14 June 2004 14:49
Hunger strike in protest against President Ilyumzhinov held in Russia`s Kalmykia
[No dateline, as received] An indefinite hunger strike whose participants demand the resignation of Kalmyk President
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov has been going on in Kalmykia since 22 May, Semen Ateyev, president of the Kalmyk human rights centre
told Ekho Moskvy.
He said that "the number of participants has reached 20 as of today and some of them are in a critical
condition". "Yesterday an 80-year old participant fainted and was taken to hospital, but he refused to stay
there and rejoined the hunger strike," Ateyev said.
"Yesterday the participants in the strike met the chief federal inspector in Kalmykia and informed him of their
demands. However, there was no interest on his part and he told us to stop the hunger strike," he said.
"The participants of the strike believe that Ilyumzhinov is incapable of influencing the social, economic and
political situation in Kalmykia, he has brought the republic to the brink of economic collapse and is pursuing the
policy of oppressing residents' rights and liberties," Ateyev said. "Unbearable social and economic
conditions depress the nation's psychology. The suicide rate is three times as high as in Russia and the number of
tuberculosis cases is twice as large," he said.
"The earlier protests against Ilyumzhinov's regime had no consequences. Throughout his presidency
Ilyumzhinov has succeeded in concealing the real attitude of Kalmykia's residents towards him," Ateyev said.
"The hunger strike is an extreme, forced form of protest against Ilyumzhinov's regime designed to draw the
attention of the world and the Russian public, as well as the media's attention towards the situation in
Kalmykia," Ateyev said.
[Ekho Moskvy news agency] |
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