People in Chechnya differ with General Troshev's opinion

People in Chechnya differ with a recent statement made by Colonel-General Gennady Troshev.

The other day, the Russian President's adviser General Troshev claimed there was "no war" in Chechnya. He was quoted as saying, "the Russian servicemen were ordered not to conduct sweeps and not to enter private houses in Chechnya."

Many people in the republic categorically differ with this statement of the general. "How does General Troshev living in Moscow know what's going on down here? While commanding the Russian troops here three years ago, he used to tell us the war was over," says Markha Batalova, 40, an angry local woman in Grozny. "This is a lie. The military conduct raids as before, they fight as before. Air bombings of the villages, abductions and killings go unabated. What does he mean, saying it's not the war?"

The local inhabitants acknowledge there are no such "large-scale sweeps" in Chechnya as 1,5-2 years ago, when the federal forces used to seal villages, conducted total searches in houses, and arbitrary detained people. Nonetheless, as of now, the heavy-handed "sweeps" in the villages continue, having the same results for the locals as the "large-scale" ones did.

"Actually, the war in Chechnya has slightly changed. The Russian troops conduct "targeted sweeps," the rebels use hit-and-run tactics in response. But the people are killed and abducted as before! This is just nonsense when Mr. Troshev says the military have been commanded not to conduct "sweeps" in the Chechen villages. You know, they still burst into private houses, seize locals and kill them at times. I wouldn't say it happens daily, but, regretfully, these crimes are perpetrated as yet," thinks a Chechen human rights activist.

"Today, only those who are in pursuit of "money laundry" keep on screaming about the war in Chechnya," President Putin's adviser Colonel-General Gennady Troshev told journalists at the regional press center "2003 Elections". "There are only odious figures - Maskhadov, Basayev, Gelayev - and people close to them who still remain in Chechnya and will never leave the republic because they know they will be killed if they try to escape. Meanwhile, the locals will never betray them because the militants are husbands and brothers for them. They supply the militants, give them shelter, while our servicemen are ordered not to enter private houses and conduct sweeps." said General Troshev. At the same time, he believes President Akhmad Kadyrov can stop the war.