Anti-war rally takes place in GroznyTimur Aliyev, North Caucasus - A rally to stop the fighting in Chechnya took place in Grozny on April 12. About 70 women marched from Teatralnaya Square to the Chechen government building, carrying placards that read "Return Our Sons."
These mothers demanded information about their missing children and called for an end to the mopping-up operations in the republic.
They attributed the small turnout to the fact that authorities allegedly began a search for the missing people. "And many people believed them," they said.
On Thursday the women met with Vakha Nasukhanov, deputy head of the Moscow-backed Chechen administration, who admitted there were dozens of applications concerning the disappearance of people. He promised to provide information about their whereabouts by Monday, declared Taus Israpilova, deputy head of the administration of Kulary village, whose only son has also disappered.
The mothers stated that they scheduled their rally for April 12 in order to be supportive of a Russian protest march against the war in Chechnya that was held in Moscow that same day. "We are glad that there are forces in Russia capable of understanding our pain," said Ayshat Algiriyeva, who took part in the Grozny rally. (T/E) RELATED ARTICLES:
· Rally without politicians: We'll stop the war together! (Kavkaz.memo.ru, 12-4-2003)
· Chechen mothers rally in Grozny demanding return of their sons (PW, 9-3-2003)
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