- Title: RUSSIA: DRUG ADDICTION SPREADING FAST THROUGH CHECHEN REFUGEE CAMPS.
- Date: 24th July 2000
- Summary: SLEPTSOVSK AND KARABULAK; INGUSHETIA, RUSSIA (RECENT - JULY 8 AND 9, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV: YOUNG BOY CALLING PRAYERS AT REFUGEE CAMP'S MOSQUE (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. GV/MV: WOMAN REFUGEE CARRYING BUCKETS WITH WATER/ TWO REFUGEE GIRLS SITTING ON GROUND, ONE OF THEM EATING BREAD (2 SHOTS) 0.22 3. GV: MAN SMOKING BY ENTRANCE TO TENT
- Embargoed: 8th August 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SLEPTSOVSK AND KARABULAK; INGUSHETIA, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA215FTNKI2ZN9FPPMDJTAY76HX
- Story Text: Drug addiction is spreading fast in Ingushetia in
southern Russia, a temporary home to almost 300,000 Chechen
refugees.
Most of the refugees living in the camps in Ingushetia
arrived about 10 months ago, when the latest Russian military
campaign against Chechen separatists began.
Since the, they have been living without compensation
and almost no hope of finding work; the unemployment level
amongst Chechen refugees is almost 100 percent.
Despite Russia's claims that its military campaign in
Chechnya is coming to a close, many refugees are reluctant to
return home. Many of those who did go in search of a safe and
peaceful stronghold within the Russian-controlled areas areas
soon returned to the refugee camps.
The main reason preventing Chechen refugees from
returning home - apart from a lack of shelter, electricity,
water or a means to keep warm - is the fear for their lives
against the backdrop of continuing clashes between Russian
troops and rebel forces.
'Murad', a 22-year-old former law student from the
Grozny university, tried heroin for the first time when he
arrived at an Ingushetia refugee camp. Now he is an addict,
unable to endure a single day without a shot of heroin.
He says that most of his friends have also become
addicted to drugs since arriving in the refugee camps.
Heroin is sold inside the camps at a price that is
affordable even for the refugees.
'Suleiman', a 30-year-old refugee from Grozny, says that a
syringe of heroin costs about 50 roubles (1. 5 U.S. dollars)
and marijuana is much cheaper.
"I am trying to survive. I don't want to continue it
[using drugs] much longer. But to be honest this stuff really
helps to get through all this," Suleiman said.
Aiset Yasaeva, a doctor with the French non-governmental
organisation 'Medicins du Monde' ('Doctors of the World')
which has been operating in the camps since last year, said
that about 50 per cent of young men between the ages of 15 to
40 are using drugs regularly inside the Ingushetia refugee
camps.
She said psychological stress caused by the military
campaign in Chechnya; an uncertain future; and hard economic
reality are the main factors leading to drug abuse in the
camps. The figures have grown to such an extent that
Ingushetia has been placed at the top of the list of the
Russian regions affected by drug addiction.
DB/pf
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