IDPs flee to Chechnya

On June 23, two days after the raid of armed guerillas on Ingushetia, in compact settlements of Chechen IDPs in Ingushetia were carried out mop-up operations with mass detainments of IDPs [internally displaced persons]. The operations took place in compact settlements in Altiyevo, Nesterovskaya, Logovas.

"Memorial" monitors witnessed part of the mop-up in an IDP settlement at a milk farm in the village of Altiyevo, which lasted from 3 to 8 p.m. The mop-up was carried out by representatives of Russian and Ingush power agencies. The Chechen men were put on the ground, beaten and then detained. Some women were also beaten. According to Raisa Isaeva, commandant of the settlement, about 50 persons were taken that evening. The IDPs said that personnel of power agencies issued threats that unless they got out of Ingushetia, they would be in trouble. "My brother was killed," said one of them. "Now you are my enemies". While taking the detainees away, they promised that the families won't see them in good health again.

The second part of the operation was witnessed by "Memorial". It was carried out by RUVD of Nazranovsky district. While the human rights activists were present, nobody was beaten up, but several young men were detained. Neither the reasons for the detainment nor the future whereabouts of the detained were disclosed to the families.

At night on June 24, some of the IDPs were released. In the morning, the IDPs brought a list of 34 persons still detained by the power agencies to "Memorial". Their whereabouts are unknown. "Memorial" also received a written complaint from one of the women who had been cruelly beaten during the mop-up in Altiyevo the night before.

At 9:30 in the morning, representatives of the Human Rights Center "Memorial" and members of families of the detained approached the GUVD department of Nazran. The human rights activists and IDPs wanted to talk to the GUVD authorities and inquire information on the whereabouts of IDPs and possible charges brought against them. The GUVD authorities refused to meet with the human rights activists, and armed personnel of the GUVD pushed them and the IDPs from the territory of GUVD in a very aggressive manner.

In the meantime, the Altiyevo camp was cut off electricity and gas. The gas pipe and electricity wires were cut by a team of the district electricity company, which arrived at 9 a.m.

The commandant of the camp turned to the deputy head of the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia, Akhmed Tomov. Mr Tomov explained to the commandant: "It's beyond my capacity to help you. If you are threatened and are given two days - you should flee. I am also afraid of these people."

In the afternoon, the commandant of the camp gave interviews to the local television and Echo Moskvy Radio, in which she explained what was going on in Altiyevo. She appealed to Russian and international human rights organizations to protect their rights. "We have nowhere to go, our homes lay in ruins in Chechnya. Please, take us to other regions of Russia," Ms Isaeva said.

When Raisa Isaeva got back to the camp, the migration services presented her with a list of people, whose registration in the camp had been withdrawn. She was on the list of the excluded.

Throughout June 24 IDPs were leaving the territory of the milk farm. Only 10 out of 74 families remained in the first barrack. 4 families have moved from the second barrack, 4 other are getting ready for departure. Only those remain whose relatives were detained on June 23.

At 5 p.m. on June 24, a new mop-up operation was launched in the Altiyevo camp.  It lasted for over an hour. The mop-up was carried out by federal servicemen speaking Russian without an accent. The servicemen were swearing and abusing women. According to commandant Isaeva, they took golden things and valuables that they could find in the camp. One man was detained.

In the morning on June 25, the IDPs were demanded to file applications for voluntary return to Chechnya.

Editors note: See also the articles "Anti-Chechen sentiments grow in Ingushetia", "Supply of electricity, gas to refugee centers cut off".