Chechnya Finds a New Enemy // Ramzan Kadyrov goes by the Danish principle

Kommersant ^ | Feb. 07, 2006 | Afanasy Sborov

[Lukasz]

First Deputy Prime Minister of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov two more steps toward legal confirmation of his status of lord of Chechnya. The bureau of the high council of the United Russia Party decided to recommend him as party leader for Chechnya, and Kadyrov himself announced his intention to expel from the republic Danish humanitarian organizations working with Chechen refugees. Referring to the caricatures of the Islamic prophet that appeared in a Danish newspaper and created a worldwide scandal, Kadyrov said that Danes “play with the feelings of a billion and a half people and act as provocateurs… Danish social organizations and everything that comes from there will be prohibited.” The Danish Council for Refugee Affairs is one of the largest humanitarian organizations working in the North Caucasus. Kommersant was unable to obtain a comment from that organization yesterday. “Thanks to that organization, thousands of Chechen refugees were saved from cold and hunger,” commented Ruslan Badalov, head of the social organization the Chechen Committee for National Salvation. The Russian Foreign Ministry, which now accredits foreign nongovernmental organizations, is also remaining mum about Kadyrov's statement, telling Kommersant that it “does not comment on statement by Russian citizens.” Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov said that “There is nothing to think about here. In Russia, only courts can ban organizations. I don't know. Maybe he [Kadyrov] became a judge…”

Politically, Kadyrov's statement looks better grounded. Russian authorities have long been trying to squeeze foreign humanitarian and human rights groups out of the North Caucasus and Kadyrov is echoing the desire of Russian President Vladimir Putin to limit the influence of foreign NGOs in Russia. In 2002, Russian and Chechen authorities claimed that aid distributed by the Danish Council for Refugee Affairs was finding its way to rebels. That claim was denied, but the organization has continued to be the object of official disfavor. This is partially explained by the desire of the authorities to have the refugees return to Chechnya, which many of them are hesitant to do. Officials reason that, if Western aid is better than what they have to look forward in their homeland, they will be that much less willing to return.

Frants Klintsevich, former head of the Chechen division of United Russia and member of the presidium of the party's general council, commenting on Kadyrov's nomination to head the regional division of the party, admitted that he had less than warm personal relations with Kadyrov, but noted that “The president has placed his stake on Kadyrov and United Russia, as a political instrument of the president, should help him.”