Liquidation of Maiskiy settlement is negatively perceived in Ingushetia

The power action in Maiskiy was condemned also by Magomed Akhilgov, head of the Public Reception Room on the problems of forced migrants. (The Reception Room works at the National Public Commission for investigating offences and observance of human rights in North Caucasus.)

"I'm dealing for a long time with the problems of forced migrants from the Prigorodny District, and I can state that when the case concerns representatives of the Ingush people, the laws of the Russian Federation cease to act in the territory of North Ossetia.

The fact, that against the order of the head of the state on liquidation of the consequences of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, thousands of people are not allowed, under various pretexts, to return to their houses is just another confirmation.

Today, referring to the decision of the Prigorodny District Court, the forced migrants are moved out of the settlement, however, their legitimate right to come back to their homes, which is confirmed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, is ignored for some reason," Mr Akhilgov said in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Besides, Magomed Akhilgov has questioned the legitimacy of the court decision to evict the refugees. In the opinion of the expert, it was passed without participation of forced migrants and with no account of their interests.

The events in Maiskiy have also caused negative reaction among the population of the Republic. Most of the people think that the events continue the policy of North-Ossetian authorities of methodical ousting of Ingushes out of the Prigorodny District.

Timur Getagazhev, 38, a citizen of the city of Nazran, said: "The liquidation of the "Maiskiy" Compact Residence Site (CRS) was quite expected event and has become no news for me. It's just a part of the policy of local authorities towards systematic eviction of Ingushes out of the Prigorodny District.

The people were deprived of the last chance to return to the settlements, from where they had been expelled during the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, and the federal authorities, same as in 1992, just turn their blind eyes to it. To tell the truth, I've not hoped for the greater."

The "Caucasian Knot" has already informed that today the last five families, who had refused to leave their camp and insisted on return to the places of their permanent residence in the territory of North Ossetia, were forced out of the "Maiskiy" settlement.

The dwelling trailers where they lived have been transported to the "Novy" (New) settlement, where over 250 families of forced migrants from different settlements of the Prigorodny District are already deployed.

The power action of their resettlement was conducted by about 150 employees of law enforcement bodies of North Ossetia, court marshals, representatives of the administration of the District, Department of the Federal Migration Service (FMS) for the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (RNO-A), Ministry for Emergencies and other agencies.

We remind you that a small town of refugees in the suburb of "Maiskiy" settlement was formed after tragic events of autumn 1992, when tens of thousands of Ingushes were forced to leave the territory of the Prigorodny District of North Ossetia.

It was mainly inhabited by the residents of the so-called "closed" or "problematic" settlements, return to which was impossible in the opinion of the Ossetian party, and also the citizens who earlier occupied the municipal housing. In total, the refugees' camp sheltered over 220 families of forced migrants.

During 13 years of its existence, the settlement that arose as a spontaneous camp did not manage to acquire the official status of a temporary accommodation centre and was not entered into the balance of any state structure. Formally, the camp was located in the territory of the RNO-A, however, actually it was organized and supported by the authorities of the Republic of Ingushetia.

Attempts to compel refugees to leave the settlement were undertaken by North-Ossetian authorities periodically, and strengthened last spring, when the "Novy" settlement was founded for the refugees in the border with Ingushetia.

The relocation of the refugees into the new settlement was carried out according to the plan developed by the Office of Russian President in the South Federal District (SFD), according to which the consequences of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict should have been liquidated this year.

However, not all the refugees agreed with this solution of their problems. Part of them refused to move, insisting on return to the places of their former residence in the Prigorodny District. They sent their demands practically to all the bodies of local and federal power, repeatedly went out to public protest actions, held hunger strikes, however, with no results.

In the beginning of this year the Prigorodny District Court made a decision on demolition of the spontaneous settlement and clearing the occupied land for arable usage; the decision made the basis for a complete liquidation of the small camp of the forced migrants.

It is necessary to note also that now a group of forced migrants from "Maiskiy" is in Moscow. The representatives of the refugees are holding meetings with the Russian power structures, insisting that a chance should be given to them to return to those villages of the Prigorodny District, where they had lived before the conflict of 1992.

Yesterday, the group of migrants picketed the building of the Council of Federation in Moscow, where the issue on the situation in the Prigorodny District should have been considered.

According to certain sources, Bashir Kodzoev, deputies of the State Duma from Ingushetia came out to the picketers and told them that in June a commission of the Council of Federation would be set up and arrive to the Prigorodny District for studying the situation and drawing recommendations on solving the refugees' problems.

Author: Timur Khamkhoyev, CK correspondent