Northern Caucasus: Preserving a measure of humanity in the midst of conflict
06-07-2005 Photo gallery
In this region, and particularly in Chechnya, the ICRC is doing its utmost to provide vitally needed assistance and protection for a population hard hit by over 10 years of conflict.
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Since 2004 security conditions have worsened throughout the northern Caucasus. In Chechnya, President Akhmad Kadirov and the separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov both died in violent circumstances. Clashes place a heavy burden on the inhabitants, and everyday life is punctuated by arrests, disappearances and hostage-taking. The ICRC intends to pursue its protection and assistance activities in the region for civilians. However, the lack of security is hindering this strictly humanitarian work.
In September 2004 the ICRC had to interrupt its visits to places of detention in Chechnya because its delegates could no longer work in accordance with the standard procedures it uses all over the world, which include unimpeded access to all places of detention and all detainees, private interviews with detainees and the possibility of repeating visits as frequently as deemed necessary. Negotiations with the Russian authorities have yet to yield satisfactory results, but dialogue is continuing.