Hunger strike of refugees in North Ossetia continues

June 30, 2006, inhabitants of the refugee settlement Maiskiy of the Prigorodny District of North Ossetia declared themselves getting prepared for a hunger strike action. The action is held in protest to dragging out of the refugees' return to their earlier residence in the territory of North Ossetia. July 3, eleven 11 persons started a hunger-strike, runs the news of the Human Rights Centre "Memorial" that has arrived to the Editorial Board of the "Caucasian Knot".

Early in March of 2006, according to the plan adopted and signed by the leaders of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (RNO-Alania) and Ingushetia on February 8, 2006, in Rostov-on-Don, the Department of Federal Migration Service (DFMS) of the Russian Federation (RF) started to wind up the refugee camp in the Maiskiy settlement. According to this plan, a range of measures has been appointed directed towards return of the refugees from North Ossetia before the end of 2006. One of the items of the plan assumes to establish new settlements for Ingushes in the territory of North Ossetia. Most of the families of the refugees from the settlement of Maiskiy were resettled to the settlement of Novy founded in a clear field between settlements Maiskiy and Chermen. The remaining families of the old settlement of refugees refused to move to a new place insisting on their return to the places of their earlier residence. At the present time, in the camp there are about 70 families of refugees from the Prigorodny District. Initially, the camp hosted 236 families, a total of 1235 persons from 15 dwelling settlements of North Ossetia. April 27, the camp of refugees in Maiskiy was cut off from electricity. In mid-May the power supply was resumed, after the Finance Ministry of Ingushetia managed to find some funds not assumed in the budget and covered the refugees' indebtedness for electricity.

As of July 10, the hunger strike in the camp continued, the HRC "Memorial" reported. Ten males are taking part in the action; the remaining inhabitants of the settlement support the protesters. According to the doctor who is working in the camp of the refugees, some of the hunger-strikers have symptoms of intoxication and arrhythmia. The participants of the action were several times visited by representatives of the authorities of North Ossetia who tried to dissuade the protesters from extreme steps. The people are resolute to go on with the hunger strike until their demands have been met.