KChR's NPO activists state the need to actively cooperate with authorities

The key problem of non-profit organizations (NPOs) of the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR) is the absence of active cooperation with the authorities; and the parties shall endeavour to set up such partnership. This was the opinion of NPO activists-participants of the roundtable, which was held on the topic of settling conflicts in Northern Caucasus, questioned by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The roundtable was held in Cherkessk on December 11 and was organized by the "New Eurasia" Fund to Promote Social Development. The discussion was attended by over 20 representatives of KChR's NPOs and state officials.

Many NPOs of the KChR exist only "on paper," said Vladimir Bidjiev, the head of the KChR's branch of the Russian Union of Youth. He is convinced that NPOs have problems in cooperation with the republic's authorities, since "almost all the NPOs are afraid to enter into conflict with them."

Murat Tokov, the Chairman of the Public Human Rights Organization "Schit" (Shield), said that human rights activities are not supported in the KChR. According to his story, there are no full-fledged human rights activities in the KChR.

The KChR's NPOs are facing same problems as their colleagues in all other regions of Northern Caucasus, said Nadezhda Alenina, the head of the programme direction "Development of Social Sphere" of the above "New Eurasia" Fund.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.