CHECHNYA: Chechens have voted for a new regional assembly in an election expected to cement the power of a pro-Russian strongman. However, rebels fighting for independence dismiss the poll as a political sham.
Pro-Moscow officials say it will provide Chechnya with full government functions needed to make it a normal part of the Russian state after years of conflict.
"Parliamentary polls will kick-start the democratic process in Chechnya," pro-Moscow president Alu Alkhanov was quoted as saying. "Now we face municipal polls, mayoral elections, the process of creating civil society."
Most voters yesterday focused more on what parliament could do to end violence and improve the economic situation. The region has been devastated by a decade of war, lawlessness and kidnappings, blamed by many residents on Russian troops and pro-Moscow security forces.
"The most important issue is peace, nothing else matters," said Grozny voter Said (33).
Separatist rebels took no part in the vote and called it a charade, as they have past Russian-administered elections. "We are against illegal elections on the territory of Chechnya," rebel website www.kavkazcenter.com said.
More than 24,000 police and troops were providing tight security in a region which sees daily hit-and-run attacks by rebels. Extra security measures have been ordered in neighbouring Russian regions.
The regional capital, Grozny, still in ruins after the Russian military onslaught ordered by President Vladimir Putin in 1999 to end Chechnya's short-lived independence, appeared calm with little electoral activity visible.
"The only free election we had was when [ late rebel leader Aslan] Maskhadov was elected in 1997," said Rustam (29), reflecting widespread scepticism about a poll in which seven parties compete under heavy Moscow control.
Analysts say the new parliament will be dominated by loyalists of deputy prime minister Ramzan Kadyrov, de facto ruler of Chechnya, whose power stems from his thousands of irregular troops - most of them, like him, former rebels.
Kadyrov's native village of Tsentoroi in eastern Chechnya held ceremonies yesterday to mark the election and the opening of a new mosque. Plain-clothed security agents watched over a crowd including Alkhanov and other local leaders.
Election officials announced that 57.4 per cent of voters had turned up by 5.30pm local time, well over the 25 per cent needed for the vote to be valid. It also suggests that the final turnout could be close to 70 per cent, an impressive figure for polls elsewhere in Russia. Preliminary results are expected this morning.
Human rights groups say that amid a background of violence a free and fair poll is impossible, despite the large number of parties taking part and a relatively incident-free campaign.
"There were no dirty tricks in the Soviet elections [ under dictator Josef Stalin] in 1937 either," said Alexander Cherkasov, from rights group Memorial. "They were not needed because people were already scared."