Actual News from Chechnya

News update

In 2004 the number of kidnappings in Chechnya more than halved. This information was cited at the collegium sitting of the Chechen Interior Ministry, where results of the past year were summed up. "While 440 abductions were registered in 2003, there were 168 in 2004", RIA Novosti learnt from the ministerial press service. It also said that in 2004 law-enforcers destroyed 115 bandits and detained another 257 criminals in Chechnya. According to the Interior Ministry, the total number of crimes registered in Chechnya was cut by 22 percent in comparison with 2003. The crime exposure rate has increased by 9 percent and is 68 percent of the total.
(more...)

The public organization The Union for Peace Restoration and Accord inChechnya set up in Yekaterinburg , over its years has done quite useful work in the region, including shoring up stability in inter-ethnic relations. To this effect, round-table discussions and get-togethers with media representatives were held. A positive image of Chechens was promoted in public and law-enforcement agencies. Close working relations formed by the Union with the regions leadership, promoted this goal. Educational work is being carried on among local Chechens, especially among the younger generation, to prevent violations of the law, and public order. And according to Slautdin Mamakov chief of The Union for Peace Restoration and Accord in Chechnya, these efforts have been quite fruitful. At the same time, the organization has tried its best to help Chechen migrants with housing and employment. The Union for Peace Restoration and Accord in Chechnya intends to hold an all-Urals conference of representatives of Chechen communities of the entire region. But the organization pays special attention to Chechen children, particularly gravely sick and needing treatment and rehabilitation. And unfortunately, those are numbering at least 40,000. By joint efforts of the Union, personally Salautdin Mamakov, and the Sverdlovsk Regions Health Ministry, an accord of cooperation is to be signed shortly with the Chechen Republic and sent there for its endorsement. After its signing, many children and women from Chechnya will be eligible for qualified medical assistance in the best clinics of Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk Region. (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

Russian savings bank is restoring its branches in Chechnya

TheNorth Caucasus branch of the Russian savings bank was opened in the middle of December in prospect Pobedy, house number 5 in Grosny, where all existing 40 banking operations can be carried out. Money can be received and sent to any part of Russia, payment for communal services and other financial operations can be effected. In addition to the Grozny branch another one has been operating for 3 years in the Naursk settlement, serving in the man, private individuals and enabling residents to keep money safe in the bank. It also pays compensation for depreciated savings and accepts payment for communal services. In an interview for the free Chechnya radio chairman of the North Caucasus subsidiary of the Russian savings bank Viktor Gavrilov has said that among the functions of the banks branches in Chechnya is paying both state and local compensations to Chechens, including for lost and damaged property and house arising from the fighting in Chechnya. They equally pay compensation to former account holders as well as pay out states pension and benefits. The recently signed agreement between the Chechen prime minister, Sergei Abramov and the chairman of the Russian savings bank, Andrei Kazymin on compensations payment envisages the orders of remittance and payment into special account of residents as well as payouts and accounting. The agreement lists out affiliates of the North Caucasus savings bank in which a special account can be opened. Apart from the branches in the Nausk village and Grozny 6 other branches are also to pay out money. They are located in the border regions of Chechnya: two are in the Dagestani branch in the town of Kizlyar, pereulok Rybni, house number 4-A and the town of Hasav-Yurt, Daibova street, house number 8. In Ingushetia; the town of Malgabek, Gardanova street number 27; in the village of Ordzhonikidzovskaya, Oskanova street number 34; the town of Nazran, prospect Bazorkin, 10; and in the town of Mozdok, Kirov street, house number 61. The Russian savings bank is to enlarge services to clients in Chechnya with the granting of loans to buy goods, building materials as well as give out mortgage credits. The participation of the savings bank in economic projects in Chechnya is under active consideration and an agreement is to be signed with republican leaders on the construction of apartment buildings. In 2005 the 3rd branch of the North Caucasus subsidiary of the Russian savings bank will be commissioned in Gudermes and the opening of other branches in several parts of Chechnya will follow.
(more...)

Issue 257
26.01.05

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

26 January 2005  A project unique for the North Caucasus has been launched in Gudermes
A capsule with a message to the future generations was laid in the foundation of a recreation center and an aqua park on Tuesday. Chechen Prime Minister Sergei Abramov and his first deputy Ramzan Kadyrov signed the message. All of us, regardless our nationality, are created by one and the same Lord. All of us walk on this land, and all of us want to live in peace and accord, the message runs. The recreation center will create jobs and boost the economic development of this area, Abramov told Itar-Tass. The engineering infrastructure of Gudermes will be modernized, and the recreation center will become an attraction for tourists, he said. The center will be named after Zelimkhan Kadyrov, senior son of Chechen late president Akhmad Kadyrov. It will include the Ramzan fitness club, an aqua park, a hotel, a sauna, a movie theatre and several cafes. The construction will be done in two years, but the first segment of the recreation center will open this summer. The Akhmad Kadyrov Foundation is the general investor, the Chechen City Planning and Development Center is the client, the A-Engineering is the designer, and the Russian City Planning Institute is the coordinator of the architectural concept. Foreign partners, who have had similar projects before, will help to build the recreation center. The total cost of the project is Eur5.6 million. The aqua park is expected to start bringing profits seven years after it is opened.
(more News from Chechnya...)

25 January 2005  Chechen leaders assail separatist ideologue's statements
The Chechen leadership has described as absurd a statement made by an ideologue of the Chechen separatists, Movladi Udugov, about the situation in the North Caucasus. "Udugov's statement can only be described as absurd. He has been forgotten altogether and is trying to make his presence felt," Chechen Deputy Prime Minister and envoy in Moscow Ziyad Sabsabi told Interfax on Tuesday. "Udugov's statement that Russia cannot maintain stability in the North Caucasus is absurd, while his assertions that military operations will be escalated are even more absurd," said Sabsabi. He said the bandits operating in the North Caucasus are part of international terrorism with which the whole world is fighting. "The whole world is fighting against terrorism. The handfuls of criminals and gangs that have survived in the North Caucasus are part of international terrorism and will never draw support in the North Caucasus or other Russian regions," he said. He said that the situation in the North Caucasus is improving and that special emphasis has been put on the region's socioeconomic development. "The military component is being relegated to the background and the main emphasis has been put on the region's socioeconomic development. The Russian leadership is paying special attention to this," Sabsabi said.
(more News from Chechnya...)

25 January 2004  Member of Chechen branch of United Russia dead in Mecca
Deputy chief of the Chechen branch of United Russia party Lecha Magomedov died on Tuesday during a pilgrimage to places of worship in Mecca. Preliminary reports said Magomedov died of a stroke he suffered in Mecca, a source from the Chechen Muftis office told Tass on Tuesday. The United Russia headquarters has been negotiating the return of the body to Chechnya although traditionally, a pilgrim who dies in Mecca is buried there. Lecha Magomedov was around 70 years old. He was one of the organizers of the United Russia branch in Chechnya and until recently, he had been Deputy secretary of its political council.
(more News from Chechnya...)

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen culture

The modern-age Chechen literature started in the 1920s when writers and poets in Chechnya established contacts with colleagues in other parts of the Soviet Union. It was a close concern of such great founding fathers of the Soviet literature as A.Serafimovich, M.Gorky and M.Golodny. A.Serafimovich was a frequent visitor to Chechnya at the time. In 1929, he attended an executive meeting of the Grozny Association of Proletarian Writers. In an address to the gathering, he called on the Chechen writers 'to move as one into real life'. In 1930, he sponsored the publication of a Russian version of the poem 'To the Time of the Tsars' by the Chechen poet Said Baduyev. The poem was published in the opening issue of the NA PODYEME ('On the Rise') literary journal. In the late 1920s and in the opening half of the 1930s, M.Gorky was in overall charge of inter-ethnic literary exchanges within the Soviet Union. His favourite method was dispatching writer support brigades to outlying Soviet republics and regions. Said Baduyev in 1932 responded to this by publishing an essay entitled 'Maxim Gorky is Our Teacher'.
(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 ...)

Copyright © CHECHNYA FREE.RU