receive valuable exhibits late last year. The republic's cultural ministry bought 29 ethnographic items from private collections and several paintings by contemporary painters devoted to post war Grozny. The museum plans to devote a hall to the works by Chechen painters and get back paintings belong to the museum but sent to the Grabar center in Moscow for restoration. This will be possible when the museum gets a building. A year ago the Chechen government decided to hand over the big shopping center in Grozy to the museum. And the museum hopes to get the building shortly. Moscow museums also try to help the Chechen museum to get a building. On the initiative of the director of the Tretyakov arts gallery in Moscow, Valentin Rodionov a four-sided draft agreement on the construction of a museum complex was worked out. The complex includes museum building, school of arts and a boarding school for talented children. Russia's state construction committee has approved the project together with the Tretyakov Arts gallery. The project will be financed by a special fund founded in 2002 to reconstruct the Chechen national museum. At the moment the museum uses the theatre and concert hall built recently to exhibit its collection.
(more News from Chechnya...)

02 April 2004  Today's view of the Grozny school of arts
It was in 1996 that a school that put out cultural workers and a school of music merged to form the Grozny school of arts that brings together, under one roof, 336 would-be musicians, painters, choreographers, librarians, and stage directors. In 2001, Khizri Vakhabov was made the principal of that school. At first, the school rejected no applicant. But last year saw two-to-one competition at the entrance exams, and even fiercer competition among the would-be librarians and stage directors. All departments, except that of choreography, hold the door open to people with 8 and 10 years of regular schooling behind their backs. It is only graduates of the Russian equivalent of junior high school who are invited to the department of choreography. All the five departments run four-year curriculae. Students get 70 rubles a month plus transportation money. Although the school moved from Gudermes to Grozny, last year, those members of the Veinakh and Nokhcho dance companies who entered its department of choreography a few years before, still go to classes in Gudermes. Two departments - music and fine arts - are functioning in the village of Oisar which has three schools of arts. Students of the department of fine arts major in applied arts and handicrafts. Many talented boys and girls go to the Grozny school of arts. Two of them - Zarema Vadanova, who is doing her third year at the department of music, and sophomore choreographer Alla Arsemikova - receive 800 rubles a month from the federal ministry of education. Two students of the department of fine arts - Rustam Turtakhanov and Akhmed Makhmudov - received ministry grants last year.

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.
(in detail ...)

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.
(in detail ...)

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