NEW ALDY SETTLEMENT - FEBRUARY 5, 2000
INTENTIONAL KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS
The information of the killings of civilians in New Aldy settlement near the city of Grozny by military men has appeared in February 2000. The tragedy, allegedly, took place on the 5th of February 2000, when the Federal troops were entering the city of Grozny, that had been left by the Chechenian regiments. The military men (and those might have been the special troops of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation) have committed multiple killings of the residents of the settlement, robberies and, possibly, raping, during the so called "clearing up" operations in New Aldy settlement.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) - a human rights protection organization - has collected a multiple testimony of the witnesses, and a short report has been prepared on the basis of those testimonies. The HRW has made a list of 33 killed. And at least two witnesses have claimed that those had been killed, and the fact was noted by the HRW.
At the same time the representatives of the "Memorial" have also received a number of the indirect evidences, and a list of those killed in New Aldy was received in the beginning of March, and it comprised 68 people. Those compilers have informed the "Memorial", that the list was incomplete. When we have been comparing the lists we have noted 24 coincidences. At that time we thought it improper to draw conclusions on the basis of the facts in our disposal, and started looking for new facts.
At that period it was hardly, if at all, possible for journalists and representatives of the human rights protection organizations to function in the zone of the Chechenia military conflict. An access to the city of Grozny, as well as to New Aldy was completely abandoned.
In the meanwhile the corpses of those killed in New Aldy on the 5th of February were not buried at a cemetery till the second half of March 2000. They were lying in pits, covered with wooden boards and earth - they were lying there, where the death had struck them. The representatives of the Federal Military Officials have demanded several times, that the people had to be buried under the Moslem customs (they knew well, that after that the relatives would never allow their corpses to be exhumed). There were threats to take the corpses away. The residents of the settlement have waived those demands with the reference to the fact that mines had been placed at the territory of the cemetery, and the bridge leading there was demolished. In the middle of March a piece of information has appeared, that sappers were working at the territory of the cemetery. It has become clear enough that the traces of the crime would be covered for ever in the near future.
Recently, the representatives of the "Memorial" have received a number of direct testimonies in support of the conclusions made by the HRW.
Though the military procurator's office were in a hurry to have declared that the "Federal Troops had not participated in the operation that entailed the death of the civilians".
What does it, possibly, mean?
Will there be a serious approach to a version that special regiments of the Militia might be guilty for the crime?
Or the Procurator's Office try not to dig into the case and wind it up, allegedly, "that nobody on whom the blame for the crime may be laid upon has been found"?
Or will the blame for the crime against the civilians be laid on the "mysterious bands of terrorists of the Slavonic origin"?
The last variant seems the most probable one, since the case under the investigation was handed over to the Procurator's Office of the Chechenia Republic.
In this connection one has to note, that:
Thus, it is evident, that the liability for the events in the settlement of New Aldy lies with the Federal troops.
Appendixes
APPENDIX 1
INCOMPLETE LIST OF PEOPLE KILLED IN NEW ALDY SETTLEMENT
(the list is compiled by the residents of the settlement and handed over to the representatives of the "Memorial" Human Rights Protection Center on the 5th of March 2000).
APPENDIX 2
Testimonies of the residents of the settlement, written down by the representatives of the "Memorial" Human Rights Protection Center in March 2000.
(figures in brackets are the serial number of the person in the list of those killed, compiled by the residents of the settlement; there we also note the fact, if the name is in the list of the Human Rights Watch (HRW)).
Testimony of Chichaeva Aset Umaevna, a nurse, born in 1967,
residing in the settlement of New Aldy
"I have been a witness to the events in the city of Grozny, and in particular in the settlement of New Aldy, from September 1999 to February 2000.
Till the 5th of February this year the people here perished under the bombs, from the wounds, got through scattered fragments. I witness that "the job" made by the Russian Air Force was the reason why many sick old and elderly people suffered from heart attacks (they have got infarction and insultus). People died from pneumonia, since they had been spending long months in damp basements, and that was the reason why they died. Within two months till the 5th of February we have buried 75 people.
The first Russian soldiers appeared in the settlement on the 4th of February, the so called reconnaissance. They told us that we should not come close to the basements on the 5th of February; "We shall be followed by really tough men", they said. After what we had suffered we could not understand properly what they meant, that they wanted to warn us.
On the 5th of February about noon I heard the first shots in the street. My farther and I went out into the street and saw the soldiers setting houses on fire. Our neighbor was repairing the roof of his house, and a Russian soldier took s gun and wanted to fire at him. I shouted: "Don't you shoot, he is deaf!" My brother, born in 1975, came out of the house and joined us, and we together with him went to meet those "fascists". The first words we heard from them, when they saw us, were: "Mark their foreheads with a paint so there will be a better target to aim at". An automatic rifle was immediately aimed at my brother, and they asked him: "Have you taken part in combat?" My brother said "no", but they started beating him up.
They have ordered that we all gathered at the cross roads. I have gathered all the people living in our street in order we could stick together. There were 10 children under 15 years old from our small by-street, and the youngest one was under two years old. Soldiers have once again started checking up our passports, and the procedure was accompanied by their bad language and swears. Checking my bag one of the soldiers saw medication and blood pressure meter there. He asked me what I was. I answered I was a nurse. Then, one of them, presumably, their senior, told me: "See to that all the dead be buried. Our chaps have killed your old men in their heated endeavor."
When I left the cross roads I immediately heard more shooting. The women shouted to me: " Ruslan has been wounded, bandage him!" It turned out, that while Ruslan (40 years old) was smoking near his house after the check up, two soldiers, with no reason what so ever, have fired at him. The bullet went out two cm from his heart and touched the lung. He was shot at the arm into the bargain. It was a miracle that I managed to stop the blood bleeding. He was in immediate need of a qualified surgeon's help, but under the circumstances it was as though to kill him to show him to the Russians.
I may officially declare, that Russian soldiers were shooting down to death my patients, wounded civilians, old men and women. I was treating my neighbor, Lekha Almatov (11?), born in 1968. It was a miracle he stayed alive. On the 11th of January a mine struck their house. Three people were killed, and he was badly wounded. I had been treating him till the 5th of February, when he and another neighbor of mine, Akhmatov Isa (10), born in 1950 were burnt down. We found their bones later and gathered them into a pot. Any commission, any test may prove, that those are human bones, human DNA. But nobody cares about those bones and about those killed. Whether we had buried those killed, was the only thing that interested them.
Bigiraev Shamkhan (14) was also burnt down, he was taken away from his house. Russian soldiers atrociously killed 80-year old Akhmatova Rakiat (the HRW list might enclose her under the name of Akhmadova Rakhash), who was first wounded and then shot down, when she was lying bleeding. She shouted: "Do not shoot!". There are witnesses to the fact.
Elmurzaev Ramzan (55) - the HRW list might contain him under the name of Ekmurzaev Ramzan - , born in 1967, an invalid, was wounded on the 5th of February in the day time, and at night he died of peritonitis. Idigov brothers were forced to come down to the basement, and after that grenades were thrown down on them. One of the brothers stayed alive, the other one was torn to pieces (28) - he is in the HRW list too. We missed 114 people that day, 82 corpses have been found.
Gaitaev Mohammed (19) - he is in the HRW list too - was killed at the gate of his house. One cannot count all of them, one needs the time and the investigating group in order to find out, what happened on the 5th of February. Where are the words one can find to describe the event".
Testimony of Marina Ismailova,
residing in the settlement of New Aldy
"Till the last day, to the day of the so called "clearing up", there was no permanent dislocation of the Chechenian fighters in the settlement, and moreover, there were no strongholds. (however the Chechenian fighters appear there anyhow, see Mr. A. Babitsky's report of January 13, 2000). None the less, starting from November last we were fired at with mortars and rockets were launched at us. The Air Force struck us round the clock, and the people stayed in the basements. They could not bury their dead and could nor help the wounded...
In the evening of the 4th of February soldiers of the regular army entered the settlement from two directions. They were young men of 18 to 20 years old. There were several officers with them, who were interrogating of the Chechenian fighters' presence. We talked to them, offered the food, whatever there was, to them. They were friendly and warned us of the "bloodhounds that would be brought in here later on", we could not understand, what they meant, of course...
In the morning of the 5th of February shooting was heard in the settlement. Automatic rifles, guns and mortars were used. When houses were set on fire and there were calls for help heard, we did understand, that those "bloodhounds" were brought in New Aldy. They were crushing down everything on their way: they killed and burnt people down without asking their personal documents. All the people, who have been burnt down or killed, held their passports and other personal documents in their hands. The killers demanded gold and jewelry, then they killed the people.
Two brothers - pensioners - stayed in their house in Matasha Mazaev Street - Abdulla (32) and Salama (34).They were burnt down still alive. A few days later, with a great difficulty, we have found their remnants. There was enough room for them in a plastic bag...
There was the same atrocious picture in Khoperskaya Street, as it was in our street. Khadjimuradov Ali, 55 years old (he is present in the HRW list under the name of Khadjimuradov Ali Germanovich) - a pensioner - was deprived of his golden artificial teeth with a gun barrel.
Ganaev's family (20 to 22, they are in the HRW list too) was assassinated in Voronezhskaya Street. Four people of Musaev's family (36 to 39) have also been killed. The personal documents of a participant of the killings were found at the place of the crime. They belong to Oleg Shman, residing in Vystrebskaya settlement, Chapaeva Street, 78. He belongs to the regiment No. 245, Battalion No. 5. A serial No. of the armored vehicle (No. 145) and the lorry plate (No. 90-61 GN) have also been recorded.
Testimony of Louisa Abolkhanova,
residing in the settlement of New Aldy,
a daughter-in-law of the killed Abolkhanov Akhmed
"I do not remember many things. Everything took a very short period of time, when I heard the first shots, I felt very sick. I remember quite well that those, who had entered our house, demanded the money. The old man (Abolkhanov Akhmed, he is in the list of the HRW under the name of Abalkhanov Akhmed) went out somewhere and brought the money in the amount of RBl. 300 (three hundred). The soldiers were dissatisfied, cursed and used such a language that I felt confused in front of my farther-in-law. Then I heard the shots. Our neighbors, Abdulmezhidov brother and sister, have died together with my farther-in-law (they are not in the list). I do not remember clearly, how I found myself in an armored vehicle, and how I left it later on.
Starting from the 4th of February a number of the Russian military men have been visiting the yard of our house. They were all rude, but they did not asked either for the money, nor killed anybody. But those... They behaved as if they had been trained for the violence. They wore the camouflaged uniform with no insignia, their faces were dirty with the soot. They were no ordinary private soldiers, some of them were thirty and even forty years old, though there were young people among them too.
Among the people killed on the 5th of February there is not a single Chechenian fighter. All of them are civilians. Most of the people stayed in the settlement since there was no place to go. Where could, for example, Vakhidov Doga (there is no such a name in the list of the killed) go? He was a simple plasterer. Or where could Akhmadov Isa (10), who worked as a construction worker from time to time, go? They have paid for their honest life. They died an awful death.
Akhmadov Isa (10) was found many days after his death in Tsanaevs' house. He and Razgan (he is absent from the list), one of Tsanaevs' sons, had probably been burnt down. Four Khazbulatovs ( Abdulla, born either in 1940 or 1942, his wife Samart and their two kids - Mohammed and Amnat, 13 and 11 years old accordingly, they are not in the list of those killed) were killed and then burnt down in their house in 4th Zimlyansky By-street.
One more old man, Gula Khaidaev, out of the people I know, has also been killed. He was 70 years old. He was harmless. One more man - Khaniev Tuta (52), born in1954, has also died, though he was no fighter.
I do not know, how and when this war ends. How many more victims will there be for the sake of President Putin? I know only, that after all those atrocities I will never respect Russians. I believe we shall hardly be able to live in one and the same State.
APPENDIX 3
Press Agencies' Releases
A CRIMINAL CASE HAS BEEN STARTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS IN THE SUBURBS OF THE CITY OF GROZNY
ORT TV Channel, News, March 20, 2000, 21.00 p.m., Moscow time.
Mr. Kirill Kleimenov was taking an interview from Mr. Sergei Yastrjembsky on the TV screen:
Mr. Kirill Kleimenov: In the meantime in Moscow representatives of the Federal Power and Federal Military Command comment on the killings of the civilians in the New Aldy settlement near the city of Grozny. Those residents, who remained alive, claim, that about sixty of the their country fellows were killed during the "clearing up" operation, which was performed by the people wearing a camouflaged uniform. The Senior Military Procurator's Office has hastened to declare that Russian military men have nothing to do with the event. That was confirmed by the appropriate inspection. A criminal case in connection with the killings of the civilians has been started and an investigation is going on.
Mr. Sergei Yastrjembsky, the Deputy of the Acting President, has tackled on the topic during his press conference of today.
Mr. Sergei Yastrjembsky, the Deputy of the Acting President: "I can only say, that the Senior Military Procurator's Office has already completed their work in this region. The information of the partiality of the Russian Army in Chechenia to the tragedy in New Aldy has not found the proof. The Procurator's Office of the city of Grozny is now operating there, a criminal case has been started, an exhumation will take place, and it is absolutely necessary in this case. If those, who are to blame for that, will be found, they will be punished, by all means".
"Russian Radio" Radio Station, News, March 20, 2000, 18.00 p.m., Moscow time.
THE REPORTER: The Procurator's Office of the city of Grozny has started a criminal case in connection with the killings of a great number of the civilians in New Aldy settlement in the suburbs of the city of Grozny, and an investigation is going on. Since in the process of the investigation it has become clear that Russian military men had not participated in the operation, entailing the killings of the civilians, the territorial Procurator's Office will go on with the investigation. There is some information that about sixty civilians have been killed in New Aldy as a result of the operation performed by the people in a camouflaged uniform.
THE UNO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSAR' S DECLARATION ON CHECHENIA
NTV TV Channel - "Today" - March 21, 2000, 10.00 a.m. Moscow Time.
Petr Marchenko as the Reporter.
THE REPORTER: The veil over the tragedies similar to one, that has taken place in New Aldy, gives an opportunity to the WEST to accuse RUSSIA of violating the human rights as well as of the superfluous application of the military forces. Ms. Mary Robinson, the UNO Human Rights Commissar, has made public the information, according to which our country is the leader in the humanitarian law infringements
Ms. Mary Robinson, the UNO Human Rights Commissar: We have got serious information within the latest months of the grave infringements of the human rights in Chechenia.
International organizations have testified to several facts.
It is very hard for us to check the authenticity of this information, since RUSSIA has for long abandoned an access to our representatives to that region. Just now, we have got a permission. But even now we may state, that the situation with the civilians in Chechenia is very serious, the terms of their living there are a catastrophe, and this is because of the military conflict.