North Caucasus NGO Monitor - July 1999
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Subject: North Caucasus NGO Monitor - July 1999
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Andre Kamenshikov <[email protected]>
North Caucasus NGO Monitor - July 1999
North Caucasus NGO Monitor
1. Social movement "Our Homeland - Dagestan" is trying to ease
tensions between various ethnic communities in the republic.
This organization was formed in 1996 with the goals of protecting the
rights and interests of various social groups. It has also been
focused at preventing conflicts and developing understanding between
different ethnic communities in Dagestan.
Activities of the organization include:
- Organizing meetings of the population of different districts of
Dagestan with writers and artists.
- Publications in the local media with analysis of the situation in
the republic, including appeals on various urgent concerns.
- Public opinion surveys, results of which are published in the local
media.
- Practical assistance to people who come with various problems and
concerns.
The movement was developed to a large extent as a reaction to the
development of various "ethnic-based" NGOs and movements. It tries to
carry out practical activities in order to promote tolerance and
mutual understanding of various ethnic communities.
For example, in August 98 the movement has helped in diffusing
tensions that were growing in the Karabudahkentski district between
the local population and newcomers - migrants from the mountainous
Charodinski district in the South of Dagestan. The movement organized
a trip of representatives of the local communities from the
Charodinski district including the local administration, to the
mountains, from where the people were migrating, thus showing them the
real situation in the mountains. This helped the local people in
understanding the reasons for migration from the mountains to the
plains, thus making their migration more acceptable for the local
population.
Address:
Mahachkala, Yaragskogo street, house 79 "a", room 87
368015, Dagestan Republic, Russia
Tel. (8722) 61-32-64.
Members: Davudov Habib, Daganov Abdul.
We continue to give information about the various ethnic cultural
societies, which are members of the inter-ethnic center "Drujba" in
Kislovodsk.
2. "Slavyane" (Slavs) society.
This society was developed by representatives of Slavic peoples,
living in the North Caucasus. The society was created during the
beginning of a massive migration flow of the Slavs from the regions of
the North Caucasus due to inter-ethnic tensions and military
conflicts.
The society has worked intensively on providing various types of aid
and support to refugees and forced migrants, collected food and
clothing to be sent to people in conflict regions.
The society is working on the revival of cultural and spiritual
traditions of the Slavic people, on developing and maintaining
brotherly relationships with other ethnic groups living in the
Caucasus.
Currently the society has about 2000 members.
The society helped in developing a folklore dance group "Slavyanka",
sports sections, traditional crafts.
The society participates in many traditional and orthodox
celebrations, such as "Christmas games", "Days of Slavic literature
and culture", etc.
Address:
Kislovodsk, Saperny pereulok, house 10
357700, Stavropol region, Russia
Tel. (86537) 3-26-97.
Director: Savelyev Vladimir Yurevich.
3. "Nenan-Az" social - charitable fund, Chechnya.
This organization was created on August 15, 1995. Its goal is to help
women play a more active role in the economic, social and cultural
life of their republic, as well as to assist widows and children who
lost their parents during the war.
Currently the Fund has a staff of 9 people who are working almost
exclusively on a volunteer basis.
The Fund has carried out extensive work in gathering information about
orphaned children in Chechnya. Currently it has a bank of information
about nearly 4000 such children and this list continues to grow.
Humanitarian aid was provided to nearly half of them.
The Fund has been actively cooperating with various local and
international organizations, including ICRC, "Hungarian Interchurch
Aid", "Centre for peacemaking and Community Development", "Women of
the Don", Social-Charitable Fund "Berkat", etc.
The "Nenan-Az" foundation developed a number of programs to support
women who became widows during the war. A consultation center was
organized in order to assist them. Members of the center visited
widows, spoke with them in order to help them psychologically.
Other programs for which the "Nenan-Az" Fund is trying to get support
include:
- brining 500 children from Chechnya to summer camps in neighboring
Dagestan;
- helping widows in finding jobs and developing small businesses (such
as opening small bakeries, barbershops, etc.);
- publishing a collection of Chechen women's poetry;
- Collecting and distributing second-hand clothing among families in
need, etc.
Unfortunately most of these ideas remain on paper, since currently the
Fund practically ceased to receive support. This is due to the
extremely complicated situation in Chechnya and the termination of the
activities of international humanitarian organizations, that was
caused by continuos assaults against their staff.
Address:
Mayakovskogo street, house 84 "a", apt. 22
Djohar (Grozny), Chechnya
Chairman: Sumbulatov Isa.
"North Caucasus NGO Monitor" is a publication produced by members of
the Nonviolence International - Newly Independent States" (NI-NIS) on
a fellowship from the Open Society Institute in Budapest. Its goals
are:
* to help in exploring new approaches for humanitarian activities
which allow supporting elements of civil society in the North
Caucasus, while significantly lowering the security risks associated
with such activities;
* to provide continuous information about constructive activities of
NGO's on a community level in areas of tension and conflict in the
North Caucasus;
* to highlight the work of dedicated local activists, who despite
extreme difficulties work toward peace, reconciliation, social and
economical revival of their communities.
Phone and fax numbers in the bulletin are given with the Russian
internal area codes. When dialing from outside Russia or the CIS
states, the numbers provided must be preceded with 7 - Russia's
country code.
Names are given according to the Russian standard - surname before the
first name.
For questions and comments as well as to get additional information
about NGO activities in the North Caucasus please contact:
Nonviolence International - Newly Independent States,
Contact person - Kamenshikov Andre
Luchnikov Lane, house 4, entrance 3, room 2
Moscow, Russia, 103982
Tel. (095) 206-8618 or 351-4855, fax 206-8853,
E-mail: [email protected]
http: www.glasnet.ru/~ninis
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