RUSSIA: WAR-WEARY CHECHENS BEGIN VOTING ON FUTURE OF THEIR PUSH FOR INDEPENDENCE IN REFERENDUM

Record ID: 208402

  • Title: RUSSIA: WAR-WEARY CHECHENS BEGIN VOTING ON FUTURE OF THEIR PUSH FOR INDEPENDENCE IN REFERENDUM
  • Date: 25th March 2003
  • Summary: (W5) KARABULAK REFUGEE CAMP, INGUSHETIA RUSSIA (MARCH 23, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV CHECHEN REFUGEES HEADING TO POLLING STATION SET UP IN CAMP 0.05 2. SLV/MV POLICE GUARDING POLLING STATION; SCU POSTERS CALLING FOR REFERENDUM 0.16 3. SLV PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF BUSES 0.23 4. MV PEOPLE REGISTERING TO VOTE; SCU WOMAN FILLING-IN NAMES OF VOTERS (2 SHOTS) 0.36 5. SCU CONSTITUTION OF THE CHECHEN REPUBLIC ON THE STAND; MV ELDERLY WOMAN FILLING-IN PAPERS AND CASTING BALLOT; MV MEN INSIDE BALLOT BOOTHS; MV MAN CASTING VOTE (5 SHOTS) 1.04 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SAID SULEIMAN ESKERHANOV, VOTER SAYING "Referendum means peace on Chechen soil." 1.08 7. MV PEOPLE LOOKING AT BOOKLETS OF THE CONSTITUTION 1.13 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TAITA, VOTER SAYING "We hope for the better, that the war will end that we will finally go home, that it would be safe and there will be law and order." 1.24 9. MV PEOPLE DANCE OUTSIDE POLLING STATIONS; LAS WOMAN LOOKING OUT OF WINDOW 1.34 10. MV ABDUL-KHAKIM SULTYGOV, PUTIN'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHECHNYA MEETING PEOPLE IN CAMP (2 SHOTS) 1.45 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian ) ABDUL-KHAKIM SULTYGOV, RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS REPRESENTATIVE ON HUMAN RIGHTS SAYING "Today is the birthday of the Chechen people. From this day a new history begins for my people. And this day will stay in the minds of people forever." 2.02 12. MV BOYS CARRYING BREAD; MV WOMAN LOOKING OUT OF TENT'S WINDOW; SLV REFUGEE CAMP (4 SHOTS) 2.26 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th April 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KARABULAK REFUGEE CAMP, INGUSHETIA, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVAZZ9L4KMSWBL3IEYSFZJ7L4A3
  • Story Text: War-weary Chechens have begun voting on the future of
    their push for independence in a referendum promoted by the
    Kremlin as a critical step towards peace.

    Polling stations across Chechnya and in Karabulak
    refugee camp in neighbouring Ingushetia opened at 8 a.m. (0500
    GMT) on Sunday (March 23, 2003) and were due to close at 8 p.m.

    (17.00 GMT). The polling station in Karabulak was set up
    inside a tent. People were brought in buses from all over
    Ingushetia to vote for the new constitution.

    Officials expected a majority of Chechnya's 540,000
    eligible voters to turn out and say 'yes' to a constitution
    proclaiming the rebel region an "integral part of the Russian
    Federation".

    Many Voters said they hoped this referendum would change
    their lives for the better.

    "Referendum means peace on Chechen soil." said one of the
    voters Said Suleiman Eskerhanov from Grozny.

    "I hope that everything will be better. That there will be
    law and order and that we could finally go home, that there
    will be law and order" said another voter, Taita.

    President Vladimir Putin has promised the territory wide
    autonomy and hefty pay-outs in exchange.

    "Today is the birthday of the Chechen people." said
    Abdul-Khakim Sultygov, Putin's representative on human rights
    in Chechnya.

    "From this day a new history begins for my people. And
    this day will stay in the minds of people forever".

    Russian security forces mounted a big security operation
    in the region to head off possible rebel sabotage.

    The vote, seen as a test of Moscow's ability to overcome
    the Chechens' deep-rooted distrust of Russia, was preceded by
    an unprecedented publicity campaign ranging from a small troop
    withdrawal to a Chechen dance festival in Moscow.

    The vote, preparations for which moved into overdrive
    after last year's deadly siege of a packed Moscow theatre by
    separatist rebels, comes as U.S.-led forces push towards
    Baghdad to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

    Security across the tiny region has been stepped up ahead
    of the vote after fugitive Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov
    vowed to disrupt the proceedings.

    Russian troops, who returned to Chechnya in 1999 to end
    its three years of de facto independence after losing a
    1994-1996 war, exercise nominal control over the territory but
    have failed to stamp out armed resistance.

    Only a handful of foreign observers have gone to monitor
    the poll despite Kremlin calls for a wider presence.

    The first results of the poll were due early on Monday
    (March 24).


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