Actual News from Chechnya

News update

EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana has condemned terrorist act in Grozny and forwarded a message to President of Russia Vladimir Putin with words of support. I condemn the terrorist act committed in Grozny as a result of which President Kadyrov was killed. I sent a message of condolences and empathy to President Putin, - says Solana's statement received by RIA Novosti. He also expressed commiseration with the families and close relations of those killed as a result of the terrorist act.
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The tragedy in Grozny must not affect the work currently under way in the republic, Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out as he spoke to the Chechen Prime Minister, Sergei Abramov. The important thing is to prevent this terrorist act from adversely affecting the life of the Chechen public and from disrupting the Chechen government's work toward restoring the republic's economy, Putin pointed out. He recalled that in accordance with Article 76 of the Chechen Constitution, PM Abramov would be acting as President till the next election. "I am asking you to organize work in a proper way," Putin said to Abramov, noting that all republican bodies of power were up and running already. He also asked the Acting President of Chechnya to maintain close cooperation with law-enforcement and security agencies. Abramov responded by assuring that he would do his best to keep the republic going despite the May 9 terrorist act. President of Chechnya Ahmad Kadyrov was unable to complete the reconstruction work he had launched, Abramov said. "But let me assure you that the republic's population will, with my ministers' help as well as my own, bring their plans to a logical completion." An explosion in Grozny's Dynamo stadium this morning killed Chechen President Ahmad Kadyrov and three other people who were attending a ceremony to mark V-E Day. (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

Entrepreneurial license can now be got in Chechnya

Chechens now have the chance of obtaining a license on 22 types of businesses and for that purpose a licensing chamber was created two years ago by a decision of the government. Each day all those businessmen who are currently creating jobs for the people receive a license to start their own business. In the main, licenses are being given to companies connected with trading and intermediary activities. They deal in ferrous and non-ferrous metals, medicines, foodstuffs, wines and spirits, and light industrial items. The largest number of licenses has been issued in Grozny and that is not surprising. After all the Chechen capital now boasts of the greatest number of businesses. In the first 4 months of this year 180 businessmen from different regions in the republic also obtained licenses All the papers of the future businessmen are carefully scrutinized by the licensing authorities after which they are registered on the spot. Licensing is refused only on the ground of a seri0us violation. For an example, before a private shop is registered it must be ascertained that it is equipped with a cash machine and the trading premise should not be less than 53 square meters. Windows must have iron bars, the shop must have an iron door as well as have an automatic signaling device. It is extremely hard in todays most difficult conditions in Chechnya for all the demands to be met. Therefore a little deviation from the norms cannot prevent an applicant from receiving the license sought. But a remark is made in the license about the need for rectification and the time limit for such. Usually a license is given for one year. The deputy chairman of the Chechen licensing chamber, Magomed Israilov believes that the more active Chechens do business the more new jobs will be created in the republic and that is the best recipe for a speedy rebirth of Chechnya.
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Issue 188
11.05.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

11 May 2004  Shelkovskoi district beefing up its phone system
Chechnyas Shelkovsky district is busily beefing up its telephone communications network. It hasnt been long since the districts sole phone was to be found only in the office of the head of the local administration, no less. The local administrations had no phones at all and only had them installed during elections. No longer. New equipment has been brought in with Alexander Gritsakov, who heads the districts industry, transport and communications department, saying that they have an international team of Chechens, Russians, Nogaitsy and Kumans working together to give the district maximum access to republican and nationwide telephone grids. There are telephones already available at many local organizations, offices and enterprises and in all of the districts 19 village administrations. As soon as we have phones at all of our organizations, well start hooking up private households in the district center as well Alexander hopes this will happen already this year. Private citizens will be shelling out 5,000 rubles to have phones installed in their homes and the monthly payments will depend on the duration and range of their phone conversations. Meaning that people living in the district center who have relatives or friends elsewhere in Chechnya and Russia will no longer have to go to their local phone center to have a talk with their near and dear. The ongoing process of phone installation in the private sector is a mutually rewarding process, Alexander Gritsakov says, because the monthly pay will give us the money we need to expand our work and speed up our district-wide phone installation process.
(more News from Chechnya...)

11 May 2004  Chechnya buried of slain president
A three-day mourning and burial service began on May 10 in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya for murdered president Akhmat Kadyrov, who died in a bomb attackon May 9. Thousands of people assembled at Kadyrov's home village of Tsenturoi, 50 kilometres southeast of the regional capital Grozny, to pay tribute to the man who led Chechnya with Moscow's backing since 2000. Kadyrov, 52, and five other people died when a powerful bomb blast ripped through VIP seating at Grozny stadium during a parade to mark the end of World War II in 1945. Fifty-seven people were injured, according to latest official casualty figures. The commander of the Russian troops in Chechnya, Colonel-General Valery Baranov, had regained consciousness after losing a foot in the explosion, a senior Kremlin official said in Grozny. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed retribution for the murder of Kadyrov, who was his chief ally in the fight against Islamic separatists in the republic.
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10 May 2004  School news
Chechen educational system is becoming an integral part of the whole Russian system as evidenced by news from Chechen schools. In the beginning of April the Chechen education ministry received a letter from Moscow in which it was said that the finalist in the "Teacher of the year in Russia competition in 2003", headmaster of Shovxal-Berlinsky middle school in Nozhai-Yutsky region, history teacher Ruslan Djabrailov, has been honoured with the Russian president's Award. Ruslan Naipovich's compatriots were proud that the president's Award was given not just to a good teacher but to a person genuinely devoted to children, who even during the most difficult period in his republic refused to change profession. Buoyed by the debut success in the competition for the title of Teacher of the year in Russia-2003, this year another Chechen school decided to try its strength in other all-Russian competitions and again was successful The good news came on April 21 that the Oisxarsky middle school N. 2 in the Gudermes region has reached the final of the competition for the best school in Russia in the category of "School-social cultural center of the village". The success is well deserving, for in the tiny village of Chechen oilmen the school has always being playing the role of the cultural heartthrob. Back in the Soviet period it was the first to set up a computer class and it is keeping the good old traditions. Pupils of the school continue to excel in republican school Olympiads as well as in children's creative competitions. Ahead is another important examination- "Teacher of the year in Russia competition for 2004" in which Chechnya will be represented by Leila Musayeva, physics teacher in middle school N 5 in Gudermes. Her selection became known on April 16 after the announcement of the results of the 2nd republican competition for the title of teacher of the year. Leila's wards are confident in the victory of their beloved mentor in the all-Russian competition the more so that the entire Chechnya will join the pupils in praying and supporting her. On May 20 a scientific-applied conference-"Upgrading the system of education as a factor of social development in Chechnya" will begin. On April 7 sectional meetings took place at which reports to be delivered at the conference were preliminarily discussed. A similar conference has not been held in Chechnya for a long time and hence good preparations for it are being made. Invitations have gone out to Moscow and all the regions in Southern Russia and judging by the list of participants, the May conference of the Chechen teacher forum promises to become an important event in Russia.

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen culture

It was not until the late 19th century that the Chechens started using other than wooden, brass and earthen tableware. Village artisans had polished their skills to perfection in making household utensils. Glazed crockery featured geometric or floral designs. Bowls were usually big. And the shape of a bowl depended on what they would put into it. A pitcher with a narrow neck contained melted butter. A pitcher with a wide neck was meant for milk and sour milk. The neck of a water pitcher was so narrow that only a child's fist could fit in. Water pitchers had big handles and wide circle-shaped bottoms: they would be carried on the shoulder from the river that could flow far enough from home or in a canyon. A special kind of earthenware held grain. Demand was high for the well-made Chechen pottery.Wooden tableware was made with a lathe. The hardest sorts of timber - oak and maple - went for tableware. Some household utensils were also made of wood: barrels, wheel spikes and other parts of wheelcarts. Cradles were made of wood in such a way as to enable a Chechen mother to strap it to her back and carry it out to the field. Its accommodating design and loyalty to the national tradition explain why some Chechen women still put their babies in such cradles. Other things made of wood: trays, mugs, spoons, churns - have also survived till nowadays. 19th century brass washbowls, mugs, tubs and pots are still used by the Chechens. The Chechen home looks traditionally simple, if not ascetic. There was an absolute minimum of furniture: portable wooden beds and small tables. But household utensils that do credit to the village artisans adorned the rooms. There were things made of wood and brass, crockery and, in addition to all that, things made of wool and felt. Felt was indispensable. Chechens used it for mattresses, blankets and wall rugs and as insulation lining. Multicolor Chechen rugs are usually decorated with red and blue fringework.
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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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