DATE=2/29/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N / CHECHNYA AID (L-O)
NUMBER=2-259666
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations says a 10-truck convoy of
relief supplies has reached the Chechen capital,
Grozny. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports this is the
first U-N aid to reach Grozny since Russia began its
military offensive more than five-months ago.
TEXT: The trucks arrived in Grozny with 45-tons of
food, plastic sheeting, soap, and other supplies.
The convoy left Monday from the southern Russian city
of Stavropol under Russian military escort. It spent
the night in Mozdok, in North Ossetia.
U-N-H-C-R spokesman, Ron Redmond says the trip went
smoothly. He says no security incidents were reported
on the way.
/// REDMOND ACT ONE ///
This convoy is viewed as something of a trial
run to give us an idea of the security and
logistics which would be involved in getting aid
into Chechnya. This is the first United Nations
aid going in there since the latest conflict.
We want to ensure that this aid can be
distributed quickly and safely to those who are
most in need.
/// END ACT ///
The United Nations estimates about 20-thousand
civilians are left in Grozny.
Mr. Redmond says aid workers will store the relief
supplies in a warehouse overnight. He says they will
monitor the distribution of the goods to needy
civilians Wednesday, and then leave the city.
U-N aid agencies withdrew their staffs from Chechnya
before the latest crisis because of security concerns.
And, Mr. Redmond says the United Nations has no plans
to return to Chechnya anytime soon. But he says more
aid convoys will go to Chechnya if security can be
guaranteed.
On a related issue, Mr. Redmond says more than 18-
hundred refugees, mostly women and children, fled
Chechnya into Ingushetia last week. He says they come
from some of Chechnya's most heavily damaged towns in
the Argun Valley, south of Grozny.
The spokesman says the refugees have been telling aid
workers about thousands of villagers fleeing their
homes in advance of the Russian military offensive as
it moves southward.
/// REDMOND ACT TWO ///
Some of the displaced people told U-N-H-C-R
monitors that in the Argun district, all males
aged 15 and older are being detained by the
local police -- these are (Russian) Ministry of
the Interior police -- for establishment of
their identity. And, these displaced people
said some of the males had not returned from
detention before leaving, before the displaced
had left.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Redmond says many of the refugees said they would
like to return home to Chechnya, but are afraid to do
so because of lawlessness and the detention of local
men. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH/RAE
29-Feb-2000 10:39 AM EDT (29-Feb-2000 1539 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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