Actual News from Chechnya

News update

Chechnyafree.ru Internet-portal took part in the second International festival of non-commercial internet projects, which was held from 2003 by the Web-masters Union of Russia and sponsored by the Federation Union, the State Duma, the Moscow City Government. Taking part in it were state, commercial and public organizations. The festival is aimed at spreading Russias non-commercial internet space and supporting youth initiatives dealing with social problems, reducing extremist tendencies in our society and strengthening international ties. More than 3,000 people representing 468 data resource managers from Russia, the Commonwealth countries, the Baltic states and other foreign countries participated in the festival in 2004. The final program of the festival took place in Moscow from January 18 through January 23, 2005 and it featured seminars, instruction and master-classes with leading IT experts. The festival declared Chechnyafree.ru the winner in the Best Information Regional Project nomination.
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Dagestan's deputy interior minister Magomed Omarov was killed the other day. Meanwhile Dagestani authorities do not doubt the fact that Omarov's murder has something to do with his work. Dagestan is an autonomous Russian republic on the Caspian coast. Omarov supervised public-safety issues, doing his best to uphold law and order. He also participated in all large-scale anti-crime operations, Abdulmanap Musayev, chief of the Dagestani interior ministry's press center, noted. In 1999 Omarov took an extremely active part in repelling the bandit attack on Dagestan. At that time, he had received the Order of Courage. Omarov, who was lightly wounded and shell-shocked during combat operations, returned to active duty in no time at all. According to Musayev, Omarov took part in large-scale arrests in Khasav-Yurt and Makhachkala early this January. Several attempts had been made on Omarov's life. The thugs tried to blow up his car several years ago. However, no one was hurt back then. Omarov's car was fired upon in downtown Makhachkala at 8.40 p.m. Moscow time. The deputy interior minister was killed as a result of that attack. Three other interior-ministry officials were killed, as well. Another operative, who was seriously wounded, is now staying in hospital, Musayev added. Omarov was riding in a Niva car that was escorted by a VAZ-21099 Lada car. Omarov's car was riddled with bullets that ripped through doors and windows. According to police officers, the attackers, who were staying inside two VAZ-21099 cars, fired automatic weapons from the right side. As has already been reported, terrorists tried to kill Alimsultan Alkhamatov, acting administrator of Dagestan's Khasav-Yurt district, which borders on Chechnya, February 2. An explosive device went off at the curb, while Alkhamatov's Mercedes-Benz limousine was driving by. No one was hurt as a result of that blast, press-center people noted. (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

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.
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Issue 260
04.02.05

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

04 February 2005  Rosselkhozbank Is Strenghening Its Positions In Chechnya
This April will mark 4 years since the opening in Grozny of Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank. Established in March of 2000 by orders from President Putin, OAO Rosselkhozbank faced the task to restore the credit system of Chechnyas agro-industrial complex. Today Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank, in addition to an office in Grozny, has another 6 offices: in the Znamenskoye Village, in Gudermes, in the Shelkovskaya Stanitsa (large Cossack village), in the Achkhoi-Martan Village, in Shali, and in the Staropromyslovsky District, and also 2 bank outlets in Grozny. Another 4 offices of Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank will shortly start their work in the Oktyabrsky and Leninsky districts in Grozny, and also in Urus-Martan and Argun. Having strengthened its positions in the republic, this bank continued its successful work there. It is for a third year now that Chechnyas branch of the OAO Rosselbank has been regarded as the top performer in its field among the 64 Chechnyas regional branches of the OAO Rosselkhozbank that successfully function all over the country. Its revenues within the above-mentioned period reached 240 million roubles. Showing its universality, Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank , as its director Usman Yerikhanov says, is winning greater confidence among its clients, whose number is growing. Chechnyas regional branch offers services to up to 3,000 juridical persons and also to more than 15,000 physical persons. Besides, it has offered for use a number of new bank products , which its clients approved. On that list is the Bank-Client system. Its task is to minimize the clients visiting the bank. The Zarplatnyi proyekt (Salary Project) system has been worked out specially for enterprises and organizations, with due regard for all difficulties and dangers of cash movement across Chechnya. Now physical persons receive their wages, pensions and benefits at Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank. Today Chechnyas residents and juridical persons have a chance to receive and transfer money orders with the same day delivery to any place in Russia, in the former Soviet republics and in foreign countries in either roubles or hard currency. The banks present-day strategy has for an object to step up the inflow of investments in all branches of the national economy. In the 2001 to 2004 period Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank extended nearly 400 million roubles worth of credits. In the first place, credits are given to support investment projects to modernize the current industries and also for import-replacement projects. The credits Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank gave last year were helpful in modernizing the Staroyurtovskaya poultry-breeding factory, the Nozhai-Yurt brickworks and the Transmash plant. Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank takes an active part in the socially significant projects. It is an authorized bank for servicing the accounts of citizens, receiving compensation payments for lost homes and properties during the settlement of the Chechen crisis. In 2004 the bank in Chechnya ensured the transfer of up to 14 billion roubles to the accounts of more than 39,000 of Chechnyas citizens. On the results of Russias contest, The Manager of the Year, Finances and Insurance, that was conducted in June of 2003 by the International Academy of Management, Russias Economic Society, and the Association of Russias Regional Banks and Financial Institutions among 250 enterprises of the Southern Federal District Chechnyas regional branch of the OAO Rosselkhozbank has become the winner in the category Trust and Reliability.
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04 February 2005  D.Kozak: Maskhadov orders ceasefire. Goodwill act?
Aslan Maskhadov, Chechen separatist leader, has ordered unilateral cessation of combat operations. He actually means the move to remind the public of his existence, holds Dmitri Kozak, presidential envoy plenipotentiary to the Southern federal district. Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev, are alleged to have ordered combat operations suspended to February 22 as a goodwill act. The information comes from Chechen separatist web sites-Kavkaz-Center and Chechenpress. "Maskhadov has often made such attempts. In fact, he no longer has the say-so in Chechnya, so we don't pay too much attention to his move. To all appearances, he just doesn't want to go into oblivion," said Mr. Kozak. He was addressing newsmen during a break in a business development conference in district South, underway in Volgograd. The North Caucasian regional anti-terror HQ previously denied the authenticity of Maskhadov's and Basayev's statements. "Whatever references to the bandit underground chieftains are false, and the statements fruit of Movladi Udugov's imagination," the HQ says in a press release.
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04 February 2004  Russia calls Basayev TV interview support for terrorists
Moscow regards the airing of an interview with Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev on British TV as direct media support for terrorists, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a Friday press release. "We consider the step as direct information support for terrorists operating in the North Caucasus," the ministry said. "In the present conditions, any attempts to justify giving a platform to terrorists, whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent victims, including children, by references to freedom of speech look cynical, to put it mildly," the ministry said.
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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'.
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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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