Valery Khatazhukov: KBR is at war, and we pretend nothing happens

The civil society in Kabardino-Balkaria is represented by more than 800 public organizations, of which no more than 80 organizations really work; however, even they do not affect the power structures in making certain decisions. This was stated by participants of the scientific and practical conference "Formation and development of civil society is a way to inter-ethnic and inter-religious peace".

The conference was organized by the Public Chamber of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) and held on April 30 in Nalchik.

Valery Khatazhukov, the head of the Kabardino-Balkaria Public Human Rights Centre, believes that the effectiveness of the civil society can be measured by considering how it reacts to the social relevant events that happen in the republic, for example, to the terrorist threat.

According to the Valery Khatazhukov's opinion, there are only one or two organizations that raise the issue and discuss it. "This is a kind of surrealism. In fact, the republic is in the situation of civil war. Last year, more than 100 persons from both sides were injured and killed, and we pretend that nothing happen," he said.

The human rights defender has emphasized that the republic does not investigate or analyze the reasons for young people's joining the underground; and social portrait and motives of those persons who join militants are not identified. "We cannot blame their parents. I meet them, and I know that there are no persons among them who would approve the act of their children. During all the time, I met only one or two those parents," he said.

Valery Khatazhukov has noted that "there is evidence that young people join the idea of religious extremism in gyms and in universities, and, therefore, the state is also responsible for that."

Zaurbi Nakhushev, Deputy Chairman of the Public Chamber of the KBR, has objected that "the parents cannot be released from responsibility, especially since there persons among them who also adhere to the radical ideas and who believe that if their son was killed in a special operation, then he gets 'to paradise'."

Djambulat Gergokov, Deputy Minister for Affairs of Media, NGOs and Religious Organizations, believes that the republic has established a sufficient legal basis for the normal functioning of public organizations. In particular, the Law "On state support of socially oriented non-commercial organizations", the Concept of public and private partnership till 2015, and a number of other regulations were adopted.

Zaurbi Nakhushev, Vice Chairman of the Public Chamber of the KBR, critically evaluated the work being done by NGOs.

"More than 800 NGOs have been registered. And only 80 of them are alive and work," Zaurbi Nakhushev asked questions.

According to the opinion of political analyst Timur Tenov, Associate Professor of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University (KBSU), the head of the public organization "Grazhdansky Soyuz" (Civil Union), art present, the religious and ethnic organizations are most active, and they "do not look back on state subsidies."

Alim Sizhazhev, Deputy Mufti of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of the KBR, has referred to the opinion of Islamic scholars and stated that Islam implies "such democratic values as electivity of power, control over government, right to protest, freedom of speech, multi-party system, protection of individual rights and social justice, right to property, etc."

"We should take out of the religion the values that unite our citizens," he has stated.