Refugees-hunger-strikers in Karabulak report threats from authorities

The refugees from Chechnya, who are on hunger strike in the temporary accommodation centre (TAC) "Promzhilbaza" in the city of Karabulak in Ingushetia, have reported about threats they receive from the authorities of Chechnya and Ingushetia. According to the protesters, armed persons are permanently patrolling the TAC; they make tours, film everything by video cameras and write down the passport details of the hunger-strikers.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the forced migrants from Chechnya, living in the TAC "Promzhilbaza" from 1999, declared their readiness to go on hunger strike on September 20 demanding to solve their housing problems. They chose the following motto of their action: "Ramzan Kadyrov! Bring us home!" In total, 30 people announced their participation in the protest action.

However, as reported today by Kheda Saratova, the head of the Public Organization "Objective", which is present at the TAC as an observer from the "United Caucasus Forum", as of September 20 11 families are taking part in the hunger strike. "From each family one persons was delegated - that is, there are 11 hunger-strikers," she said.

"Initially, a lot more people had expressed their intention to go on hunger strike - residents of several TACs located in the territory of Ingushetia and North Ossetia, including the Ingushes and South-Ossetians, but later in the course of discussions it was decided to hold several such actions, having divided them by demands," said Ms Saratova.

According to her story, now the families, who have claims to Chechen authorities, are on hunger strike. "These are people who left Chechnya in different periods as refugees and settled in TACs in the territory of Ingushetia. Now, the people are here, whose housing problems have not been solved so far. Following them, in a couple of days, people from other TACs will go on hunger strike and announce their own demands," she said.

"Makhagov family was threatened before hunger strike"

"In the last few days before the start of the hunger strike, the TAC was visited by representatives of the heads of district administrations of the city of Grozny: Lenin, Oktiabrsky and Zavodskoy Districts. They decided to use the Makhagov family, whose relatives they found in Grozny, in order to demonstrate how they can 'put pressure' on a family. Note that the bureaucrats didn't promise to solve their housing problems, but just began pressing on the fact that they have relatives in Chechnya. What's the sense of the relatives?! They can go to visit them for a month, two or three. And then what? The women who live in the TAC, were forced to obey, fearing for their relatives, as they received threats from the administration of the Oktiabrsky District. Tonight a KamAZ truck was sent after them from Chechnya; they gathered their belongings and left for Chechnya," said a participant of the hunger strike who asked not to name her.

Another hunger-striker said that "the authorities in Ingushetia, who visit the TAC, somehow utter threats not from themselves, but from Ramzan (Kadyrov, the Chechen leader, - note of the "Caucasian Knot")."

"The TAC is all the time surrounded by about 40 militaries, who have already collected all the passport data and made videos. Those who come to us say in one voice: 'Aren't you afraid of Ramzan?' Why are they scaring us with Kadyrov here, in Ingushetia? I can't understand it. The authorities of the two republics, the officials, all of them are involved in corruption - probably, the money allocated for solution of our housing problems went to others' pockets. That is why they are afraid of noise around this subject," said the hunger-striker.

"Today, we were visited by officials from the administration of the Oktiabrsky District of Chechnya," said Malika Djakhaeva. "They paid no attention to people's demands and offered us accommodation at hostels. People, who have lived here for eighteen years, have already become old people, - why should they change one hostel for another? Why at least before their death they can't be given money for their own housing, in order to be buried, according to our customs, from their own homes?"

Earlier, one of the refugees, who asked not to name her, said that she saw how the Mayor of Karabulak Mukhmad Bariev punched the rights defender, editor of the newspaper "Peace to the Caucasus" Anatoly Sidakov. The Karabulak Mayoralty said they knew nothing about the incident. Sidakov was not available for comments.

According to Taisa Isaeva, the head of the "Union of NGOs", despite the mixed initial response to the hunger strike, the Ingush authorities have made some concessions; however, so far there is "silence" from the Chechen authorities.

"The authorities of the city of Karabulak, who earlier refused to renew the refugee status, said today that they would extend the status to all who need it," said Isaeva.

So far, the "Caucasian Knot" has no confirmation of this information from the authorities of Karabulak.

"We live in intolerable conditions"

"We have no bathroom, no toilet, no gas - these are very difficult conditions. To bathe or wash, we have to heat water in the bucket, just like in old times; and we cook food on electric appliances," said Elza Gekkaeva. "The area of our with my son 'apartment' is nine square meters. The room has a bed, a table; and a neighbour made from fibreboard something like a wardrobe - this is the way we live for the last eight years."

"We live in a trailer for eighteen years. I have nowhere to go either in Chechnya or in Ingushetia. Therefore, I will be hunger-striking with a demand to get money for purchasing housing, which by the law must belong to my family," said Yakhita Mudueva, a mother of eight children.