Actual News from Chechnya

News update

The Russian Government plans to announce a more precise federal targeted program for restoration of social and economic sphere of the Chechen republic, a source in the Russian Government told RIA Novosti. Russian Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref visited Chechnya and the RF Government plans to announce a more precise federal targeted program: "the resources must go to what we have to restore first of all," the source said. According to the source, the main goal of the program is to restore certain object, at the same time the means allocated for the purpose will be monitored. "Unfortunately, the resources have been used inefficiently although Chechnya has got considerable amount of money," the source said. We will increase financing, but we do not have a lot of money, all the money must go where it should go. "We should minimize all possible risks, we should reinforce the control and maintain the financing efficiency." The Government does not rule out that Department responsible for restoration of Chechnya will move from Moscow to Grozny.
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Georgian Minister of State on Settling Conflicts Gogi Khaindrava sent a letter to the countrys Prosecutor-Generals Office with a proposal to investigate circumstances, under which Ruslan Gelayev and his gang appeared in the Kodori gorge in autumn 2001. Speaking on the Tbilisi-based Rustavi-2 TV company, Khaindrava said that it is difficult to believe that Gelayev and around 200 members of his gang passed from the Pankissi gorge, Eastern Georgia, across the entire country to the Kodori gorge, undetected by the then authorities. If Eduard Shevardnadze was not interested in that question, this event is of interest to the countrys general public. Georgia was accused at that time of abetting at terrorists. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate who helped the Gelayev gang to reach the Pankissi gorge, Khaindrava said. Members of Gelayevs gang appeared in the Pankissi gorge near the Chechen section of the Georgian-Russian border in the summer of 2000. In September 2001, Gelayev and his gang turned to be in the Kodori gorge, the only area of Abkhazia, controlled by Tbilisi. According to a version of the then Georgian authorities, Gelayevs gang planned to infiltrate into Russia across the Karachayevo-Cherkessia section of the Georgian-Russian border. In November 2001, Gelayev and his gang left the Kodori and returned to the Pankissi gorge. Tbilisi said in September 2002 that Gelayevs gang left the Pankissi gorge and returned to Chechnya in connection with the start of a special operation by Georgian law enforcement bodies. (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 192
24.05.04

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

24 May 2004  Chechen field commander lays down arms
Influential Chechen field commander Sulim Eldarov have given himself up to Chechen law enforcement agencies. The situation in Chechnya has changed, and I dont want to go against the will of the Chechen people, Eldarov told reporters on Saturday, explaining his decision to lay down arms. He was negotiating his surrender via mediators with officials from the Chechen presidents security service. Now we continue negotiations with other field commanders, the chief-of-staff of the security service, Artur Akhmadov, said. In the first Chechen war, Eldarov led a rifle battalion of self-proclaimed Ichkerias armed forces. Over the past few years, he has been leading armed rebel groups in the Nozhai-Yurt region.
(more News from Chechnya...)

24 May 2004  EU to continue humanitarian aid to Chechnya
The European Union will continue humanitarian aid to Chechnya, Irish Prime Minister and EU President-in-Office Bertie Ahern said at a press conference in the Kremlin. The EU strongly denounced the terrorist act in Grozny on May 9, he said. President Vladimir Putin said he was determined to continue the reconstruction of Chechnya, and the EU would carry on humanitarian aid to that republic, he said. Ahern said the EU-Russia summit discussed the anti-terrorist fight and the situation in Iraq and the Middle East.

24 May 2004  Chechnya begins early presidential campaign
An early presidential campaign begins in Chechnya on May 24. The Chechen Election Commission will officially publish a resolution that the presidential elections will be held on August 29. Every candidate contesting the post of the Chechen president should either collect 6,000 votes in his support ( one percent of the total number of eligible voters in Chechnya) or pay a collateral worth 4.5 million roubles in order to get registered a candidate, Chairman of the Chechen election commission Abdul-Kerim Arsakhanov told Itar-Tass, The victory in the first round is possible on condition that a candidate wins 50 percent plus one vote given that the turnout is no less than 50 percent. Otherwise, run-off elections will be held in which the winner will be decided by a simple majority. July 14 is the deadline by which all the candidates for presidency should submit their documents to the Election Commission. The election law envisages that signatures collected in support of each candidate should be checked within ten days. The final number of the candidates registered for the presidential elections will be announced on July 25. Around 565,000 voters, including servicemen stationed in Chechnya on a permanent basis, are expected to take part in the early presidential elections in Chechnya.
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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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