TWO FOREIGN AID NGOS REPORTEDLY BANNED IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MOSCOW 000312 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016 TAGS: PREF PHUM PGOV PREL EAID RU SUBJECT: TWO FOREIGN AID NGOS REPORTEDLY BANNED IN INGUSHETIYA Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR KIRK AUGUSTINE. REASONS 1.4 (B AND D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Russian press reported January 16 that an Ingush court had banned two international NGOs working in the North Caucasus and was also considering banning a USG-funded American NGO. The basis of the court's ruling is unclear, and it appears none of the three NGOs was aware that a ban was under consideration. Our contacts said the ruling was a surprise, as relations between the international humanitarian aid community and Ingush Government were improving after some rancor during the past several weeks. It is not clear who or what precipated this decision, or whether it portends future action against other NGOs in the North Caucasus. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Russian press reported January 16 that the court had banned the British NGO Center for Peacemaking and Community Development (CPCD) and the German NGO HELP from further work in Ingushetiya. The court ruled that neither HELP nor CPCD had permission to work in the republic, although it was unclear what sort of permission the court meant. CPCD, a small NGO focusing on children, had been told several weeks ago that it would not be re-registered and had essentially stopped all of its programs in the North Caucasus. CPCD had problems previously and may have been seen by authorities as pro-separatist. Its founder, Chris Hunter, was denied a visa by the Russians in 2001 for criticizing the GOR's conduct in Chechnya. One NGO contact told us that a CPCD staff member had told him that CPCD maintained links to Kavkaz Center and other separatist websites on its headquarters' homepage, and the father of one of its expatriate staff had ties to Chechen "Deputy Premier" Akhmed Zakayev. Although CPCD had not had its registration renewed, it was trying to find other ways to maintain its presence in the North Caucasus. ¶3. (SBU) While CPCD lost its registration, HELP is accredited in Russia and registered in Ingushetiya. It recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ingush Government on its activities and apparently had no indication that action against it was pending. Despite the ruling, HELP was continuing its normal operations. ¶4. (SBU) Like HELP, IMC is accredited and registered in Ingushetiya and has enjoyed good relations with Ingush officials. It too has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government. IMC staff learned it might be banned from reporters seeking comment on the ruling. Press reports gave no indication when and if the court would decide whether to ban it, and IMC is continuing its normal work. ¶5. (C) The sudden announcement of the court's actions, posted first on the Ingush Procurator's website, came as UN and NGO contacts told us repeatedly over the past week that earlier complaints about and disputes with the Ingush Government had quieted down. Those complaints were directed at Ingush Deputy Prime Minister Osman Uzhakhov, the government's liaison to the humanitarian community. Uzhakhov had critized and berated NGO, UN and ICRC representatives, threatenting to shut down any organization that did not undertake programs that corresponded to the Ingush Government's priorities or sign Memorandums of Understanding with the government. During the past month, his tenor had changed and he had become more conciliatory, possibly because of indications he would be dismissed, according to our contacts. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: No one is sure who or what precipitated the surprise decision to ban these NGOs or whether it suggests future action against other NGOs. Relations between the international aid community and the GOR and local officials have never been good but have generally improved over the past year; however, rumors of NGO shutdowns are constant. The ban does not appear to be directly related to the recent passage of the NGO law. Our experience has shown that harassment of foreign NGOs in the North Caucasus is cyclical. Typically, one or two NGOs are singled out for administrative or legal action that is intended as a message to the others that their ability to work depends on cooperation with the authorities. Usually, the situation is resolved after intervention by donor governments and UN officials, and things quiet down until the cycle repeats itself. We will continue to follow this situation closely. BURNS