Fraud disclosed in Ingushetia in the lists of refugees wishing to return to Chechnya

INGUSHETIA, November 12, Caucasus Times – Several cases with false signatures of refugees were signaled from Ingushetia’s “Sputnik” camp in Ordzhonikidzevskaya village when unknown suspects filled in the application blanks on behalf of internally displaced persons to return to Chechnya, the Caucasus Times correspondent reports citing the locals.

Residents of “Sputnik” tent camp for Chechen refugees. The people believe this is another trick of the authorities to compel the refugees to return to Chechnya.

“I was very surprised when the administration told me just yesterday about my intention to leave the camp. They showed me the application I had allegedly submitted a week ago. When I said I did not intend to return now the officials insisted I’d better do it now to take advantage of given privileges and voluntarily leave the camp, otherwise I risk to remain out in the street, because since now my name had been crossed off the Migration service lists and they were not accountable for my future,” a local woman Zalina Saikhanova told the Caucasus Times correspondent.

Meanwhile, the representatives of administration of the camp ruled out any possibility that someone would fill in the application blanks on behalf of the refugees. “This could be done either by members of family, or close relatives. You know, it’s just because the people hesitate and after the documents have been already ready, they change their mind and find lots of excuses,” the camp administration said.

Nonetheless, the refugees are concerned with the situation. The majority of locals said they were afraid the authorities would apply such tactic as well as those cases when refugees’ names were unreasonably crossed off the lists for humanitarian help to force them out the camp.