Summary of the main news related to the conflict in Chechnya. Compiled by Prague Watchdog.
Monday, November 4
No major events.
Tuesday, November 5
The Russian military demolished several apartment buildings in the Oktyabrski district of Grozny, depriving at least dozens of people of their homes. The military called it a security measure aimed at preventing Chechen fighters from shooting down Russian military helicopters.
The Russian Foreign Ministry handed in Moscow to Polish Ambassador a note requesting to close Chechen information centres in Poland. A day later Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski said that the centres operate in line with Polish legislation and therefere there no reason for closing them.
Khizri Aldamov, the head of the representative office of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in Georgia, confirmed that the office, which has never been officially registered by Georgian authorities, has been closed.
Representatives of human rights organization Memorial S. A. Gannushkina and of the Civic Support committee E. Y. Burtina told a new conference in Moscow that a new wave of persecution of Chechens started in the Russian capital following the hostage-taking in Moscow on October 23-26.
Wednesday, November 6
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which it accused the public Czech Television of supporting terrorists by broadcasting on its two nationwide channels documentary "Dark Side of the World" on the war in Chechnya.
Thursday, November 7
Stanislav Ilyasov, who had for more than a year and a half worked as the head of the Moscow-backed Chechen government, replaced Vladimir Yelagin as Russian Minister in charge of the reconstruction of Chechnya.
Czech Television strongly protested against the Russian Foreign Ministry's accusation of terrorism of November 6, claiming that the criticised documentary brings only authentic testimonies by people living through the war in Chechnya.
Friday, November 8
Several dozen Chechen politicians, businepeople and religious leaders said they had sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling on him to accelerate moves aimed at the stabilisation of the situation in Chechnya, so that the Chechen nation could as soon as possible to vote in a referendum on the new constitution of the republic.
In Achkhoi-Martan a group of people in uniforms broke into a house of one of the female Chechen militants who held some 800 civilians hostage in a Moscow threatre on November 23-26, took away its inhabitants and blew it up.
Saturday, November 9
The Russian National Committee For the Termination of War and Establishment of Peace in the Chechen Republic started to hold a two-day international conference aimed at finding peaceful settlement of the conflict in Chechnya.
A first train after three years departed from Grozny to Moscow, chairman of the North Caucasus Railways department in Grozny Sultan Atuyev said.
Sunday, November 10
Russian President Vladimir Putin ruled out peace talks with Aslan Maskhadov, claiming that those who support Maskhadov and call for talks with him "opt for war" and will be viewed by Russia as supporters of terrorists.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov had signed an order on the establishment of the Interior Ministry of the Chechen Republic.
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