DUTCH JOURNALIST REPORTS IN.

Publication: North Caucasus Weekly Volume: 3 Issue: 8

On March 4, Radio Nederland International reported on the visit of its journalist, Geert Groot Koerkamp, to the Chechen capital of Djohar (Grozny). In his report, Koerkamp focused on the endangered fate of one Chechen woman and her family: “Zara Zukhairayeva lives with six children in a twelve-story apartment block, near the former Lenin Street in the center of Grozny. They occupy the only apartment suitable for living in, but she says the building will soon be demolished…. Last year, Zara’s eldest son, Muslim, came from the Russian city of Volgograd to take the family away. But in July he was abducted by unknown men and never seen again. Zara only found his coat, full of bullet holes…. Survivors like Zara Zukhairayeva have nowhere else to go, and they don’t want to become refugees. Therefore they stay, each day becoming more angry at Russian troops roaming the city and fearing for their lives. ‘I am afraid [she said]. When you walk in the street you don’t know what will happen. There may be an explosion. You may have to run for your life. Or maybe they come to take you away, even if you’re innocent. So, we try to stay at home and only go out to trade in our little market place'” (posted in English on the European-based website Ichkeria.org, March 4).