UN refugee office to monitor closure of camp for Chechen refugees in Ingushetia

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said today it would monitor the closure this year by the Russian Federation's Migration Service of a third camp in Ingushetia for Chechen refugees.

Up to 3 December Camp A, or Alina camp, housed 818 refugees. They are now being offered a choice of returning to Chechnya, going to Camp C, Satsita camp, also in Ingushetia, a republic bordering Chechnya, or taking rooms in temporary settlements which have been repaired by non-government organizations (NGOs), UNHCR said.

One hundred and three families said they wished to relocate to Satsita, 72 families chose to return to Chechnya and another 27 families had not yet made up their minds. UNHCR said it was making sure that these choices are voluntary.

Camp A is the third camp closed in the past year, it said. Iman camp was closed last December. Camp B, Bella, was closed in late September and about 1,000 persons were moved to Camp Satsita, it said.

UNHCR, Ingushetia migration authorities and the displaced people have been erecting tents at Satsita for the new families, while NGOs are helping hook up lines for gas, electricity and water.

In another development, UNHCR sent a mission to Grozny to survey the situation of voluntary returnees in two temporary accommodation centres (TACs). Everything was fine, except for garbage collection outside, it said.

The internally displaced people (IDPs) there were concerned about compensation for property losses and education for their children, UNHCR said.