Kadyrov's people commit 75% of crimes in Chechnya

On February 7, the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) and the Human Rights Center Memorial presented statistic and correspondents' information on the violations in Chechnya committed in 2004 and told about a new aspect of the crisis — Chechenization of the conflict. The human rights activists cited as an example abductions of Aslan Maskhadov's relatives, which, according to their information, security agencies under the command of Chechen deputy prime minister Ramzan Kadyrov are involved in.

According to IHF North Caucasus researcher Aleksandr Mnatsakanian, a new situation has arisen in Chechnya as compared with the one that existed a year of a year and a half ago. "Even at that time different representatives of the federal troops in Chechnya announced that the rebels' activity had considerably decreased, and the main trouble (up to 75 % of violations, according to different sources) was given by Ramzan Kadyrov's armed people. Now the situation is going to the logical end, it may be just a pick though," Mr Mnatsakanian said. Soldiers tell journalists and human rights activists about the same things: many more crimes originate with the so called Kadyrov's people — armed units with rather vaporous status.

There is no open confrontation between the federal forces and special regiment named after the first president of the Chechen Republic, Akhmat Hajji Kadyrov, and led by his son. At the same time the number of people in Kadyrov's formation is not registered precisely. There are 1,250 people in the regiment, official sources say. Unofficial sources mention 2,500 people. There are also reports that this formation is like a Cossack free group. Asked who can cast light on the situation and who controls their arming, military men of a rather high rank shrug their shoulders and refer to their being in subjection to the commanders. "Besides, representatives of the federal troops and the Russian interior ministry give the same number. 86 people in Kadyrov's groups are wanted by the federal authorities," added Mr Mnatsakanian.

IHF North Caucasus researcher Tatyana Lokshina explained that the official forming of Kadyrov's second regiment has been rumored for a long time. Some sources at the Russian interior ministry confirm this information, and others, on the contrary, assure it will never be formed. Ms Lokshina continued: "Against such a background, South Federal District officials issue a statement for the press announcing that Alu Alkhanov is forming his own security service. Kadyrov's regiment will allegedly be disbanded after it. The same day, Ramzan Kadyrov denies this statement, saying: "The presidential regiment will exist until we are alive."

Not long ago, Ramzan Kadyrov was offered a high national reward — the Hero of Russia title Hero. Rumors have appeared after it that Kadyrov received the reward as the last compensation from the federal center. It is logical to assume it has to be followed by his removal from the Chechen political scene and his transfer to a security agency in Moscow. "Having taken the reward, Kadyrov is not in a great hurry to leave Chechnya, though. Moreover, he is threatening Alu Alkhanov with violence if he signs an appropriate document," Ms Lokshina noted.

In practice Kadyrov confirms his force by means of special operations aimed at dismissing high-ranking officials in Chechen security agencies loyal to Alkhanov. Such operations are conducted in the unchangeable guise of the proclaimed fight against armed separatists. The latest action was conducted in the Vedeno district of Chechnya. Locals assert that columns of Kadyrov's people were moving through the village for twenty minutes. The gunmen in camouflage ousted from the place the local police chief, instead of the announced operation. "Twelve key district officials were demanded to file resignations within 24 hours, under the threat that charges of having ties with rebels would be brought against them. It's clear all the twelve resignations were made in time. The same demand was made of an accountant of the district police department, a girl named Marika, but the set term was 48 hours. The girl didn't make the application for unknown reasons. She disappeared on the third day, and her whereabouts is not known so far," Ms Lokshina said.

The above story is similar to the one described in Memorial's press release. It took place in Argun. Kadyrov deposed the local mayor without asking the Chechen leadership and even without informing anybody. It is strange that Chechen president Alkhanov and Argun people said nothing. The matter may be that Argun is close to Kadyrov's patrimony — Gudermes.

Civilians become hostages of these internal "military games". People in Chechnya who receive compensation suffer from rackets on the part of Kadyrov's people again. "People no longer open doors of their houses at night even if they hear cries for help, which doubtlessly indicate crisis in their mentality," Aleksandr Mnatsakanian said with bitterness.

"Locals are afraid of Kadyrov's soldiers very much. This fear is much greater than that of the federal troops. Russian soldiers and officers of the Russian interior ministry have been staying in Chechnya for a very long time, people had time to get used to them. Kadyrov's people are much more dangerous for the local people in respect to the persecution of entire families and abduction of single relatives. It's easier for them to persecute a man. Federal soldiers simply don't have such complete information about the life of local people," Tatyana Lokshina assured.

Local people can long picture crimes committed by the "federals", but they refuse to answer a direct question about Kadyrov's people with great likelihood. A decrease in the officially registered number of abducted people is a sequel to such a reaction. It is easier and more safety for relatives of the abducted to keep silent or try to conduct negotiations with the abductors. It leads to a statistical appearance that the situation with abductions of people has improved, by approximately 20%.

Aleksandr Cherkasov, a board member of the Human Rights Center Memorial and member of the Hot Spots program, gave his own abduction statistics. He noted neither his nor official numbers are complete.

"Memorial, which monitors only one third of Chechnya's territory because of limited resources, has information that 396 people were abducted in 2004. In 2003, 495 abductions of people were registered. Thought the unbelievable improvement of the situation was mentioned, the number of people among the abducted who were found dead later with signs of torture and violent death has really reduced: from 52 in 2003 to 24 in 2004. 189 out of 396 people abducted in 2003 have been released, some of them with Ramzan Kadyrov's personal assistance. In every case, the abductors proved to be officers of Chechen security agencies. No criminal case has been opened against them, which is symptomatic," Mr Cherkasov said.

"Official bodies cannot present any consistent data. On October 13, 2004, acting human rights envoy in Chechnya Lema Khasuyev announced that over 2,500 people had been abducted for the last four years and a half. On December 27, 2004, head of the department of the Russian prosecutor general's office in the South Federal District mentioned the number of 2,437 people. 347 of them were said to have been released, which means that the number of the abducted is 2,090. And in September 2004, during his visit to Russia, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights gave his own figure, approximately 2,300 people. The working group of the Chechen government has 2,800 people in its lists," Mr Cherkasov explained. He suggested the possible number of people abducted for the last five years and a half ranged between 3,500 and 5,000.

"Ramzan Kadyrov and Alu Alkhanov visited Moscow last weekend. They came together. It's certain the federal authorities are seeking the way of reconciling the two political figures," Human Rights Center Memorial chairman Oleg Orlov announced.

For now abductions are going on, and, according to Memorial's reports, 18 people were abducted in Chechnya only last month. Only three of them have been released. As for one man, security agencies declared him to be under examination.