Dagestani veterans of Afghan War threaten with new protest actions should authorities fail to ensure their social protection

On May 15, in Makhachkala, the Dagestani veterans of the Afghan warfare held a rally dedicated to the 23rd anniversary of the start of withdrawal of troop from Afghanistan. At the rally, speakers demanded to investigate the murder of a veteran of Afghanistan, Police Lieutenant Colonel Mugudin Urdikhanov, and reiterated their social problems. They also stated their readiness to go on another hunger strike, if in the near future authorities fail to take measures to help them.

Let us note here that the above Mugudin Urdikhanov, deputy head of the department of own security of the MIA of Dagestan Mugudin Urdikhanov was an authorized person for elections and was on a business trip in the Tabasaran District, where he was killed at night on March 12, 2011, on the eve of elections of Deputies of the People's Assembly of Dagestan. Afghan veterans already demanded to properly investigate the murder in the course of their rally on April 22.

According to Magomed Khadulaev, Chairman of the Dagestan Republic's Organization of the Russian Union of Afghan Veterans (RUAV), his organization has no real interaction with state authorities of Dagestan. "Everything is done behind our backs and behind the scene," he said.

He told the audience of the rally about establishment of the People's Front of Russia, where the RUAV is now a member. Franz Klintsevich, leader of the RUAV, held a video conference, where he voiced his proposals on further actions and asked the veterans to speak out on this topic.

Timur Aliev, Chairman of the Karabudakhkent Organization of the RUAV, said that the republic had elected its parliament and local self-governments; however, no representatives of the organization were admitted to take part in them.

The next speaker was Gasan Gasainiev, Chairman of the Derbent Branch of the RUAV. He supported the previous speaker and said that the veterans of his district wait for arrival of Franz Klintsevich; however, already now the veterans of Southern Dagestan are getting ready to go, since June 15, on hunger strike; which all veterans of Afghanistan living in Dagestan could join.

"All of us are sick and tired of lies and deception of bureaucrats. We hear only empty promises. My grandfather fought at World War II, my father was at war in Hungary, I myself fought in Afghanistan; and I have nothing to leave to my children. I don't know what to tell them; they see everything that happens," said Gasan Gasainiev.

Also, the participants of the rally expressed their indignation over the fact that Afghan veterans cannot get for treatment to the hospital. The speakers said that they have to wait for a month, and when in hospital, they have to spend 5-7 days in the corridors of the hospital, while the hospital wards are full of people who just cannot be war veterans, as they are too young for that.

Out of 3200 Dagestani veterans of the Afghanistan was about 2000 need new housing or improvement of the housing they have.