Residents of the Daghestani village of Chumli have recorded a public appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging him to annul the results of September’s local elections in the republic, claiming the newly elected officials are ineffective.
In the video appeal shared on Tuesday, Chumli resident Zaira Suleymanova read off a piece of paper, saying she was speaking on behalf of the village and its 2,000 inhabitants. In addition to Putin, the appeal was addressed to Aleksandr Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, and Daghestani Head Sergei Melikov.
Anvar Magomedov, the head of Chumli — apparently from Putin’s United Russia party, which won a majority of positions in the elections — was elected with the support of the authorities, although he had a questionable track record of effective work, the appeal said. Suleymanova added that Magomedov has been verbally abusive in response to villagers’ questions about the dire condition of Chumli.
Suleymanova listed off a series of complaints, which were coupled by videos that depicted the poor state of the Chumli’s infrastructure and living conditions. She said the residents believed their rights had been violated by local authorities for ‘several decades’ and questioned how government funds allocated for the village were being spent.
One overlaid video showed the village’s house of culture in a dilapidated state along with the caption, ‘How is this so?’.
The appeal also said the supply of water was at a critical state, with many residents being forced to buy water, apparently from outside the village.
Some of those who are being forced to buy water included local residents wounded fighting in Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, at least two of whom lost their legs.
Suleymanova said Chumli residents have repeatedly complained to the authorities of Daghestan, but to no avail.
‘They make verbal promises, but in reality take no actions’, Suleymanova said.
The appeal concluded by urging authorities to annul the recent elections, hold a new vote, and conduct an audit of past spending.
Xandie (Alexandra) Kuenning
