08 March 2004, 10:02
Refugees have no hope in delegations
Ella Pamfilova, head of the Commission on Human Rights for the Russian president, once again on March 6 visited Chechen refugee camps in Ingushetia. This is already a second visit of Russian human rights advocates headed by Pamfilova to Chechen refugee settlements over the past two months. The delegation visited the camps Satsita and Sputnik on the outskirts of Orjonikidzevskaia where the guests learned about refugees' condition. Like on her previous visit, Pamfilova said the process of people's return to their homeland should be absolutely voluntary, refugees say. However, most camp dwellers think visits of various delegations have practically no influence on refugees' life and the process of forcible liquidation of camps. Presently, as before, government go on claiming no pressure measures are taken with regard to displaced persons, whereas indirect pressure is exerted on people actually every day.
Source: Infromation Center of the Council of NGOs