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Chechen Refugee Child Needs Immediate Operation Abroad

January 18, 2008
Resettlement to a third country is still problem for Chechen refugees.

Chechen refugees have been residing in Georgia for over seven years and they still desire to resettle to a third country. Edri Alkhanashvili’s child became one year old several days ago. He is seriously ill. Unless he is operated on, he would remain invalid till the end of his life. Future of Ilis Khan Gaziev depends on international organizations; though they have not decided the future of the child and his family yet.

Chechen refugees fled to the Pankisi Valley in 1999 as a result of Russian-Chechen conflict. Eight thousand Chechen refugees fled to Georgia from Russian Federation. Repatriation to their homeland is still dangerous for these people. 

In spring of 2006 the Human Rights Center prepared a report (“Silence Kills”, about the Abuse of Chechen Refugees in Georgia) which describes the poor living conditions Chechen refugees have to live in Pankisi Valley.

Lawyers for the center continue their work in the Pankisi Valley and provide local residents with free legal aid. One of the refugees, Edris Alkhanashvili has been residing in the Valley for several years already. Like every refugee, he arrived in Georgia as in a temporary shelter; he expected resettlement to a third country. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provides the resettlement of the refugees to a third country.

Nino Andriashvili, lawyer for the Human Rights Center, met Alkhanashvili in November of 2007 for the first time.

“We were providing free legal consultations for Chechen refugees in Pankisi Valley. Edris Alkhanashvili also visited us. Georgian Legislation does not enable a refugee to leave the country. Thus he applied to the UNHCR several months ago. It is the only international organization that supports refugees to resettle to a third country. Edris Alkhanashvili submitted all necessary documents to the UNHCR and was invited to the interview; though he has not received final reply yet.

Afterwards he got married. The young couple had a child who needed operation. The child does not have muscles on the abdomen and is invalid. Edris applied to the “Tagi” organization that provides Chechen refugees with medical treatment with the financial support of the OSCE. 

Edris Alkhanashvili’s son, Ilis Khan Gaziev, became one year old several days ago. Andriashvili said that the child is provided with medical consultations at the “Tagi” but he needs operation that cannot be done in Georgia. If the child is not operated on, he would remain invalid whole his life. Doctor from the “Tagi” sent all corresponding recommendations and documents on Edris Alkhanashvili to the UNHCR but the latter received a refusal again. Alkhanashvili was not explained a reason for refusal; though a representative of the UNHCR personally informed him about it.

As it was found out, the doctor sent the information to the UNHCR. But the case-discussion has been going on for 3-4 months already without any results.

Nino Andriashvili: “The aim of UNHCR mission in Georgia is to protect the interests of the refugees and implement the goals of the mission. However, the UNHCR does not implement them properly. Besides that many refugees have told me that many resettlement cases were blocked and other people, who had paid money, were let to resettle to a third country instead of them.”

Edris Alkhanashvili said that he had planned resettlement three years ago but was not allowed to leave Georgia.

“They interviewed me and I had prepared almost every necessary documents. There was an American person, Andrea, who supported everybody; he claimed that our cases would be solved positively. We had to wait for a while. As soon as he left, the case was canceled.”

“In December of 2006 my son was born. We wanted to take him to a third country because he was badly ill. Doctors claimed that unless he was operated he would remain invalid. We applied to regional office of the UNHCR in Akhmeta for help. They promised to discuss the situation of our child but finally they did not support us at all.”

“Those four people who work in Akhmeta office do not bear their responsibilities properly. We had to resettle three years ago but we are still here. Thus I think other people were sent abroad instead of us. During previous years strange people were sent abroad instead of Chechen refugees using Chechen surnames.”

Edris Alkhanashvili is sure that corruption is reigning in the UNHCR Akhmeta Office. According to his information the office had sent people abroad instead of them.

Marina Tsagareishvili is one of the doctors who treat Edris Alkhanashvili’s son. The doctor confirms that it is necessary to send the child abroad for operation. Similar operations are made only in two countries -Canada and the USA. She had submitted corresponding information to the UNHCR.

“The child does not have front muscles of the abdomen and uses bandages. We buy porridges for him because cannot eat heavy food. The child is under permanent control of the Akhmeta district hospital and at various clinics of Tbilisi. Of course it is better he lived abroad where there are better conditions for medical treatment.”

Doctor Marina Tsagareishvili said that the UN and “Tagi” are eager to treat the child abroad.

After the conversation with Edris Alkhanashvili and Marina Tsagareishvili, the Human Rights Center had many new questions about the UNHCR’s activities. Why it was impossible to send the applicant to a third country if he has been demanding it for three years already? Moreover, the doctor states that it is in the organization’s interest to send him aboard. How the organization is going to treat the sick child? Why do refugees doubt that local office of the UNHCR does not work properly? And many other questions, that could not be answered.

We could get in touch with Natalia Krutovskaia, a consultant at the UNHCR.

She said that the UNHCR had interviewed refugees in the Pankisi Valley and looked through their case materials. In the nearest future Edris Alkhanashvili will receive a final decision about his resettlement. The organization has information about the illness of his child.

This information was provided by Natalia Krutovskaia to the Human Rights Center. It is clear that above-mentioned questions were not answered. All responsible officials of the UNHCR, who are in power to answer our questions, are busy. Besides that, they claim that all necessary information can be found in the UNHCR newsletter “Shelter” and the consultant advised us to read the article published in the newsletter.

“Significant progress has been made in the protection of refugees in Georgia during the recent years. Clarification and strengthening of their legal status and the systematic issuing of temporary residence permit certificates to refugees in the country, has improved the legal environment for local integration. These changes have not gone unnoticed by the traditional resettlement countries and together with other factors, led to stricter resettlement policies vis-à-vis refugees from Chechnya in Georgia. These developments require UNHCR to adjust its approach.

In the future only exceptional cases with clearly proven specific grounds for resettlement he considered and submitted to potential resettlement countries. Lack of integration perspectives is no longer a reason for resettlement out of Georgia and in light of the generally positive development of the security situation in the Pankisi Valley security concerns requiring resettlement for protection reasons may only be credibly established in highly exceptional cases,” stated the newsletter.

The newsletter provides the interview with the UNHCR Tbilisi’s Head of Protection Unit: “Refugees need to be honestly and clearly informed about the options for their future and UNHCR is committed to take a transparent approach.’

Does Edris Alkhanashvili’s case meet the terms of the stricter criteria? Although the legal status of the refugees has been strengthened, their social conditions have remained the same. Why is it enough argument for a resettlement county not to accept Chechen refugees? If the UNHCR’s position is- honestly and clearly inform refugees about the options for their future-why the organization has not discussed the appeals of so many families. Doctor’s opinion about the resettlement of the refugees means that the more difficult is the situation of the refugee family, more difficult is for them to resettle to a third country. Consequently, Edris Alkhanashvili’s family will not be allowed to resettle and the sick child will not be operated on.

The Human Rights Center hopes that in future we will not have to look for the answers to our question in the newsletters, but hear direct answers from the UNHCR officials.

Nona Suvariani, Tbilisi

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