Eleventh issue of the monthly Chechen Society Today released
PRAGUE, May 11 - The eleventh issue of the monthly Chechenskoye obshchestvo segodnya (Chechen Society Today) has been released.
The third issue of 2007 continues to develop the magazine's now established pattern of articles and essays on life, politics, society, history, culture and sport, generously illustrated with photographs and other graphic material.
An introductory op-ed article by Zara Ganatova discusses the recent inauguration of President Ramzan Kadyrov, and wonders why it was such an exclusive event, and why so few journalists were invited to attend it. While the author concedes that Kadyrov's accession to the presidency is welcomed by a majority of Chechens, she also hopes for more genuine openness in the ongoing debate between the government and ordinary people over the republic's future.
The opening pages of the issue contain a report on the complexities of the housing question in Grozny, with some material from the Chechen government news agency "Grozny-Inform", and there is also a short discussion of President Kadyrov's cabinet reshuffle.
An in-depth focus article looks at the background of the recent physical attacks on Chechen migrants in Kazakhstan, revealing the apparent involvement of the Kazakh police authorities, and Khmazat Saidov discusses the incidents of fighting between Chechen and Kazakh students at Moscow State University.
Rita Amagova of Golos ChR writes about the social and human context of President Kadyrov's recent decree calling for the return to their homeland of Chechen prisoners held in jails in other regions of the Russian Federation, and Kommersant's Vlad Trifonov examines the financial consequences for the Russian government of the European Court of Human Rights' decision in favour of Chechen resident Asmart Baysayeva, in her complaint about the abduction and murder of her husband by Russian forces in March 2000. This is followed by an in-depth report on abductions and kidnappings in the republic during recent years. While the report sees a present reduction in the incidence of such crimes, the human, social and financial cost of widespread earlier abductions is not negligible, and still poses a serious problem.
Other items of interest in the current issue include a profile of Aslambek Aslakhanov, the Chechen State Duma deputy, advisor and former aide to Russian president Vladimir Putin; a focus article on the real-life problems that can face members of the Chechen diaspora in Western Europe; articles on Chechen theatre and music, including a study of the internationally acclaimed Chechen singer Liza Umarova; an interview with Chechen writer Kanta Ibragimov about the new historical novel he is working on; a conversation with Albert Digayev, founder and owner of the Amina website, which has recently been in involved in controversy; the first part of Indarbi Byzov's historical study of the mass exodus of Chechens to Turkey in the aftermath of the Caucasian War of 1801-1864, and the second part of the study by historian Elimbek Matsiyev of the past traditions and and background of the Sharo-Argun valley in southern Chechnya.
Finally, Said Bitsoyev discusses the problem of racial stereotyping of Chechens in Russia in the context of new federal legislation, and the issue concludes with an article about Chechen judo champions and their success in European competitions.
Visit this page to see and download the latest issue of the Russian-language journal (3(11)/2007).
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The black-and-white Russian-language publication Chechen Society Today is a joint project of Prague Watchdog and the Moscow-based Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations, which is being implemented thanks to support from the US-based National Endowment for Democracy. The journal’s aim is to strengthen Chechen civil society, promote independent media in Chechnya, and provide objective information to Chechens living in Russia and Europe.
A thousand copies are published in Moscow; additional copies are printed and distributed by Prague Watchdog for Chechen exiles in Europe. In addition, a printer-friendly PDF version can be downloaded from the PW (http://journal.watchdog.cz) and CJES websites (http://chechnya.cjes.ru). Free e-mail subscription to the PDF version is also available.
Prague Watchdog welcomes proposals from both organizations and individuals for participation in this project, especially the distribution of the paper version of the journal. (T, B)
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