The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has recognized the poor living conditions in the Chechen Republic as its biggest concern in all of the Russian Federation. In its concluding remarks on Russia´s 4th periodic report on the implementation of the Committee´s International Covenant, the Russian State is urged to allocate sufficient funds to reinstate basic services, including health and educational infrastructure, in the Chechen Republic. (06-DEC-03)

The “Chechnya issue” took pole position in both the ´Concerns´ and the “Recommendations” parts of the Committee´s concluding observations. The Committee also noted that the information provided on this problem in the State report was insufficient. While acknowledging the difficulties posed by the ongoing military operations, the Committee also expressed deep concern about the problems faced by ordinary Chechenians. Along with the absence of basic services, the destroyed social infrastructure and the risks relating to the armed conflict and absence of any effective control also cause problems for the population.

Human rights NGOs as Moscow Helsinki Group, who has recently issued a report on the October presidential elections in the Chechen Republic, (see 06-JAN-03) describe the situation as standing “beyond the framework of national and international law”.