Apaev: Chechen refugees are driven home from Ingushetia

The forced migrants from the Chechen Republic, now temporarily living in the so-called "compact residence centres" (CRCs) in the territory of Ingushetia, are offered to go home before May 1. As reported by Aslambek Apaev, expert of the Moscow Helsinki Group for Northern Caucasus and Chairman of the NGO named "Committee in Defence of Forced Migrants' Rights", the people are exposed to pressure.

The temporary accommodation centre (TAC) of forced migrants, another name for CRC, named "Mekhstroy" and located in Ordzhonikidzevskaya village, Sunzha District of Ingushetia, is cut from electricity supply for two days already.

It is one of tools of pressure used by the authorities on the forced migrants living here, who were prescribed to abandon their housing facilities by May 1. This is the opinion not only of the CRC inhabitants, but also of human rights activists.

Mr Apaev said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "The situation in CRCs of forced migrants in Ingushetia is very serious; I'd even say that it's hot to the limit; especially in TAC 'Mekhstroy' in Sleptsovskaya village (another name of Ordzhonikidzevskaya, - comment of the "Caucasian Knot"), Sunzha District. Two days ago electricity was cut off. People were warned that they should leave before May 1, otherwise they'd be ousted out by OMON."

Currently, this TAC houses 52 families, that is, about 150 persons.

According to Apaev, those people are still in the TACs, located in the territory of Ingushetia, who have nowhere to go - their houses were ruined during the warfare, while the issues of their compensations, due to them under the law, are still unsettled.