Refugees in Pankiski canyon demand negotiations

4 March 2002


According to the "Peace March" organizing committee, the number of Chechen refugees in Pankiski canyon reaches about 5,000. The living conditions of these people is a much less concern for the officials and the mass media than the question whether there is any Al Quada fighter there or not. Meanwhile, the refugees from Pankiski canyon have begun forming their own organizations. We phoned Shirvani Gunaev, the head of the "Peace March" organizing committee, who said about the prospects of future developments in Chechnya:

"45% of the Russians are not against the war in Chechnya. Russia is more interested in peace than we are. We don't think that negotiations with Aslan Maskhadov will be thwarted. If their hawks do this, Russia will be defeated completely in Chechnya. We predict complete consolidation of Chechen people this coming spring. Our forecasts are backed by the peoples' uprisings in Argun city, Starye Atagi, Tsotsan-Yurt, Bachi-Yurt and other townships.

Q: There have been lots of rumors circulating about Al Quada's fighters, allegedly sheltering in Pankiski canyon. Russia, Georgia and the West, discussing this issue seem to forget that whatever solution they might take, it would certainly affect the situation with Chechen refugees there. What do you think of this? What actions, beside your peace march, are you going to mount to attract the US and world public attention?

A: Al Quaeda's reports are nothing but rumors. As for the impact the Russian and Georgian decision might have on the situation with Chechen refugees in Pankiski canyon, the Georgian position on the issue is unequivocal - "their return in strictly voluntary".

As for Russia, 5,500 Chechen refugees in the canyon demand that it should withdraw its troops, stop genocide of Chechen people and resume negotiations with President Maskhadov. The refugee committee is going to appeal to the UN Security Council, asking some state member of the UN General Assembly to bring forward in the International Court in the Hague the accusations against Russia of genocide. In this view we would like to cite a few facts from the history of Tsotsan-Yurt village.

In two years this village is to have its 250th anniversary. The village was famous for its craftsmen, cattle breeders, and farmers. Before the war 16,000 people lived there. The residents of Tsotsan-Yurt made a serious contribution in the cause of the Chechen struggle against Russia. For example, in 1919, 390 village residents died during a single day, fighting against the Russians. In 1930s the Stalinist regime used artillery and aviation to put down the village rebellion there.

During 1994-1996 war, the villagers fought off all attempts of the federal troops to occupy the village. They also handed over 400 Russian POWs without any precondition.

At the moment the Tsotsan Yurt villagers organized a peaceful resistance movement, joined by the residents of Geldygen, Kurchaloi, Bachi-Yurt, Avtury and other villages, numbering about 8,000. They demand a stop to the genocide of Chechen people, immediate withdrawal of the Russian troops, and negotiations of the presidents of two warring nations.