Resonant murder aggravates situation with land lease in KBR

Unsettled land relations in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic (KBR) have led to the killing of farmer Ruslan Kumakhov; villagers should receive a priority right to lease the land, the Association of Regional Peasants’ Farms (known as AKKOR) has stated. Ruslan Kumakhov was killed for his defending villagers’ interests before the lessees, the peasants believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that residents of the village of Altud stated that the conflict of the 38-year-old Ruslan Kumakhov with lessees broke out in the outskirt of Altud, Prokhladnensky District of the KBR, on April 30. The man was seriously injured and died on May 6.

"According to our information, Kumakhov was shot dead by a resident of the village of Karagach, who had illegally leased about 400 hectares of Altud’s land," says the AKKOR’s statement.

Aslan Kazharov, an Altud villager, has complained that "locals can’t lease land, which is given to aliens," adding that residents of other villages take part in land auctions.

However, Zaur Nagoev, acting head of the Altud village administration, has stated that "there is no land problem in the village."

He was opposed by Zhantemir Gubachikov, a candidate of economics and the chairman of the AKKOR’s Board, who believes that the regional authorities "should pay serious attention to the land problem, which is now the most acute in the KBR."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.