04:09, 4 April 2018

In Chechnya, schoolchildren and students forced to clean streets for free

Cleaning works in the streets of Grozny. April 2016. Photo by Ibragim Estamirov http://www.grozny-inform.ru

Chechnya has announced the month of voluntary cleaning works on Saturdays (subbotniks) starting from March. Organizations and institutions are obliged at their own expense to clean and put in order the territories assigned to them. Those people who refuse to participate in subbotniks will face big problems, residents of Grozny report.

"Last week, Ramzan Kadyrov has said that there is a need to hold subbotniks... Now we will be engaged in those subbotniks until May," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Leyla, a public employee of a Chechen ministry.

"We have already twice been sent to subbotniks, during the working day... Everyone is to come to subbotniks, otherwise the chiefs threaten with harsh measures, including dismissal," said Ibragim, a public employee.

Students and senior schoolchildren are also actively involved in subbotniks.

"Almost every spring, the authorities use students and public employees as a free labour force by 'throwing' thousands of people to clean streets of cities and villages," said Malika, a teacher of a technical school in Grozny.

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

Source: CK correspondent