12:21, 1 March 2004

Flood victims rally in Grozny

About 50 people from the Oktyabrsky district of the Chechen capital Grozny, displaced by the Sunzha River overflowing in June 2002, held an unauthorized meeting on February 26 to demand compensation for their homes destroyed by the flood.

"We have already been waiting two years - either for a new roof or something else. Some people lived in other people's houses ... and then suddenly found themselves evicted," said Zura Abdulayeva, one of the participants.

It seems that these houses were, indeed, originally built for the flood victims; yet they're now occupied by refugees returning from camps in Ingushetia. According to an official explanation, the priority of the Chechen authorities is now the refugees.

"The problem of the flood victims has not been forgotten. There will soon be a meeting to decide how much money is to be allocated to the Oktyabrsky and Zavodskoy districts, both of which were hit by the floods," said Luiza Biybulatova, deputy administration head of the Oktyabrsky district.

Approximately 500 houses were destroyed during the floods, a loss amounting to 450 million rubles.

Author: Timur Aliyev, CK correspondent

Source: Prague Watchdog