The head of the Environemtnal Safety division of the Armed Forces, Alevtin Litvak said in an interview with Itar Tass that the situation had become more difficult in the years during which the leadership of the republic have tried to create an independent Ichkeria.
Whereas before there were 1.5 thousand oil processing and allied plants the production process only included 30% of the crude oil resources. Oil slicks appeared all over the land. The soil around oil extraction- refining and processing plants has become soaked with oil to a depth of 2 metres, and in the more mountainous regions rivers of oil flow as far as 2 kilometers.

This is one sure case of the "black gold" proving more a curse than a blessing. There is little profit to be made from oil in Chechnya these days, as the general population continue to live in poverty and fear. Russian "mop-up" operations are still common throughout the region, and reprisals known as "extra judiciary killings" continue. This war is not over. Novaya Gazeta this week reported the number of soldiers killed in the two Chechen Wars as 12,000. The current estimate for civillian casualties stands at 40,000.

Meanwhile from Moscow the Chechens are offered "amnesties", "elections" and "a new hymn". None of these moves from the Kremlin represent any real "democratisation" of the region, or indeed any move towards a peaceful solution to the problems involved. They are cynical PR excercises designed to pacify occasionally vociferous domestic and international criticism of Russian policy in Chechnya and neighbouring regions.

Russian conscripts were often sent to the front from their barracks drunk or drugged. New conscripts are beaten mercilessly and tought to do the same to others. Many are sent into battle- and certain death- without identification, so that the statistics don't suffer. Rape has become a commonplace tactic in this war. Grozny no longer exists, and stories are emerging revealing the horrific extent of environmental damage.

Russians and Chechens alike worry that now several generations are growing up who have never known peace and who cannot conceive of peace between their two countries. The hope for peace continues, and on all sides, people are valiantly working for it. But as the West remains silent and our leaders nod sagely as Putin describes "Chechen terrorists" as "the most dangerous incarnation of global terrorism" the real possibility of peace fades. Putin day after day appears on Russian television. His speeches make Ariel Sharon appear most "dove"-like, as he uses crude solders' words "we must wipe them out" he promises "as they're having a shit" "we must dig them out of their burrows and blast them out of their caves".

For ideas on what can be done from the UK to work for peace in Chechnya or for more information, contact the email address provided.