14 April 2003 11:25
Ingush leader says 64,000 Chechen refugees remain in Ingushetia - site
11 April: Ingush president Murat Zyazikov received representatives of the international humanitarian organization
Medicines sans Frontieres at his residency today.
The head of the republic provided the visiting delegation with detailed information about the internally displaced
persons from the Chechen Republic who are temporarily living in Ingushetia. Zyazikov noted that the underdeveloped
economy and a high unemployment rate further complicate the already difficult situation. At the same time, he said,
everything is being done to ensure that the displaced people are living normally. Touching upon the return of refugees
to their homes, the president said that as of 1 April 2003, there were 64,000 refugees from Chechnya in the
republic.
"People are returning home exclusively on a voluntary basis," the Ingush president said.
During the meeting, Murat Zyazikov noted that there were also refugees from North Ossetia in the republic, adding
that humanitarian organizations were not paying enough attention to them. Therefore, the head of the republic asked the
visiting delegation to pay more attention and help that category of refugees.
"I will support any of your benevolent initiatives to help the refugees," Murat Zyazikov said.
Eliane Duthoit, the UN humanitarian affairs coordinator in Ingushetia, thanked the head of the republic for the
detailed information about the plight of refugees in Ingushetia. He said that regular meetings and constant attention on
the part of the head of the republic helped them in making their assistance to the refugees more effective.
[Respublika Ingushetia web site] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
