Tent refugee camps in Ingushetia slated for liquidation by December 20Ruslan Isayev, North Caucasus – All tent refugee camps in the territory of Ingushetia will be liquidated by December 20, representatives of the Moscow-backed Chechen government and the Interior Ministry of the Russian Federation said today to Chechen refugees living in the Ordzhonikidzevskaya settlement in the Sunzhenski district.
The issue of the liquidation of the camps has been closed and is subject to unconditional implementation, the officials said to the inhabitants of the Alina camp. The first camp to be dismantled is Severny, which is located in the Aki-yurt village in the Malgobekski district. This camp has to be liquidated by December 1.
At the meeting with refugees, the officials declared that Chechens must not live in tents as it contradicts the Chechen national dignity. They said that the leadership of Chechnya is very concerned about the state of their fellow citizens who live in the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia, and that it is ready to do everything possible to improve their lives – but only in their homeland.
The refugees think that as of today open pressure is being exerted on them. There are still few people among them who are willing to return to Chechnya. The crushing majority of them do not intend to return on any pretext.
Having stated their stance at the meeting, the refugees were given a warning that the supply of electricity and gas to the camp will be terminated. The refugees said that they are not going to give up and if the pressure continues, they will stage protests. (T) RELATED ARTICLES:
· Chechen and Ingush authorities decided to return refugees by the end of the year (PW; 18-10-2002)
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