Commission on land-use set up in Chechnya

The chairman of the Chechen Parliament, Magomed Daudov, has ordered the creation of a commission to resolve land use issues. The commission will be headed by the chairman of the parliamentary committee on agro-industrial complex, land use, ecology, and natural resources, Mukhmad Askhabov and will deal with violations in these areas.

The commission was created after a recent conflict between residents of the village of Davydenko and the administration of the Achkhoy-Martan District. Local authorities demolished the foundations of several houses that were erected without appropriate construction permits. In response to this, residents staged a protest defying the police, who used force. Three people were detained and face prison time for ‘disobeying the authorities’.

Residents of Davydenko have expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the actions of the authorities. All documents on land use are issued by representatives of the district administration, and they argue that it’s not their fault that each new administration repeals the orders of the previous one. However, after the brawl with police and subsequent media attention, residents have felt intimidated and have refused to talk with journalists and human rights activists.