• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=1/11/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / CHECHNYA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257953
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-C-R, 
reports the number of refugees returning to Russian-
controlled areas of Chechnya from the neighboring 
republic of Ingushetia now outnumbers those leaving 
Chechnya.  Lisa Schlein in Geneva has details.
TEXT: The United Nations Refugee Agency reports the 
situation of tens of thousands of Chechen refugees in 
Ingushetia has somewhat improved.  This is because the 
Agency's humanitarian relief operation is growing and 
more and more people are returning to Chechnya.
The agency estimates that about 70-thousand refugees 
have returned to Russian-controlled areas in Chechnya, 
thus easing the overcrowded conditions in refugee 
camps in Ingushetia.
U-N-H-C-R spokesman, Kris Janowski, says refugees are 
flowing across the Chechen-Ingush border in both 
directions.  But, he says those going back to Chechnya 
outnumber those leaving.
            /// JANOWSKI ACT ///
      Those leaving Chechnya for Ingushetia are mostly 
      those who have gone back to Chechnya to look at 
      their property.  They're coming back because 
      they found it destroyed or conditions too hard 
      to survive the winter.  A lot of people are 
      going back to Russian-controlled areas.  There's 
      a booming taxi and busing business at the border 
      with taxi drivers, (and) buses taking people 
      back to areas of Chechnya controlled by the 
      Russians. 
            /// END ACT ///
The U-N Refugee Agency estimates between 150 and 180-
thousand Chechen refugees remain in Ingushetia. At its 
height, Ingushetia was hosting nearly one-quarter 
million refugees. 
Despite the decreased numbers, Mr. Janowski says 
conditions in Ingushetia remain difficult.  And, he 
says humanitarian operations will have to be expanded 
to assist the tens of thousands of refugees who are 
expected to spend the remainder of the winter in 
Ingushetia.
            /// 2ND JANOWSKI ACT ///
      We have to, basically, prepare more long-term 
      arrangements to accommodate these people.  So, 
      we are buying all kinds of sanitary equipment, 
      digging wells, so on and so forth to make the 
      stay throughout the winter sustainable.
            /// END ACT ///
While the situation in Ingushetia slowly improves, Mr. 
Janowski says the U-N agency remains hugely concerned 
by the fate of civilians in the Chechen capital, 
Grozny.  He says about 20-thousand civilians are 
believed to be trapped in the capital.  He says they 
are basically living in cellars under virtually 
constant bombardment from the Russian military. 
(Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/LTD/JO
11-Jan-2000 08:43 AM EDT (11-Jan-2000 1343 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.