Anti-Chechen measures in Moscow



Re-Registration in Moscow and Emerging Racism in Russia's Capital


Report from UCSJ Moscow Bureau Director, Tanya Lokshina
(September 16, 1999)
The following report comes from UCSJ Moscow Bureau Director, Tanya Lokshina regarding the emerging racist sentiments after the rising conflicts in the Southern regions of Russia and recent bombings throughout Russia.
September 15, 1999
Tanya Lokshina writes:
Emergency or no emergency, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov declared compulsory re-registration of all non-residents. Those who do not manage to re-register before this Friday (imagine those queues in the militia departments!) will blow their one and only chance and can be righteously kicked out of the lovely city of Moscow.
Well, I am one of those unfortunates, and so I will spend the whole day tomorrow on the doorstep of my district militia department, shivering under the rain and waiting for the under-colonel to examine my face for signs of Chechen nationality and my passport and proof of employment -- for authenticity. The secretary of the department warned me over the phone to come as early as possible (preferably several hours before they open which is at 10am), because today the line was incredibly long, and tomorrow it is expexted to be even longer and 8 hours may not be enough to make it.

September 16, 1999
Tanya Lokshina writes:
Surprisingly enough, I managed to re-register. It took me the whole day, and I am a bit dehumanized having listened to militiamen cussing and screaming and women crying and what not. The whole procedure is unbelievably humiliating. Literally tons of people (mostly, Caucasus nationals) were refused re-registration and told point-blank to "crawl back to the shitholes" from where they had come. Only those with close relatives (siblings, parents, grandparents and children) can re-register without significant problems. For others -- it is sheer hell.
ALso, a popular Russian TV political-analytical program entitled "Vremyachko" (Channel !) ran a survey a couple of days ago, asking the Muscovites whom they wanted to kick out of the city in light of the present situation. The Muscovites were give three options:
1. Kick out all the Chechens
2. Kick out all the people of Caucasian nationalities
3. Kick out all the bandits
And the results were that out of approximately 2000 people who called the studio throughout the program's duration, practically 80% chose the second option. "We want all the Caucasus nationals out!" This is apparently the Moscow slogan of our time. Forget about the bandits -- we can live with them. And to expulse Chechens only would never be enough.