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