ON THE SITUATION IN THE CHECHEN REPUBLIC

(Fact sheet)

The tasks of neutralizing rebel groups, including bands penetrating into Russia from Georgia, and cutting off channels of supply of weapons and money as well as of transfer of mercenaries to the territory of Chechnya continue to be urgent.

But the main efforts of federal and local authorities in the Chechen Republic are directed toward solving peace-time tasks. They are being financed mostly out of the resources of the Federal Program to Restore the Economy and the Social Sector of the Chechen Republic (2002 and subsequent years). In 2002 the provided-for allocation is 4.5 billion rubles (of which sum 1.8 billion to go for housing and utilities, about 600 million for the agro-industrial sector, 250 million for electricity, 216 million for public health, and 120 million for education); in 2003 5,175 million rubles. The implementation of the tasks is laid upon the Government Commission for Restoration of the Social Sector and the Economy of the Chechen Republic, led by Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Viktor Khristenko.

Considerable funds come also from off-budget sources, including the Russian Federation Pension Fund, which has fully paid out pensions for 2001 to the extent of 1.6 billion rubles and liquidated arrears for previous years in the amount of more than 800 million rubles.

Another off-budget source of receipts is the proceeds - earmarked for the social sector - from the export of oil extracted in Chechnya (in 2001, 232 million rubles).

The third source is the proceeds of business entities (the Unified Energy Systems Russia national power company, Gazprom gas concern, and the Russian Ministry of Railways) obtained on the basis of compensation for lost earnings by way of the increase of rates for their services and the regulation of wholesale gas prices. From this source 2.74 billion rubles (52.2 percent of the total sum) was set aside for the restoration of generating, gas supply, oil industry and transport facilities.

The Government of Russia has approved the draft consolidated budget of the Chechen Republic for the year 2002, which helps regulate financial activity in the republic and enables business entities to work on the same principles as on the entire territory of Russia.

A major task which remains to be accomplished is the return to Chechnya of internally displaced persons (IDPs), which is an indispensable condition for normalizing the political and social situation. There has been adopted the Action Plan of the federal bodies of executive authority and the Government of the Chechen Republic for the return to Chechnya of this category of persons.

From the start of the antiterrorist operation (August 1999) 380,000 people left Chechnya (57 percent - urban population, 43 percent - rural). Approximately 200,000 did not leave its boundaries. The largest number of IDPs was concentrated in Ingushetia (approximately 150,000). Of them 32,000 in places of temporary accommodation (PTAs), and the rest in the private sector.

The Government of Chechnya plans before the end of November 2002 to have all the people from tent camps resettled in dwelling houses and places of temporary accommodation. To that end, the number of stationary PTAs in the republic's territory has been increased to 18 (in the cities of Argun, Gudermes and Sernovodsk, the Assinovskaya stanitsa, Znamenskoye village and elsewhere), where about 15,000 people live. The reconstruction of 2,000 private houses has been completed. Since the beginning of the year 250 new houses with a total floor space of 31,000 square meters, and eight municipal buildings (11,700 square meters) have been opened for occupancy. In August and September of this year plans are to open another 11 houses of 22,500 square meters for occupancy, along with 1,194 private houses with a total floor space of 131,400 square meters. In addition, over 16,000 families (about 60,000 people) temporarily in Ingushetia have their own intact houses. In Grozny 18 municipal houses have been opened for occupancy (614 apartments). Besides, lists have been drawn up of house owners willing to accommodate persons returning to the republic (up to 50,000).

Thus, a possibility for a voluntary return home has been presented to practically all those who left their places of residence. As of now, about 50,000 people have returned to Chechnya from Ingushetia, including 27,000 in July-August alone. All in all, there are now about 68,000 IDPs left in Ingushetia, with up to 30,000 for various reasons not intending to return to Chechnya. Nineteen thousand reside in tent camps, of whom 9,000 according to the Government of Chechnya information have their own housing in the republic. A considerable number of people are returning to their places of permanent residence on their own, without filing official applications.

The federal center has provided 1,826.6 million rubles in all for the reconstruction of housing and utilities in 2002. Of this sum, 510 million rubles was put to use in August, and 620 million rubles in September.

The situation is complicated by consequences of the summer natural disasters. In Chechnya, over 20,000 people suffered from them. 4,000 houses are partly destroyed; 1,200 completely. Temporary housing has been provided to the victims. In addition, a place of temporary accommodation for 10,000 is now being completed in Grozny.

All in all, according to the data of the Government of Chechnya, there were 960,000 inhabitants in the republic as of August 2002, including 501,000 women, 266,000 children under 14, 43,000 teenagers, and 26,000 infants. The birth rate in the republic constitutes 18.1 percent, the death rate 14.7 percent.

Conducive to the return of people, apart from the provision of housing, are the revival of the republic's economy, job creation and the solution of social problems. Special attention is being paid to questions of employment of inhabitants of the republic. To the creation of an infrastructure. 20 employment centers have been working since October last year. More than 60,000 new jobs have been created. All in all, they exceed 150,000 as of now.

The consumer services sector is being developed. Tax money is being transferred to the budget of Russia. Public sector workers' wages, pensions (175,000 people) and child (390,000) and unemployment benefits are being paid.

Chechen draftees after a long interval have begun to serve in the ranks of the Russian army.

The Russian Ministry of Energy Russia has carried out considerable work on the gas transport system of the republic (in 2001 for 130 million rubles). Agreement is reached with Unified Energy Systems Russia for the construction of a power plant in Argun for 400 million rubles. There have been built 544 kilometers of high-voltage power transmission lines. A total of nearly 1 billion rubles has been spent on the reconstruction of electricity generating facilities. Twenty oil wells are in operation. Chechnya remains a serious oil product pollution focus: in 1996-2002 about 20,000 tons of oil products got into the soil and rivers (Ministry of Ecology data of April 19, 2002).

The transport system is being restored - 120 bus routes have been opened. Traffic is resumed on the full 400-kilometer section of the railway of the republic. Fourteen bridges have been restored, including large bridges over the Sunzha and Terek rivers.

The farming sector has started working in Chechnya. More than 350,000 tons of grain has already been gathered in. The Argun Grain Reception Center and a milling plant have been brought into service. Thus, the republic's requirements in mixed feeds and flour will be satisfied. Canning and wine making plants are being reconstructed. A workshop for fruit beverages and waters is due to be launched in the Shali district this year. Many vineyards, though, will have to be restored.

The amount of tax and nontax receipts in the Chechen Republic over the first seven months rose by 3.7 times, compared to the similar period of last year; it constituted 1.4 billion rubles. Moreover, the federal share of receipts in Chechnya for the past seven months constituted 785.3 million rubles (a ten-fold rise), and that of the republic 626.5 million rubles (a two-fold rise). Receipts in the Chechen Republic in 2002 became "comparable" with the receipts of the other regions of the Caucasus. In particular, half-year budget receipts in Dagestan constituted more than 2 billion rubles, in Ingushetia 496 million rubles, in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania 1.6 billion rubles, in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic almost 1.1 billion rubles.

In the public health system of Chechnya there are 57 hospitals (4,800 beds), 32 polyclinics, 46 doctor's outpatient clinics and 175 medical assistant-obstetrician stations. Grozny has nine hospitals and sixteen polyclinics. More than 2,000 doctors and 4,500 middle-grade medical workers are employed. A considerable volume of specialized assistance is being rendered in medical establishments of 30 subjects of the Russian Federation. Under the federal programs of combating tuberculosis, diabetes and other diseases, necessary drugs have been supplied to the medical establishments of Chechnya. There has been organized the training of local junior medical personnel by the republic's medical college and its branches. In 2001, 51,000 children from Chechnya had sanatorium-and-health-resort treatment. In 2002 this number is expected to be raised to 70,000. The Government of Russia has voted to allocate 150 million rubles in compulsory social insurance funds for these purposes.

There are 455 general education schools operating in Chechnya now (356 in rural areas), including 27 evening schools, 96 consultation centers and 5 boarding schools. Chechnya has 3 institutions of higher learning and 19 specialized secondary educational establishments. In addition, 60 sport and music schools, children's innovation centers, and young technicians' stations, with approximately 40,000 children participating, operate. Teaching staff totals 21,500.

The broadcasting of the federal ORT and NTV television channels and of the Radio of Russia and Mayak programs, as well as that of the Free Chechnya radio station has been organized throughout Chechnya. 12 local newspapers and two magazines, including a children's one, are regularly coming out, in a total number of 72,000 copies.

Telephone communication has been restored. A Kizlyar-Gudermes-Argun-Grozny digital fiber-optic line has been laid. Internet services are made available to the staff of the Government of the Chechen Republic. A Government of the Chechen Republic website was opened at the end of last year.

As far as the formation of power structures in Chechnya is concerned, the most realistic and optimal period for holding elections there is the end of 2003, according to Central Election Committee data. To hold a normal election for Head of the Republic right now is impossible for reasons of legal unpreparedness and the continuation of the counter-terrorist operation. It is necessary first to hold a referendum and adopt a constitution of the republic, whose drafting has been completed. The issue to be submitted to the referendum is that of the basic principles for its state system: the structure of parliament, number of deputies, method of their election. A decree for the holding of the referendum has to be signed by the President of Russia. Taking into account all the required preparatory procedures and the creation of an organizing group, it turns out that the earliest period for holding the referendum is the beginning of 2003.

Important work is being carried out by the Bureau of Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for ensuring human and civil rights and freedoms in the Chechen Republic A.-Kh. A. Sultygov. The Bureau includes three Council of Europe experts since April 4, 2000. Their stay has been extended to January 4, 2003.

Since March 2000 the Bureau has examined over 21,000 complaints and received 7,039 statements from inhabitants of the Chechen Republic concerning human rights violations. Of them: 2,047 instances of violation of the right to freedom and personal inviolability; 838, the right of forced migrants; 616, the right to housing and its inviolability; 473, the right to social security; 276, the right to pay for work; 185, the right to work; 166, the right to information. Complaints have been received from 2,142 people about 646 instances of illegal, from the citizens' point of view, actions of officials from federal power structures. More than half of the complaints concern illegal arrests and custody, searches, disappearances of people, and the search of missing persons. Since August 1999 more than 450 criminal proceedings have been instituted with regard to kidnapped and missing citizens. Conjointly with the Bureau, 306 people have been found (out of the 1,194 missing).

A joint working group made up of workers from the apparatus of the Special Representative, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation and the Prosecutor's Office of the Chechen Republic has been established. It is charged with the coordination of joint actions in considering the complaints and statements of citizens of the Russian Federation who are residents of Chechnya about illegal actions of servicemen and officers of other law enforcement bodies, as well as in promptly deciding on questions of appealing against their actions. Meetings of the group are being held with the participation of senior officials of the republic, ministries and departments, experts of the Council Europe, and representatives of the public.

By Order of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation No. 46 of July 25, 2001, a group headed by the first deputy prosecutor of Chechnya, for supervision and prompt response to violations of legality in carrying out special measures, was created in the prosecutor's office of the republic. Since July 2001 the group has taken part in more than 600 activities.

A Supreme Court and 12 district courts are working in Chechnya. The work of lawyers, registry offices and the bailiffs service has been organized. Notary's offices and agencies for registration of rights to immovable property are functioning.

Since the start of the counter-terrorist operation (August 1999) over 2,000 probes of the crimes committed by members of illegal armed bands against the civilian population and federal forces have been launched. Of them 133 cases have been sent to the courts (the courts have examined 12), 1,052 suspended for various reasons, 182 terminated, 473 transferred to competent investigating agencies, 253 are under consideration.

Organs of the military prosecutor's office have accepted for consideration 132 criminal cases involving crimes committed by servicemen against inhabitants of the Chechen Republic. Forty-six cases against 62 accused servicemen (including 11 officers) have been sent to military courts; 35 cases have been dropped and 17 suspended for various reasons; 15 cases are under consideration. Thirty-three people have been sentenced (including eight for murders).

Organs of the prosecutor's office of the Chechen Republic have accepted for consideration 25 criminal cases against militia officers. Fourteen have been sent to the court, including four cases of crimes against civilians.

According to Chechnya prosecutor data, 3,400 crimes were committed in the republic in 2002, 11 percent less than in the adequate period of last year. The number of murders has decreased - from 470 to 360. Fewer terrorist acts have been committed - 80 against 135 in the first seven months of last year. Half of the recorded offences, according to prosecutor's office data, were domestic crimes. One of the principal lines of work, in the prosecutor's estimation, is that "on the search of missing persons." According to prosecutor's office data, about 1,000 persons were kidnapped or went missing in 2001-2002.

In the first half of 2002 the Northern Caucasus, including Chechnya, was visited by 22 foreign delegations (27 in 2001) and by more than 70 foreign journalists.