08 October 2008, 13:48
"Afghans" go on hunger strike in Dagestan
In Makhachkala, former participants of warfare in Afghanistan have gone on hunger strike demanding that the authorities of the Republic pay attention to their housing problems.
The main problem that Dagestanian "Afghans" are facing is the provision of housing facilities, as stipulated by the federal legislation. One of the participants of the hunger strike told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the 317,000 roubles they are granted to solve their housing problems in insufficient. Besides, those who agree to take this sum of compensation are immediately excluded from the queue on housing subsidy.
"In Makhachkala, you couldn't buy even a one-room flat for this money. Did we risk our lives for the Homeland to found ourselves now in this situation? We'll keep hunger-striking until our problem is completely settled by the authorities of Dagestan," say the participants of the hunger strike.
The situation with providing the participants of warfare in Afghanistan was commented by Ismail Efendiev, Minister of Labour and Social Development of Dagestan, who has stated that "recently, the Ministry has not received any written or oral complaints from the veterans of the Afghan war."
Author: Timur Isayev, CK correspondent