Actual News from Chechnya

News update

More than 13 billion roubles will be assigned to Chechnya this year to pay compensations for lost housing and property during the hostilities, first deputy chief of the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Interior Ministry Igor Yunash told Itar-Tass. About 60,000 applications for compensation payments have already been checked. Another 12,000 applications are being agreed in Moscow. About 16,000 applicants were denied compensations for various reasons, Yunash emphasised. The Chechen government will finish checking up housing conditions of all applicants next month, he pointed out. The main task of federal and republics authorities is to spend 13 billion roubles for compensation payments. Each family will receive 300,000 roubles for lost housing and 50,000 for lost property. The issue of return of forced migrants to Chechnya remains topical. As many as 1,300 people are staying in the last tent camp of Chechen refugees in Ingushetia. Their return to Chechnya will go on more actively after the end of the academic year, Yunash remarked.
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Chechnyas police have detained Ibragim Musayev on suspicion of involvement in the May 9 bomb attack at Groznys stadium, in which president Akhmad Kadyrov died. An official of the regional Interior Ministry told Itar-Tass that Musayev was a member of a band led by a certain Geshayev, who aided a hostage-taking raid of a theatre and a bomb attack near a MacDonalds restaurant in Moscow. Musayev was detained in Ingushetia, a republic neighbouring Chechnya. He is kept in one of detention prisons and interrogated. Several people suspected of complicity on the May 9 terrorist act have been detained, but investigators have not ascertained their complicity in the crime so far. (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

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 191
20.05.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

19 May 2004  Urals and Chechnya From Heart to Heart
The Chechen community in Yekatirinburg and its public wing the regional branch of the national Union of Peace and Accord organization - have repeatedly come up with interesting ideas that have readily been picked up across the nation. As part of one such initiative billed as From Heart to Heart the organization is now collecting books and manuals for Chechen schoolchildren. Tens of thousands of books are already on the way to Chechnya. Local School N7 has done an especially good job also inviting young Chechens to spend some time in Yekatirinburg, maybe already this summer. They recently opened a Sunday school for Chechen children in Yekatirinburg. The chairman of the local branch of the Union of Peace and Accord in the Chechen republic, Salaudin Mamakov who personally accompanies all humanitarian shipments to Chechnya, supplied the school with manuals. The local Peace and Friendship center in the downtown provided free premises for the school local Chechen kids come to every Sunday to learn to read and write in their mother tongue and to learn more about the history, culture and traditions of their homeland. The schools folk ensemble performs Chechen songs and dances and is a great success among the young and old members of the local Chechen community. People get together during concerts with the adults discussing things and the youngsters chatting and just having a good time together. There are problems, of course, but the leaders of the local Chechen community use their good rapport with the city officials and law enforcers to handle them before they get out of hand.
(more News from Chechnya...)

19 May 2004  Russian officer convicted for murder in Chechnya recalls appeal
Yuri Budanov has recalled his appeal for pardon. In the last years July, the North Caucasus regional military court ruled him guilty of overstepping his powers and killing young Chechen woman Elza Kungayeva. The court sentenced Budanov to ten years in a maximum-security prison and stripped him of his rank of colonel and decorations. Budanov serves his term in the city of Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk region. He earlier said in his letter to the chief of the regional pardons commission, Anatoly Zherebtsov, that he did not have citizenship and it was unclear where he could live and work if he was pardoned. Zherebtsov told members of the commission that he had learnt from Budanov during his meeting with Budanov that his family was evicted from service housing in Buraytia and moved to Ukraine. In July, 2003 the North Caucasus military tribunal found Budanov guilty of the abduction and murder of the Chechen woman and abuse of his powers. Budanov was also stripped of his military rank and state awards. Budanov has turned 40, serving his prison term at a penitentiary in the town of Dimitrovgrad - one of Russias nuclear research centers. Budanov had 151 predecessors as a minimum whose fate was discussed by the Ulyanovsk Pardons Commission. The Russian president pardoned three of them, two other convicts had their prison terms shortened and one was released. In 2003, the Pardons Commission looked into 53 appeals for pardon and recommended to revise punishment, making it milder in ten out of the 53 cases studied.

19 May 2004  Moscow does all to set free Russians detained in Qatar Russian Foreign Ministry
The Russian leadership is doing everything necessary to gain liberation of the Russians detained in Qatar, Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Saltanov, now on a visit in Lebanon, told RIA Novosti. In the early hours of February 19, the Qatar secret services arrested three Russian nationals on a business trip in Qatar. They have been accused of having to do with the assassination of a leader of Chechen separatists Zelimkhan Yandarbiev. One of the detained, having diplomatic immunity the first secretary of the Russian embassy to Qatar was released and on March 24 returned home. Moscow has many times declared innocence of the Russians, demanded their liberation and immediate return home. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement that the Russian nationals "were on stay in Qatar on legal grounds performing, without any violations of the local laws, information-analytical missions related to opposition to international terrorism". According to the Qatar laws, lawyers for the accused can be only subjects of Qatar and, therefore, Russian lawyers stay there only as consultants rendering assistance to the accused. If found guilty, they will face capital punishment. In theory, the monarch may pardon them.
(more News from Chechnya...)

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.
(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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