1. Hasavyurt Regional Charitable Fund "Salvation" is completed a first stage of an assistance program for refugees in the Hasavyurt area of Dagestan.
The Hasavyurt Regional Charitable Fund "Salvation" which cross-border peace-building programs we have wrote about in the February issue of the "Monitor" has recently completed a project aimed to assist refugees in the Hasavyurt region of Dagestan. This project has been funded by the Moscow Open Society Institute and took place from December 98 through June 99.
The "Salvation" Fund was initially created in 1995 to assist the placement of refugees poring in to Dagestan from Chechnya. During the years of the war it has assisted over 100,000 refugees. Since the end of the war most of these people have either returned or moved to other locations in Russia. However, there are currently about 7 thousand refugees (forced migrants, according to the official Russian terminology), who still live in the Hasavyurt region of Dagestan. Most of these people are unwilling to return - some of them have no place to go, their houses were destroyed, others are afraid of being blamed for siding with the Russian-backed Chechen governments during the war. Some, however, are willing to return, but need assistance to be able to do so.
A major problem comes from the fact that most of the refugees don't have official registration. This is complicated by the fact that the local Center for Employment, where the refugees registered during the war has been robbed on March 16, 1996 and its records were stolen. The lack of any documents, verifying the official status of the refugees makes them vulnerable to harassment from local police and other authorities.
In this situation the Hasavyurt Regional Charitable Fund "Salvation" has concentrated on the following activities:
1) Legal counseling of refugees (over 1000 refugees received legal counseling in Hasavyurt and villages in the Hasavyurt area, where members of the "Salvation" Fund organized visits of their lawyer.
2) The "Salvation" Fund helped in wining a number of court cases, what allowed 18 people to be recognized as "internally displaced" during the war in Chechnya.
3) The "Salvation" Fund helped diffuse a number of conflict situations between refugees and local authorities, as well as between the local akkin-Chechens and other peoples living in the Hasavyurt area. (For example, after an earthquake in January a number of refugees temporally left to Chechnya. The local authorities tried to keep them from returning to the Hasavyurt area of Dagestan a few days later. Members of the "Salvation" Fund plaid an importing role in resolving this issue).
Currently the Hasavyurt Regional Charitable Fund "Salvation" is seeking funds to continue its important and constructive activities.
Address: Hasavyurt, Zarechnaja street, 63 368005, Dagestan Republic, Russia
Tel. (872310) 41-26.
Chairman: Djavtaev Umar Hamzatovich.
The last months brought a serious destabilization of the situation in the Republic of Karachaevo-Cherkessia in the West part of the North Caucasus. Thus it is important to highlight the activities of various organizations which are trying to carry out constructive activities in and near this region. Today we publish information about the activities of a number of such organizations in the city of Kislovodsk, which is located in the Stavropol region, 3 miles from the border of Karachaevo-Cherkessia.
2. Inter-ethnic Center "Drujba", Kislovodsk, is planning to publish a newsletter "Together".
The Inter-ethnic Center "Drujba" (Friendship) in the city of Kislovodsk was organized in 1992.
Its goals are to develop inter-ethnic communications in the city, to unite various ethnic-based social organizations, to develop tolerance and educate the youth about the cultural heritage of various peoples.
Currently the "Drujba" Center unites 9 organizations, which represent the major ethnic communities in Kislovodsk. These are:
- Georgian society "Iveria";
- Ossetian society "Iriston";
- The social organization "Slavyane" (Slavs);
- The Greek society "Patrida";
- The Armenian nation-cultural autonomy "Krunk";
- The Armenian nation-cultural autonomy "Krunk";
- The Abazian society "Abazshta";
- The Circkassian society "Adyge-Hase";
- The Karachai charitable society "Alan".
A new project that the "Drujba" Center is currently seeking financing for is the publication of a information bulletin "Together", which would highlight the activities of the various cultural societies of Kislovodsk. It would give good examples of cooperation of different ethnic communities and help develop tolerance among the general population. Its circulation would include other towns and villages, including those in the nearby Karachai-Cherckess Republic and thus it could serve a tool, working to prevent a future escalations of tensions in that unstable region.
Address: Inter-Ethnic Center "Drujba"
Kislovodsk, Saperny pereulok, house 10 357700, Stavropol region, Russia
Tel. (86537) 3-26-97.
Director: Savelyev Vladimir Yurevich.
Further we provide information about two of the cultural societies which are collective members of the "Drujba" Center:
3. The Karachi Charitable Society "Alan".
This society was created in 1991. Its goal is - to support the rehabilitation of the Karachai people (who were deported from their homes in 1944 and allowed to return in 1956), to revive Karachai cultural traditions and pass over to the youth their cultural heritage.
Currently the society unites about 2000 people.
The society has organized a Karachai dance club; its members actively participate in the activities of the Council of the Elderly that plays an important role in maintaining inter-ethnic peace and cooperation.
To assist the implementation of the Russian law "On the rehabilitation of the repressed peoples" the society has organized a commission on rehabilitation, which helps people by giving them advice and helping them in gathering necessary documents.
Address: Kislovodsk, Saperny pereulok, house 10 357700, Stavropol region, Russia
Tel. (86537) 3-26-97.
Chairman: Aliev Soltan Choranovich.
4. Circkassian society "Adyge-Hase".
This is the newest ethnic cultural society in Kislovodsk, organised in 1998. Its goals are: to support the revival of the traditions and culture of the Adyg (Circkassian) people; to develop and teach their history; to develop respect to the history and culture of other peoples and to help maintain friendship with people of different ethnic backgrounds. Currently this society unites about 500 people.
Despite its short history, the "Adyge-Hase" society has already actively participated in various events, organised by the Inter-Ethnic Center "Drujba"
Address: Kislovodsk, Saperny pereulok, house 10 357700, Stavropol region, Russia
Tel. (86537) 3-26-97.
Chairman: Gukyamukov Michael Batyrovich.
Due to the tense situation in the neighbouring Karachai-Cherckess Republic and the contradictions between the Karachai and the Circkassian communities that developed in the process of presidential elections in that republic, the leaders of the Inter-Ethnic Center "Drujba", the Karachai and Circkassian societies of Kislovodsk have made a joint appeal to the people of Karachai-Cherkessia. In this appeal they call on the people of Karachai-Cherckessia, the republican authorities and the candidates for presidency to do everything possible to prevent another inter-ethnic conflict, to put an end to various terrorist and criminal actions and to secure peace in their republic.
"North Caucasus NGO Monitor" is a publication produced by members of the Nonviolence International - Newly Independent States" (NI-NIS) on a fellowship from the Open Society Institute in Budapest. Its goals are:
- to help in exploring new approaches for humanitarian activities which allow supporting elements of civil society in the North Caucasus, while significantly lowering the security risks associated with such activities;
- to provide continuous information about constructive activities of NGO's on a community level in areas of tension and conflict in the North Caucasus;
- to highlight the work of dedicated local activists, who despite extreme difficulties work toward peace, reconciliation, social and economical revival of their communities.
Phone and fax numbers in the bulletin are given with the Russian internal area codes. When dialing from outside Russia or the CIS states, the numbers provided must be preceded with 7 - Russia's country code.
Names are given according to the Russian standard - surname before the first name.
For questions and comments as well as to get additional information about NGO activities in the North Caucasus please contact:
Nonviolence International - Newly Independent States,
Contact person - Kamenshikov Andre
Luchnikov Lane, house 4, entrance 3, room 2
Moscow, Russia, 103982
Tel. (095) 206-8618 or 351-4855, fax 206-8853,
E-mail: ninis@glasnet.ru
http: www.glasnet.ru/~ninis