Residents of temporary shelters in Chechnya want to move into permanent dwelling only

Recently, a campaign to liquidate temporary shelters (TS) has been under way in Chechnya.

As the press-release of the "Memorial" human rights centre submitted to the "Caucasian Knot" editorial office runs, this campaign initiated by Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the ChR Government, "is an indicator of how far Chechnya is from normal life declared by politicians."

Human rights activists note that on May 16 the "Memorial" HRC and "Civil Assistance" organization received a complaint of internally displaced persons (IDP) from the TS located in the Chechnya capital of Grozny at 289, Derzhavin Street. The complaint is signed by 46 heads of families. The complaint runs that a warden (head of the TS administration) has been imposed on them, although the majority of residents voted against her. The address also notes that the warden imposed on them is supported by armed officers from the local power authorities. They have come to the TS many times to threaten people who protest against the appointment of the warden by force.

The Chechnya department of Federal Migration Service (DFMS) advised the IDPs to apply to human rights and international organizations for solving this problem.

After it was announced that all wardens would be replaced, residents of the TS at 289, Derzhavin Street elected Khamzatova as their warden. However, the head of Staropromyslovski district administration appointed Dagman Almaeva. Residents think that this appointment has been to a great degree influenced by the fact that her brother until recently has been commander of an ATC (anti-terrorism centre) unit.

Asu Dudarkaev, head of the Chechnya DFMS has declined the appointment of Almaeva. However, Almaeva announced to all TS administration employees that they were dismissed and appointed her own staff. The residents got indignant and started to apply to various instances, including A. Alaudinov, chief of Department on Combating Organized Crime (DCOC). After a talk with residents, Almaeva and her relatives, Alaudinov phoned to Alu Dudarkaev and the latter ordered to appoint Khamzaeva. But Almaeva locked the door of the warden's office and flatly refused to give it away.

As the "Memorial" press-release states, on May 30 at 10 p.m. armed people burst into the TS at 289, Derzhavin Street. They introduced themselves as officers of the territorial militia unit (ТМU) of Staropromyslovski district in the capital of Chechnya. They started threatening Khamzatova, the newly appointed TS warden, and the residents with physical violence for refusing to recognize the power of Almaeva appointed by Khozhbaudi Estamirov, head of Staropromyslovski district administration, contrary to the order of the head of Chechnya DFMS and the wish of residents. This action was managed by a certain Bislan, known to the residents under the nickname of "Chekist." The residents reported the incident to the MIA alert unit, and a team of militiamen came to the TS. After negotiations with residents and Bislan, it was decided to meet at the DFMS building next morning.

The next morning the DFMS head and residents had been waiting for the chief of the unit for a long time, but in vain.

On June 1, the TS was visited by Vakha Saitov, head of the administrative district on the territory of which the TS is located. He announced to the residents that their TS was to be disbanded within three days, and they were going to be distributed among other TSs where places for them had already been prepared. However, Saitov failed to show a list of the prepared places. The residents got indignant and declared that they would leave the TS only upon getting compensation or permanent dwelling. Other officials followed Vakhi Saitov. In the long run, Asu Dudarkaev announced that the camp was not going to be disbanded.

However, on June 5, after nine in the morning, officials of Staropromyslovski district administration and of the migration service of the Chechnya capital came to the TS. The administration officials announced that the TS must be disbanded as soon as possible, because the building should be used as a kindergarten, i.e. according to its specified purpose. The residents would be allocated place for living in other TSs of the district. The migration service officials stated that this was not their initiative but the district administration was entitled to such actions.

The residents declared again that they did not want to move from one TS to another and that if they were moved from the existing one they would leave Chechnya for Ingushetia and apply for shelter to President Ziazikov.

The administration officials again asserted that there was a list of places for resettlement. The residents, however, claimed that they would be moved to inferior conditions as compared to the existing ones. The authorities wanted them to sign applications for resettlement, not having seen the new dwellings.

Moreover, those who had resided in Staropromyslovski district of Grozny previously were promised to be allocated flats, from 20 to 50, but no concrete addresses were mentioned. The flats were to be allocated to disabled persons, labour veterans and other individuals entitled to privileges. There was also a promise to allocate land plots, construction materials, etc.

Notably, some TS residents had applied for land plots two or three years earlier but no one had been allocated either land or the promised prompt compensation. Those who had not resided in the district were not promised anything on the ground that the administration of the districts of their origin must deal with them. The residents claimed that there were threats to cut off potable water supply and to use riot squads.

Human rights activists note that "this would mean a positive catastrophe for them as the water pipeline in Grozny is out of operation and water is supplied by humanitarian organizations which have installed a tank and regularly refill it. It is especially hard to be left without water in summer when the air temperature may reach 36 degrees."

Natalia Estemirova, employee of the "Memorial" HRC, spent a day negotiating with the administration. About 5 p.m. Svetlana Gannushkina, member of the Council on Human Rights under the RF President, talked over the telephone with Khozhbaudi Estamirov, head of Staropromyslovski district administration.

Estamirov claimed that it was a normal tidying up of the facilities. He flatly denied any possibility of physical pressure on TS residents and promised that no one was going to block the tank with potable water or call for militia. He also refuted the assumption that he was going to take care of the district local residents alone.

According to Khozhbaudi Estamirov, the residents have 10 days for getting acquainted with the rooms prepared for them in other TSs.

"The discrimination of the IDPs into "locals" and "aliens" would be a gross violation of international norms since forced displacements of people inside one country represent a national problem and the high state authorities are responsible for resolving it," notes the "Memorial" HRC.