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English Language Page Tanya Lokshina, Moscow Helsinki Group From the personal file of Shamil Buraev, a candidate for President of the Chechen Republic Shamil Buraev: “We are entitled to a better life!” “Shamil Buraev was born on the 28th of January 1958 in the village Achkhoi-Martan of the Achkhoi-Martan district of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous SSR. In 1974, he completed secondary school of the Achkhoi-Martan district. In the same year, he enrolled in the State Agricultural University, which he completed in 1981, having specialized as a zoological technician. For more than 10 years he worked in the agricultural production of the Achkhoi-Martan district. In the beginning of the 90s, he successfully began activities as an entrepreneur in Moscow. In the period between 1995 to 1997 and 1999 to 2003 he held the position of the head of the administration of the Achkhoi-Martan district. He was decorated with an Order of Courage of the 5th June 2000 by the order of the President of the Russian Federation. Under his management, in 2001 the workers of the Achkhoi-Martan district held the first place in agriculture throughout the republic, in 2002 the first place in the improvement and the replanting of the area and the second place in agriculture, as well as a first place in the organization of the relocation of the population. Relieved of duty from the occupied position in 2003 by the order of the Acting President of Chechnya, A.Kadyrov, Shamil Buraev is enrolled in a remote study division of the Russian Academy of Government Service by the President of the Russian Federation in the specialty of “regional management.” Married. Has three children.” [1] Our country remain’s Soviet nonetheless! Getting ready for a trip to Chechnya, I told my colleagues that I wanted to visit the headquarters of the candidates for president and heard all kinds of advice, “Try to find candidate Khanchukaev — he is someone on the faculty of the University of Grozny, but nobody knows anything much about him,” “Visit Kadyrov’s headquarters for the sake of objectivity,” “The most interesting characters are Bugaev and Buraev. Especially Shamil Buraev — he is supposed to be in the opposition. On the other hand, it won’t be a problem to meet up with Bugaev, but Buraev is a different story. You’d be nuts to go all the way to Achkhoi-Martan…” Achkhoi-Martan was exactly where I ended up. I wouldn’t have risked it all by myself. But some friendly people offered to take me there, besides the rest of the program was a letdown. For starters Khanchukaev could not be found anywhere in the Grozny University. The administration said that he was based in the third building, at the biochemistry department. They had no idea that he was running for president. And generally, they could not tell anything remarkable about him. The visit to the third building did not yield any results — Khanchukaev was not there at the time. In Kadyrov’s headquarters there was also no luck — the public relations interests there were sacrificed for the sake of rigid security and a counter-terrorist operation. It was impossible to enter without any impressive papers and my ID was not picturesque enough. So, they didn’t let me in. Candidate Bugaev was traveling and his headquarters personnel were seemingly underground because they couldn’t be located. Completely disappointed by these bleak developments, I was happy to be given a ride to the headquarters of Shamil Buraev. Indeed, it was an offer impossible to resist. As we entered Achkhoi-Martan, election posters and banners became visible. “Shamil Buraev is our President!” “Honor and dignity — Shamil Buraev.” Without pictures and unvaried — but plentiful. Headquarters. Fence. Inner yard. A few security guards. I am taken into the house — a hybrid of a reception and a small conference hall. Five men enter — four in suits, one wearing a high sheep hat. They sit down, forming a semi-circle. Lord, which one of them is the candidate? It turns out — nobody. The candidate himself went to Moscow to give a press conference at the Interfax Agency. But the headquarters officials are at my service and willing to provide information. The chief of the headquarters, Uvajs Elzhaev is here as well as three authorized representatives of the candidate and the local imam (spiritual leader). The first authorized representative takes the floor, “This is not an election, but a ball game with only one gate. All of the mass media agitate for Kadyrov, the political parties in Chechnya, especially “United Russia” and SPS, agitate for Kadyrov. Shamil Buraev filed a lawsuit to the Supreme Court for infringement of the agitation rules and usage of administrative resources by Kadyrov. The proceedings are artificially delayed, and Shamil Buraev personally is let known that nothing will be decided before the 10th of October, when the elections are already over. Furthermore, Buraev, who was always the guardian of peace in Achkhoi-Martan [incidentally, in the previous couple of days different people told me that Shamil Buraev is not popular in the district], was relieved of his duties as the chief of the district in the summer of 2003. And all election centers were disbanded and reoccupied by persons, who have family ties to the new, pro-Kadyrov chief of the administration.” Etc. etc. In the conclusion of his monologue, the speaker chops the air with his hand and proclaims, “You know what the locals say here in Achkhoi-Martan? Let them even bring a Negro! We, they claim, will vote for a Negro and for anyone, as long as it’s not Kadyrov!” His gaze is burning, searching for compassion. I nod gravely, trying to keep a poker face. Indeed, poor people — what must they endure… After this, all those present have their say, strictly turn by turn. They don’t interrupt each other. And all speakers tell more or less the same story. The imam brings a breath of fresh air into this verbal rondo. Firstly, by the very fact that he speaks Chechen and for the first couple of minutes I pleadingly look at those present for a volunteer translator. Luckily, a volunteer is found, even though I cannot be sure if the translation is adequate. Secondly, by his reflections about Kadyrov, Shamil Buraev and Wahhabism. “As a spiritual leader of the district, I state that if Kadyrov affixes himself as the ruling power, then he will breed Wahhabits of a kind, which this district has seen never before. We, the clergy of the district, collaborate with the headquarters of Shamil Buraev, we have a specific program, we teach traditional Islam and oppose the spreading of wakhabism and of wahhabist literature. But the realization of our program is hindered by the mufti of Chechnya and the administration of Kadyrov… We are in negotiations with the battling side, we have many agreements with numerous rebels that they will put down their weapons if Kadyrov leaves.” The issue of relations with the rebels is picked up on by the last speaker — another authorized representative of Shamil Buraev. “Our main goal is the consolidation of the Chechen people, giving them enough work places. The youth would come back home and would lead a peaceful life if it received attention.” In conclusion, the authorized representative repeats the already voiced metaphor about playing the ball in one gate, mentions the enforcement of one candidate on the people, adds that situation with Maskhadov in 1997 was the same, and looks at me in expectantly for some sign of approval. It seems to me that the situation with Maskhadov was somewhat different, in fact vastly different, and the 1997 elections don’t even come close to this colorful performance… But my head is already spinning, so I change the topic to stay on the safe side, and ask as if incidentally, “You sent out announcements that on the 13th of September, last Saturday, Shamil Buraev held a meeting with the electorate and 10 to 15 thousand people were expected. How did it turn out? Did a lot of people come?” Naturally, this was a trick question, it is known from reliable sources — I asked around — that the meeting indeed took place, but the mighty masses of Buraev’s supporters never arrived). The authorized representative excitedly raises his voice, “Indeed there was a meeting with the electorate. It was a great meeting. Ten thousand people came. And you know what the people from everywhere — from Naur, from Nadterechny — are saying? Let him even be a Jew! We’ll vote for a Jew, as long as it’s not for Kadyrov!” On this pinnacle of racial and ethnic tolerance I part with the representatives of the headquarters and start on my return journey, recalling a punch line to a long forgotten joke, “Poor thing. Not only is he a Negro, but a Jew as well…” Our country remains only too Soviet, ladies and gentlemen! 1 kavkaz.memo.ru Back |
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