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Chechnya: UN aid official concerned over closure of two camps for displaced persons

Chechnya: UN aid official concerned over closure of two camps for displaced persons

Kenzo Oshima
A top United Nations relief official today voiced concern over the circumstances surrounding the recent closures of two camps in Chechnya, Russian Federation, and the subsequent transfer of their 2,000 residents to temporary accommodations.

Under-Secretary-General Kenzo Oshima, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, called on the Russian authorities to ensure that all actions were taken to preserve the right of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to a voluntary return, in safety and dignity, and to comply with the assurances given to the UN in this matter.

According to the statement, the 2,000 IDPs staying at the camps in Znamenskoye were moved to temporary accommodation centres in the Chechen capital of Grozny. According to UN reports from the region, the relocation could not be regarded as entirely voluntary.

The reports also noted that some of the IDPs were very concerned about the security situation in Grozny and that living conditions in the temporary accommodation centres were not satisfactory, the statement said.