Maxim Shevchenko: “The source of terrorism is still criminal activity on the part of the elite”

Interview by Vestnik Kavkaza

The visiting session of the Presidential Council on Development of Civil Society and Human Rights took place in Grozny with the participation of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. The head of Chechnya, vice-premiers of regional governments, representatives of non-profit organizations, and heads of local force structures discussed the situation over human rights in the North Caucasus for a whole day. Journalist Maxim Shevchenko told Vestnik Kavkaza about the session.

- What conclusions did the Council made after the session in Grozny?

- There are no conclusions by the Council yet, I can speak for myself only. I think the session was constructive and useful. There used to be tension between Ramzan Kadyrov and human right activists for a long time; and finally “the blockade” was taken down. It was a direct dialogue. Many members of the Council last visited Chechnya a long time ago; and they remembered a republic destroyed by bombs and missiles; so the picture they saw in Grozny impressed them very much.

Ramzan Kadyrov was very honest, he assessed the human rights activity as he saw it. Granted his busy conditions, he spent four hours in the session; it signifies respect for the Council and its chairman Mikhail Fedotov.

Kadyrov criticized human rights activity in general. He showed that he didn’t really understand what this activity meant. For instance, he said: “I protect human rights. I build hospitals, roads, schools, I fight terrorism. And what do you do?” He thinks that human right activists shouldn’t be paid, but should protect human rights parallel to their main jobs.

Despite these lyrical digressions, the dialogue was very important and a series of problems was under settlement.

- What did you speak about?

- In the morning we received information about the death of our colleague, the journalist Ahmednabi Ahmednabiyev. I knew him well. I can still hear his voice. My speech was first. And it was inspired by Ahmednabi’s death. However, the main points were that complete disorder rules in Dagestan; the state cannot guarantee security of journalists. Ahmednabi was the 17th journalist killed since 1992. Almost none of the murders have been investigated, the forces of order are not summoned, only suspects who are already dead. It was openly told to Chenchik (the head of the North Caucasus Chief Department of the Interior Ministry of Russia, Sergey Chenchik).

It was a surprise that he spoke rather constructively this time, because usually he accuses journalists and human rights activists of supporting terrorism; he shifted to this idea in the second half of the session in the presence of Kadyrov.

It was also said that journalists like rubbish, and I agreed with this. They can be easily killed because nobody investigates their murders because you hate them. Awful, insulting things are written about the death of Ahmednabi Ahmednabiyev, and it proves that it wasn't Dagestanis who did it. It was made before the funerals. They cannot be called Dagestanis. According to them, it was done by Wahabis. I wish the position of the force structures was more adequate.

However, we noted that the position of the NCFD Investigation Committee differed from the position of similar structures in the region. For example, in Dagestan nobody believes in a fair investigation within the republic. Ramazan Abdulatipov tries to fight local corrupt elites, I hope he will break the system.

- What are the main challenges for civil society in the North Caucasus today?

- It is still criminalization of political and economic life. It threatens not only journalists, but all honest citizens who want to live according to the Constitution of Russia. Moreover, I think that the source of terrorism is still criminal activity on the part of the elite.

It is interesting that the Chechen Republic shows economic growth, social development, careful power, elements of fighting terrorism today. This is a republic which survived outrageous terror. We discussed missing people. The head of the republic said that there were thousands of missing people in Chechnya. Nothing can be found out about their fate because the federal bodies do not respond to the Chechen investigation structures when they try to find people, or at least their remains, who were taken from the republic and shot dead, tortured, or burnt.