Chechen refugees fear eviction from Ingushetia to Chechnya

The refugees from Chechnya, who have been living since mid-1990s in the city of Karabulak in temporary accommodation centres (TACs), are afraid of being forced to leave Ingushetia. Today, they wait for a commission of the Ministry of Nationalities' Matters of Ingushetia, which will demand to abandon the territory by September 30.

Kheda Saratova, a rights defender and the head of the "Objective" Information-Analytical Centre, who has visited the TACs just before the commission, believes that the situation is very deplorable. "These women, who are of the Vainakh mentality, under which the parental home is left to the youngest son in the family, have nowhere to go," she told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In her opinion, the Ingush authorities are not guilty - they received the refugees and helped them over the years. "I think the authorities of Chechnya should have paid attention to the people who live here. They report to Ramzan Kadyrov that they had allegedly given shelter to these people," said Ms Saratova.

In fact, as she said, these women cannot live in the provided housing even physically: there are no communications, roads and schools there. According to Kheda Saratova, in total there are 24 such families there - women with children; some children are invalids.

Those who are eligible for compensation in the amount of 350,000 roubles for lost houses cannot undertake the construction by themselves; besides, the above sum is not enough to build a house, say the refugees.

"I have nowhere to go; I have small children - the youngest is 18 months old. I contacted the administration of the Achkhoi-Martan District a few years ago; they gave me a land plot, which is located near the forest," said Asya Khadisova, a refugee from Chechnya, who is temporarily living in Karabulak.

According to her story, they had built a 4 by 5 meter panel house on that land plot. "The so-called house has one room and no utilities - no electricity and no gas. How I could live there with young children - practically in the open field, I don't know," the woman continued.

She and other women, who found themselves in a similar situation, expect the commission with fear. "Today, people will come to our camp with a demand to leave the place, but I have nowhere to go; I see no way out," said Asya Khadisova.

"I'm in Ingushetia since 1995 due to lack of housing. And today they tell us that all the Chechens should go back to Chechnya - this was the order of the head of the Republic of Ingushetia," said another woman-refugee, who asked not to disclose her name.

According to her story, in 2001, she already returned to Chechnya; however, she had to come back to Karabulak because of insecurity, since at that time she had four small children.

"Today, my youngest daughter is 15; she goes to Karabulak School No. 2. How can I take her away from there at the beginning of the school year? She has to take her uniform state exam this year. Neither there, nor here - I have no housing of my own," said the woman.

So far, the attitude of the Ministry for Refugees' Matters of Ingushetia, and of the authorities of Chechnya and Ingushetia is unknown.