Actual News from Chechnya

News update

Law enforcement bodies continue to search for Chechen extremist leader Shamil Basayev and other guerilla commanders, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov told Interfax on Thursday. "The work on Basayev is going on, it has never been stopped. And it will not stop before his complete elimination," Alkhanov said.
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Some of the militants who staged a terrorist attack against Chechnya's late president Akhmad Kadyrov have been killed, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov told a news conference at the Interfax main office in Moscow on Thursday. "Some of the people who played a direct or indirect role in perpetrating this terrorist attack have already been brought to justice. Some of them have been eliminated in armed clashes and a large number of other operations," Alkhanov said. "Those involved in this crime will get what they deserve," the president said. Kadyrov and a number of senior Chechen officials were killed in a terrorist attack at Grozny's central stadium on May 9, 2004. (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. An Entrepreneurs Table Book Published in Chechnya

An Entrpreneurs Table Book with a circulation of 5,000 copies has been released in the Chechen Republic. Its appearance comes in the nick of time, as according to specialists, there about 5,000 small businesses, including farming collectives. This sector of the economy employes nearly 100,000 farmers. Over the next five years the Chechen leadership is targeting to double the number of small business and increase the number of employees up to 250-300 thousand people. The Republic has set up a modern support infrastructure for small business and developed programs of development and support of small entrepreneurship. And the most important thing is that there are dynamic people, ready to undertake small business. It is precisely for those people that An Entrepreneurs Table Book has been released. Its compilers include Shaarani Shuaipov Committee Chairman on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Chechen government, and Magomed Shovkhalov -- Fund Director in support of small entrepreneurship of the Chechen Republic.
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Issue 290
20.05.05

Chechnya: news | arguments | facts

20 May 2005  The Grozny TV and Radio Company: achievements and objectives
In the past two years the Grozny TV and Radio Company has gained TV viewers and radio listeners respect throughout the republic. Both the Chechen leadership and fellow journalists all over Russia think highly of the Company performance. Today it is hard to imagine Chechnya without hourly radio newscasts or the six-hour TV programme thats broadcast from Grozny in Chechen and Russian. According to the first deputy director of the Company Arthur Arsanukayev, the Company should provide the people with essential information, show ways to solve problems of importance, level constructive criticism at officials who fail to perform appropriately. It is these principles that the Companys popular broadcasts are based on, such as the De Facto programme, which highlights the more important developments in the Chechen peoples history or the grave problems that the republic is facing now. Another programme is Otrazheniye, or Reflection, featuring government ministers or other Chechen officials in question-and-answer sessions. Small wonder that Russias Central Electoral Commission spoke highly of the programme. Today, in the third year of operation, the Grozny TV and Radio Company is engaged in covering progress in enforcing the Russian law on replacing the Soviet-era pensioners benefits with monthly payments. Some of the new programmes (So that we shall remember, The Veteran, The Clock of History) are dedicated to the 60th anniversary of this countrys victory over Nazism, with journalists both presenting information about and making efforts to establish the whereabouts of the veterans. They have thus found recently Abdulkahir Shabuyev, who defended the legendary Brest Fortress when the war broke out and who now makes his home in the village Znamenka. During the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Arthur Arsanukayev says, the journalists will deliver detailed reports on the developments, so the republic residents could decide what party or candidate they should vote for to have the best of the best in Chechnyas future parliament. The importance of the choice is hard to overestimate since the MPs elected will determine the future of the republic. The experience gained in the previous three election campaigns makes one feel certain that Grozny TV and radio journalists will prove still more effective in covering the forthcoming campaign.
(more News from Chechnya...)

19 May 2005  Federal govt, Chechnya to sign separation of power deal in June
The Russian federal government and the Chechen republic might sign an agreement on separating their powers in Chechnya in the second half of June, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov said at a press conference at the Interfax main office on Thursday.
(more News from Chechnya...)

19 May 2004  Parliamentary elections in Chechnya may take in November
Parliamentary elections may be held in Chechnya in November 2005, Chechen President Alu Alkhanov said at a press conference in Moscow. "We had a preliminary discussion of this issue this week and will strive for holding the elections" in mid-November, 2005, he said. In compliance with the Chechen Constitution, the date of the first elections to the two-chamber parliament of the republic is fixed by the President of the Russian Federation.
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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.
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