The Japan Times PUBDATE: 4/18/2009 PAGE: 6 C M Y K OUTPUT TIME: 22:36:23

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6 THE JAPAN TIMES SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2009 (4)

world

Chechnya’strail of bloodleads abroadOpponents ofKremlin-friendlypresident slain

Antoine LambroschiniMoscowAFP-JIJI

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The killer fired three bulletsfrom a gold-plated gun at Su-lim Yamadayev’s chest as hegot out of his car in the privatecar park beneath his luxuryresidence in Dubai.

Yamadayev was the deco-rated commander of a famedChechen battalion, loyal toMoscow. His brother had beengunned down in Moscow justmonths earlier. And the Yama-dayev clan were sworn foes ofChechnya’s strongman leader.

The March 28 murder wasthe latest apparent contractkilling in an extraordinarytrail of blood leading fromChechnya that stretched to Is-tanbul, Moscow and Vienna —and now the bustling emirate.

Yamadayev was the fifthperson to be murdered in re-cent months who is seen as anopponent of Ramzan Kadyrov,the Kremlin-appointed presi-dent of Chechnya, a mainlyMuslim region of Russia’ssouthern fringe that foughttwo wars with Moscow.

Even if motives are mangledin the violent history of theNorth Caucasus, Kadyrov’sshadow looms large over all ofthe recent string of murders.

‘‘All these people had onething in common: They wereall opponents or critics of Kady-rov,’’ said Novaya Gazeta jour-

nalist Vyacheslav Izmaylov, anexpert on the Caucasus and vet-eran of the Chechen wars.

‘‘They were opponents ofKadyrov. They said so, andthey are dead. It makes youwonder why Kadyrov was nev-er called in as a witness byprosecutors,’’ added GrigoryChevedov, chief editor of thelocal Web site Kavkaz-uzel.ru.

The Yamadayev clan, likeKadyrov, were former rebelswho joined pro-Kremlintroops. They were known asthe only challengers to Kady-rov’s rule, competing with himfor control over Chechnya’ssecurity forces.

The attack on Yamadayevcame after his brother Ruslanwas gunned down late lastyear in a contract-style killingat the wheel of his BMW in cen-tral Moscow traffic.

In recent months, three moreChechen exiles have seemingly

been picked off a list of Kady-rov’s critics in two killings in Is-tanbul and one in Vienna.

But Yamadayev’s casemarked a first. Dubai policehave accused Adam Delimkh-anov, a relative of Kadyrovand now a pro-Kremlin mem-ber of Parliament for Chech-nya in Russia’s lower house, ofordering the assassination.

‘‘It’s the first time that sucha high-ranking Russian offi-cial has been officially de-clared a suspect by the author-ities. And to top it all off, he’s amember of Kadyrov’s innercircle,’’ Chevedov said.

Like any Russian lawmak-er, Delimkhanov enjoys legalimmunity, and Russia is likelyto refuse any request from theUnited Arab Emirates for ex-tradition.

‘‘Delimkhanov is officiallywanted by Interpol, and wewill do our best to get him,’’

said Dubai police chief Lt.Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim,according to the Gulf News.

Kadyrov and his close allyDelimkhanov, a former Che-chen deputy prime ministertipped as a successor, have re-jected any links to the mur-ders, repudiating suspicionsas ‘‘provocations’’ aimed atdestabilizing the region.

The eccentric Chechenleader went even further, say-ing he was ‘‘70 percent cer-tain’’ that Yamadayev was im-plicated in the assassination ofhis father, former ChechenPresident Akhmad Kadyrov,who died in a bomb blast in2004 in Grozny.

Yamadayev, who had beenawarded the Hero of Russia,the country’s highest honor,was the commander of Vos-tok, a battle-hardened battal-ion of former Chechen rebelsthat won praise in Russia’s

war with Georgia in August.But as enmity with Kadyrov

mounted in late 2008, his bat-talion was dissolved, a war-rant was issued for his arrestand he fled to the United ArabEmirates.

The affair coincided with Ka-dyrov boasting that the Russianauthorities were to end a de-cade-long antiterrorism opera-tion in Chechnya due to re-newed stability — somethingthat Moscow announced onThursday that it will do.

Bizarrely, the Russian For-eign Ministry said the Dubaiauthorities have still not in-formed them of Yamadayev’sdeath, although the press hasreported Tamin saying he wasburied this month.

Yamadayev’s other broth-er, Isa, has always said SulimYamadayev was merelywounded in the attack and thathis condition was improving.

Last month, a repentantwould-be hit man for Kadyrovin Europe, Ruslan Khalidov,claimed in a video confessionposted on the Web siteKavkazcenter.com that theChechen president kept a listof 300 Chechen emigres to betaken out.

‘‘Does this list exist? All thatwe can say is that there arepeople opposing Kadyrov, andthese people are dead,’’ Iz-maylov said, adding that Ka-dyrov himself has said hecould not allow any challengeto his power in Chechnya.

But Chevedov doubtedthere was any ‘‘rational mo-tive’’ behind the murders.

‘‘No doubt, they have moreto do with a settling of past ac-counts. . . . And as always,there are no real investiga-tions in our country. There isno reason to believe that thisviolence will end,’’ he said.

President calls for more tolerance of dissent

Medvedev offersbreak with PutinMoscowAP

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Russia needs stronger politi-cal competition and a greaterfreedom to protest, PresidentDmitry Medvedev said in re-marks released Thursday,sending the strongest signalyet that he may rethink thelegacy of predecessor Vladi-mir Putin.

Medvedev, who has posi-tioned himself as a cautiousliberal during his first year inpower, has until now followedthe path blazed by Putin, whomethodically rolled back Rus-sia’s post-Soviet freedomsduring his presidency.

Medvedev’s statements at ameeting Wednesday with civilsociety activists containedsome of his most explicit criti-cism of Putin’s policies todate. The remarks were re-leased Thursday.

Medvedev specifically criti-cized the 2006 law that tough-ened registration and account-ing rules for human rightsgroups and other nongovern-mental organizations, ham-pering their operations.

‘‘A significant number of of-ficials, which I think is quitedangerous, have got a sensethat nongovernmental organi-zations are enemies of thestate that must be confrontedto prevent some disease fromseeping through and under-mining the foundations of ourorder,’’ Medvedev said.

Medvedev added that thepurpose of the law was not to in-terfere with the operations ofthe groups. But his remarkscontrasted sharply with state-ments from Putin, who saidtightened regulation was neces-sary to make sure that NGOsweren’t controlled by what hecalled puppeteers from abroad.

The 2006 law requires orga-nizations to file highly detailed

reports about activities for theprevious year, such as a pre-cise accounting of all meet-ings held by NGO officials anddetailed information on howthey are financed.

Passage of the law reflectedthe Kremlin’s fears of what itsaw as Western encourage-ment of protests in other ex-Soviet nations, includingGeorgia and Ukraine.

Medvedev said that NGOsface undue restrictions andadded that changes in the laware ‘‘possible, even essential.’’

He added that the countryneeds more freedom.

‘‘There must a politicalcompetition — it’s irreplace-able,’’ he said.

Responding to rights activ-ists’ complaints about officialrefusals to sanction oppositionprotests, Medvedev agreedthat authorities’ actions defythe law and encourage protest-ers to appeal official bans incourt.

‘‘Authorities obviously don’twant to sanction such actions,it’s understandable,’’ he said.‘‘But in any case, such deci-sions aren’t based on law.’’

He agreed with one personat the conference who suggest-ed that Moscow needs its ownSpeaker’s Corner, like the onein London’s Hyde Park, andadded that it should not be putin a distant location.

‘‘It mustn’t be an empty spotnear garages or near some in-dustrial zone,’’ he said.

Medvedev’s meeting with ac-tivists Wednesday coincidedwith the publication of his inter-view with the Kremlin-criticalNovaya Gazeta, a pointed con-trast with Putin, who has neverspoken to the newspaper.

‘‘Dissent isn’t a crime,’’he told the activists. ‘‘The en-tire history of Russia has dem-onstrated it with bloodyobviousness.’’

Clean hands?: ChechenPresident Ramzan Kadyrovspeaks Thursday afterMoscow said it would end itsantiterrorism operation inChechnya. Right: Children innational costume danceduring a celebration of thelifting of the securityregime. AFP-JIJI, REUTERS

New government unites to put nation on road to recoveryStuart Harold ComberbachAMBASSADOR OF ZIMBABWE TO JAPAN

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On the occasion of the 29th an-niversary of Zimbabwe’s ac-cession to sovereign indepen-dence, I take the opportunityso kindly af-forded by TheJapan Times toextend warmgreetings toTheir ImperialMajesties Em-peror Akihitoand EmpressMichiko, as well as to the gov-ernment and people of Japanas a whole — and to thankthem, as always, for their con-tinuing friendship and solidar-ity with the people of Zimba-bwe.

My warm greetings go aswell to the small Zimbabweancommunity resident in Japan.

The last year has been aparticularly difficult one forall Zimbabweans as the coun-try’s political leaders, encour-aged and assisted by theSouthern African region — theSouthern African Develop-ment Community (SADC) —and further afield by the Afri-can Union, strove and eventu-ally managed to find enoughcommon ground on which toend a long-standing politicalstalemate, and to begin tomove the country forward,away from a lengthy period ofeconomic instability, the con-sequences of which have beenserious and in some areas se-vere for the people of Zimba-bwe.

The General PoliticalAgreement implemented inFebruary this year has givenrise to an inclusive nationalgovernment structure, incor-porating all three of the coun-try’s major political forma-tions. Notwithstanding yearsof mutual suspicion and ani-mosity between and among itsvarious members, this newstructure has performed welland putting aside those pastdifferences, has concentratedits efforts on returning thecountry to the path of econom-ic growth and prosperity, andof course seeking to cater forthe needs of the most vulnera-ble within our society.

The task faced by the newinclusive government is farfrom simple. Faced on the onehand with an understandablyhigh level of expectation froma population fatigued by theconsequences of years of polit-ical infighting and economicdecline, and on the other by askeptical donor communitysome of whom are still deter-mined, apparently, to try toimpose themselves and their‘‘solutions’’ upon the country,the inclusive government fac-es many challenges.

As Zimbabweans have trav-eled this difficult path, thesupport and understanding ofthe Southern African region,and of the continent as a wholehas been of crucial impor-tance. Southern African and

AU solidarity with Zimbabwesucceeded in bringing aboutthe political compromise thatgave rise to the inclusive gov-ernment, and enabled Zimba-bweans — not outsiders — todetermine their way forward.Southern African and AU soli-darity with Zimbabwe, and ofcourse the progress that con-tinues to be made by the newinclusive government, willhelp to address the concerns ofthose skeptics who continue toimpose sanctions against thecountry, and who continue toact to deny credit and otherforms of financial and budget-ary support to the new politi-cal dispensation in Harare.

Zimbabwe is potentially avery wealthy country —

blessed with abundant naturalresources, highly fertile land,significant mineral wealth, amagnificent tourism portfolio,and a well-educated, industri-ous and motivated people. Inaddition, Zimbabwe sits at thevery heart of the SADC region-al grouping and, with its roadand rail networks, and its pow-er-generation and distributioninfrastructure, constitutes anessential cog in the ongoingprocess of regional integra-tion and development.

Throughout this challeng-ing period, Japan — as alwaysa friend — has walked with us,assisting where it has felt ableto do so, most especially in thearea of health and food securi-ty. Such support has been gen-erous and effective, and is sin-cerely appreciated by the na-tion as a whole. It isanticipated that further sup-port, under the umbrella of TI-CAD, will be forthcoming.

The implementation of theYokohama Action Plan — spe-cifically the measures aimedat boosting Japanese tradewith and investment in Africa— holds tremendous opportu-nities for the countries ofSADC, including Zimbabwe.The decision by the TICADMinisterial Follow-up meet-

ing held in Botswana in Marchto further accelerate the im-plementation of these and oth-er support measures has comeas a most welcome develop-ment, as was the decision toresuscitate the Japan-SADCHigh-Level Dialogue — a pre-cursor to yet a more intense in-teraction, across many criti-cal sectors, between Japanand the SADC region.

One such sector is that oftourism promotion — a recentand very welcome addition toTICAD’s wide range of activi-ties. In 2010, the FIFA WorldCup comes to Africa — anevent to be celebrated by theentire continent. South Africa— the host country — and thenations of Southern Africa areworking closely together to en-sure that the exposure, enjoy-ment and benefit of this hugeevent, specifically in terms ofthe tourism dividend, devolveupon the region as a whole andindeed beyond. We look for-

ward to welcoming large num-bers of visitors from Japanand other Asian countries toour region, and to the excep-tional array of outstandingtourism destinations we haveto offer.

Zimbabwe, along with all

African countries, warmlywelcomes Japan’s increasinginterest in and engagementwith the SADC region, andwith the continent morebroadly. Our collective expec-tation is that through TICADthis relationship will continueto strengthen, bringing us stillcloser together and evolving,over time, into the solid, mutu-ally beneficial partnership weseek.

Zimbabwe independence day

‘‘The Smoke that Thunders’’: The Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was designated as a UNESCOWorld Heritage site in 1989.

United: Leaders of the inclusive government, President RobertG. Mugabe (center) Prime Minister Morgan R. Tsvangirai (left)and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, pose for a photoSept. 15, 2008, at the signing ceremony of the General PoliticalAgreement in Harare, Zimbabwe. ZIMBABWE EMBASSY

Name set in stone: The conical tower inside the GreatEnclosure at Great Zimbabwe, or ‘‘stone buildings,’’ fromwhich the country gets its name.