21:58, 23 March 2004

Chechen refugees leave Sputnik camp

Refugees living in the tent camp Sputnik on the outskirts of the village of Ordzhonikidzevskaya, Ingushetia's Sunzha district, keep on leaving this temporary accommodation center. Several families of displaced persons leave the camp almost every day. The reason for it is that the authorities officially announced the camp would be closed on April 1. A lot of displaced persons who do not want to return to Chechnya move to the other temporary accommodation centers and to the private sector on the territory of Ingushetia. The people explain their actions by the lack of security guarantees for refugees returning to their homeland.

Editors note: See also the article "Sputnik tent camp in Ingushetia to be dismantled soon".

Source: Infromation Center of the Council of NGOs