Military

DATE=07/12/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=RUSSIA / CHECHNYA (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-291984

BYLINE=LISA McADAMS

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

INTRO: Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed a new director to monitor human rights abuses across Russia. President Putin also replaced Russia's special human rights envoy for Chechnya Friday. V-O-A's Lisa McAdams has more on the appointments from Moscow.

TEXT: Russia's presidential press service reports Ella Pamfilova will now head the Kremlin's Human Rights Commission. Ms. Pamfilova, who is largely known for her work for the protection of the rights of Russia's children, replaces Vladimir Kartashkin.

Addressing reporters after meeting President Putin Friday at the Kremlin, Ms. Pamfilova said she will consult with local rights organizations in all of Russia's 89 regions.

/// PAMFILOVA ACT IN RUSSIAN ///

She says people need help in protecting their rights. They need help to learn how to do it in a civilized and correct way. Ms. Pamfilova says the commission is necessary in order to try to reduce arbitrariness, which, she says, is very common among bureaucrats.

President Putin also appointed Abdul-Khakim Sultygov as his new special representative on Chechnya.

A native Chechen, Mr. Sultygov will be responsible for ensuring human rights and freedoms in the break-away republic, located on Russia's southern flanks. Mr. Sultygov said the public has been expecting too much from Russian federal forces in Chechnya, wanting them to be angels, he said.

Yuri Dzhibladze, the president of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Moscow, says he is disappointed by Mr. Sultygov's first comments. He says he would have expected quite a different statement from a person charged with monitoring the rights records of federal troops, a record Mr. Dzhibladze characterizes as abysmal.

But Mr. Dzhibladze says it is also too early to tell the meaning if any -- of President Putin's appointments.

/// DZHIBLADZE ACT ///

They demonstrate that Putin and his administration are not happy with the situation with human rights and with the way the situation in Chechnya is developing. However, whether this is just a symbolic act a ceremonial act to demonstrate concern without a desire to really change the situation substantially is difficult to say.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Dzhibladze says there have been more setbacks than steps forward in the recent history of dialogue on Chechnya -- from officials and from local non-governmental organizations.

/// OPT TO END /// President Putin's announcements come at the end of a week during which the Russian government was heavily criticized by the country's leading rights groups for widespread abuse of human rights in Russia and in Chechnya in particular. (Signed)

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