Home>News Center>World
         
 

Peace still elusive as Russia's Chechnya votes
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-25 11:21

An election in Chechnya this weekend is the final stage in a Kremlin plan to make the turbulent region a normal part of Russia. Few people expect it to succeed.

The region's 11-year war, which President Vladimir Putin calls an anti-terrorist operation, has killed tens of thousands, ruined the local economy and shattered regional capital Grozny.

Since crushing large-scale Chechen resistance in 2000, Moscow has organised two presidential polls -- the second to find a new president after the first was killed -- and a referendum to anchor the region in Russia.

Sunday's election to a local legislative assembly is intended to complete that process.

"We need a parliament because that is the law. No civilised society can live without one," said Dukvakha Abdurakhmanov, a candidate from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party in Chechnya. He is tipped to be speaker of the assembly.

"The time for fighting over land is past," he told Reuters.

Young men carry flags of the liberal Yabloko party as they walk past a wall with election posters in Chechnya's capital of Grozny November 24, 2005. An election in Chechnya this weekend is the final stage in a Kremlin plan to make the turbulent region a normal part of Russia.
Young men carry flags of the liberal Yabloko party as they walk past a wall with election posters in Chechnya's capital of Grozny November 24, 2005. An election in Chechnya this weekend is the final stage in a Kremlin plan to make the turbulent region a normal part of Russia. [Reuters]
But separatist rebels continue daily attacks -- including more and more forays beyond Chechnya's borders -- and say an election they call a farce will not deter them.

Meanwhile, human rights groups say a new threat has emerged from local strongmen to whom Moscow, anxious to scale back its military presence, has contracted out many of its operations.

The most powerful is Ramzan Kadyrov, deputy premier of the local government. He controls thousands of irregular troops accused by rights groups of abduction and murder.

STRONGMAN FOR PRESIDENT?

The poll is seen cementing his grip on the region.

"If as a result of the elections Ramzan Kadyrov gains a parliament loyal to him -- something few people doubt -- then his position in Chechnya will be even stronger," said Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily.

Russia scrapped elections for regional governors last year, giving local assemblies a role approving Putin's choice for leader. Whoever controls the assembly controls the region.

"After some time Kadyrov could really announce his intentions to be president of the republic," said the daily.

Human rights groups, including Russia's Memorial and the international Helsinki group, said in a report Kadyrov's forces and the federal troops were to blame for intimidation which made holding a meaningful election impossible.

"This imitation of an electoral process... will not serve to stabilise the situation. It will only prolong this lasting crisis and help the blood-letting continue," said the report.

Kadyrov denies the activists' charges, saying his accusers secretly side with the perpetrators of numerous suicide bombings and last year's Beslan tragedy, when an attack on a school killed 330 people -- half of them children.

Troops have said they will ensure security for the poll, but a rebel envoy said there were no plans to disrupt the vote.

"I do not think we will take any extreme steps. Military actions against the occupiers and collaborators will continue under the already-agreed autumn-winter plan," Umar Khambiyev, a rebel envoy in Europe, told Reuters.

"After this farce of an "election", like after all the others, the situation in Chechnya will not change at all. I don't think there are people in Chechnya who believe it will."



Election cast shadow on Canada aboriginal goals
Protest against alleged Bush bombing plan
Ukraine marks 'orange revolution' anniversary
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

China: Shrine visit 'pouring salt into open wound'

 

   
 

100 tons of chemicals flowed into river

 

   
 

Xinjiang reports 7th outbreak in 10 days

 

   
 

Buyers of big cars will pay more tax

 

   
 

Number of jobless may peak next year

 

   
 

Unexpectedly high hospital bills questioned

 

   
  US nears 1,000th execution since 1977
   
  Austrian politician wants wider CIA probe
   
  EU strikes landmark sugar reform deal
   
  Violence ebbing ahead of Haiti elections
   
  Colombian volcano spews ashes on town
   
  Tigers to set the course for Sri Lanka's new govt
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲国产成人久久一区二区三区| 国产乱人免费视频| 国产精品二区三区免费播放心| 伊人久久大香线蕉影院95| 荫蒂添的好舒服视频| 有色视频在线观看免费高清在线直播| 免费人妻无码不卡中文字幕18禁| 色五月在线视频| 国产在AJ精品| 免费足恋视频网站女王| 国产自产在线视频一区| 久久久久亚洲av无码去区首| 欧美xxxxx性喷潮| 亚洲欧美日韩人成在线播放| 理论亚洲区美一区二区三区| 午夜啪啪福利视频| 色偷偷8888欧美精品久久| 男女拍拍拍免费视频网站| 成人免费视频小说| 久久在精品线影院精品国产| 最近2019在线观看| 亚洲欧美丝袜综合精品第一页| 琪琪色在线观看| 免费在线不卡视频| 精品久久久噜噜噜久久久| 午夜福利一区二区三区在线观看| 色多多在线视频| 国产亚洲欧美在线播放网站| 99爱在线视频这里只有精品| 小说专区图片专区| 中文字幕avdvd| 扒开女人内裤边吃奶边摸| 久久97久久97精品免视看| 日本娇小xxxⅹhd成人用品| 亚洲欧美日韩国产精品26u| 男人j桶女人p免费视频| 免费在线观看色| 精品一区二区视频在线观看| 出租屋换租妻小雯21回| 精品哟哟哟国产在线观看不卡| 加勒比色综合久久久久久久久|