Actual News from Chechnya

News update

The Internet is developing in the Chechen Republic though a year ago there was no access to the global network even at the local Ministry of the Press, Chechen Press Minister Movsur Ibragimov told Noviye Izvestia. The ministry is creating a site where users from Russia and abroad will get information about the events and problems in the republic. Access to the Internet will be provided for both officials and residents in Chechnya. An Internet center has been opened at the university in Grozny. For years young Chechens grew up without knowing what a computer is. Computers became accessible only in 2000, and now Chechens win prizes in computer games competitions. Unfortunately, the opinions of the Chechen authorities, including President Alu Alkhanov and the government, are presented very modestly in the Internet. But the press minister is against banning the site of Chechen militants, arguing that [more sites should be opened so that] it would not be the only source of information about the events in Chechnya. When the Chechen government is presented in the Internet at its full potential, the interest for the militants' resources will fall.
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Russia's FSB security service said Wednesday that plastic surgery would be available to those who help capture Chechnya's hardline rebel chief Shamil Basayev. Anyone who provides information that would lead to the location and capture of Basayev would be protected by the nation's witness law, said FSB spokesman Sergei Ignatchenko. The law provides witnesses with "physical defense on the part of law enforcement officials, the possibility of changing passport data, residence and if necessary plastic surgery to change appearance," the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted him as saying. "We know how to keep secrets," said the spokesman for the FSB successor agency. The statement came a day after the FSB announced that a 10-million-dollar bounty had helped it locate and kill moderate Chechen rebel chief Aslan Maskhadov last week and said it was ready to pay another 10 million for information leading to Basayev's capture. "The reward will be paid to anyone, be they citizens of Russia or any other country if the information that they provide to Russian special forces aids in the capture or neutralization of Basayev," Ignatchenko said Wednesday. "We're not concerned with georgaphy in this matter," he said. Basayev's is Chechnya's most notorious warlord, who has claimed responsibility for some of the most spectacular attacks in Russia, incuding last year's Beslan school hostage taking, which killed more than 340 people, half of them children. He is widely expected to assume the leadership of Chechnya's separatists following Maskhadov's death last week, despite the announcement by the rebels that their leader from now on would be Abdul-Khalim Sadullayev, a relative unknown who is not thought to have much battlefield experience . (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

Chechnyas railway infrastructure is being reconstructed

Russian Railways Company spent 915 million rubles for this purpose last year. A share-holder company in the republic has carried out all reconstruction work in the railway infrastructure since 2004 under an agreement between the two sides on joint work. This means, reconstruction of railway stations and railroads, new communication centeres, food supply enterprises and pharmacies is being carried out according to a plan. The territories of railway stations Alpatevo, Nayrskaya, Solkushino, Chervlennaya-yzlovaya, Gudermes, Dzhalka, Argun and Grozny have been reconstructed. The guarded zones near the bridges over the rivers of Sunzha and Belka are supplied with electricity and the main cable link, Isherskaya-Chervlennaya-Yzlovaya-Khasavyurt is repaired. The Grozny department of the North Caucasian railway infrastructure was restored in September last year by an order of the director of the Russian Railways Company, Gennady Fadeev. It has recruited its staff too. The staff of the locomotive depot Gudermes has been determined and locomotive brigades have been set up to carry out maintenance work of carriages. The reconstruction works includes the restoration of social facilities. In all 22 houses of railway workers have been repaired. The overall area of the buildings is 8 thousand square meters. The start of the direct railway link between Grozny and Moscow after a 5-year break was a significant event. By taking into account the desire of passengers the train passes through Rostov-on Don but not Astrakhan. This shortens the way by one hour. Russian Railways Company plans to invest 82 million rubles this year to reconstruct facilities of the railway infrastructure in Chechnya. This sum will be spent to electrify some sectors and restore communication network.
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Issue 273
21.03.05

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

21 Mart 2005  Initiator of a round table on Chechnya hopes for its success
Initiator of the round table on Chechnya in Strasbourg, Swiss parliamentarian Andreas Gross hopes that the event will be successful and it will not be the last. "It is the first meeting in this format and I hope that everything is going to be great in Strasbourg on Monday," Gross announced in an interview with RIA Novosti. He said, "we have been working for six months on this project together with the Russian delegation to PACE." Gross underlined, "we had to work in difficult conditions due to complications caused by Maskhadov's death. Many people started to doubt the possibility of the round table, although everything seems to be ready for the event at present." The major goals of the round table is to consolidate efforts in the search for the solution of the situation in Chechnya, Gross believes. The European parliamentarian specifically stressed that "individuals who are suspected of links with terrorists and accept their methods of struggle will not be allowed to participate in the work of the round table." Sixty experts are expected to participate in the event. Among the participants are representatives of the Russian leadership (for instance, Vladimir Lukin, Human Rights Commissioner in Russia, is expected to arrive in Strasbourg), PACE members (parliamentarians from the groups on Chechnya, on human rights and on humanitarian issues), representatives of the Chechen community and non-governmental organizations.
(more News from Chechnya...)

21 Mart 2005  Chechen delegation in Strasbourg won't discuss Chechnya's status - Alkhanov
The Chechen delegation will not discuss issues related to the political organization of the Chechen republic or its status, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov told Interfax on Friday. "These issues are not on currently on the agenda for the Chechen people. Such a problem does not exist. It was resolved two years ago at an all-Chechen referendum and we will not discuss a made-up topic," Alkhanov said. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is planning to have a roundtable on Chechnya in Strasbourg on March 21. "The Chechen people have defined their own status by accepting a constitution which clearly states the Chechen republic is a part of the Russian Federation," Alkhanov said.
(more News from Chechnya...)

21 Mart 2004  Roundtable on Chechnya opens in Strasbourg
A meeting of the roundtable on Chechnya-related issues is opening at the Council of Europe's Strasbourg headquarters on Monday. The initiative was put forward by Andreas Gross, a rapporteur on Chechnya, during debates at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) last fall. The Russian delegation backed the idea. A special PACE resolution set out relevant conditions. It read the roundtable would take place on condition its participants recognize Russia's territorial integrity and condemn terrorism as means of achieving objectives. Gross said in a RIA Novosti interview the day before the first meeting that the roundtable was designed to consolidate efforts for settling the Chechnya problem. Gross believes problems facing the Chechen Republic should be tackled above all through dialogue. Gross noted the openness of the Russian delegation that helped prepare the meeting. Gross said many PACE members doubted the wisdom of holding the meeting, particularly after Aslan Maskhadov's death. "Today all the apprehensions and doubts are past," said Gross. All Chechnya-related issues will be discussed at the roundtable meeting on Monday, according to Gross. He did not rule out that they also could discuss Europe's economic aid to the republic. About 60 persons are expected to take part in the roundtable on Chechnya. Chechen President Alu Alkhanov, Russian human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin, Dmitry Kozak, the Russian president's envoy to the Southern Federal District, PACE members, and members of Chechen society and non-government organizations are expected to participate.
(more News from Chechnya...)

Russia - Chechnya

Chechen culture

The fifth filial of Mikhail Y. Lermontov - the great Russian poets museum opened in an ancient house in the village of Paraboch of the Shelkovki Region in Chechnya . The house is nearly 250 years old and it belonged to a local landlord, retired general Akim Khastatov whose wife Yekaterina Stolypina was a distant relative to Lermontovs grandmother Yelizaveta Arsenyevna. The latter visited Khastatovs estate several times. And she took along young Mikhail, whom she raised after his mothers death. In 1837 during his exile to the Caucasus, Lermontov revisited the home of his relatives. In 1841, he went there for the last time shortly before his death. The building has been well preserved. In 1990 restoration work was begun to make a museum of the great poet. But the events of the past decade postponed all restoration work. Fortunately the building wasnt damaged in the course of hostilities. But it is in need of maintenance. The most important thing that its internal architecture, the living room, window shutters and certain items that the poet may have touched, have all been preserved. In 2004 museum personnel was formed. Svetlana Temirbulatova a learned person and a known philologist in Chechnya was appointed the museums director. The employees will be allocated part of the museum as a working area. The employees will engage in search of items and materials of Lermontovs time and complete the museums exposition. As soon as the building is passed over into the Chechen Culture Ministry care, restoration and maintenance work will get underway. Later on it will receive its first visitors.
(chechen culture ...)

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 ...)

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