Owners of Chechen website abroad and Chechen authorities view the freedom of speech differently

The authors of the Chechen forum adamalla.com, opened in Europe, state that their resource will be a platform for free expression of opinions and an independent source for users to get information about what happens in the Chechen Republic and learn about the events hushed up by the official mass media. In his turn, Lema Gudaev, deputy minister of Chechnya for foreign relations, national policy, press and information, is sure that the Chechen Internet space in the region is independent and free.

"Under the present regime reigning in Chechnya, it's not obviously possible to start an independent newspaper or a human rights organization. As before, we'll try to fill in this gap by means of our website," the owner of the forum, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The adamalla.com (Adamallah) is a continuation of the project "U Kamina" (At the Fireplace), which was closed recently, said the source. "The forum 'U Kamina' was a project, where the main mission was to consolidate the Chechen society, educate the growing generation, preserve and accumulate knowledge about religion, customs, culture, language and history of our people," said the owner of the forum.

Lema Gudaev does not agree with the author of the resource: "'U Kamina' was a rather well-known Chechen forum; however, not so much the authorities, but the society was dissatisfied, since it published a lot contrary to moral principles of our people: elements of pornography and abusive expressions concerning women."

He noted that he did not know the reason why "U Kamina" was stopped. "I'd like to believe that the owner of this resource acquired the feeling of decency, or maybe he learnt the public opinion and switched his site off. In whatever country the Chechen sites reside, we refer them to 'Chenet'. However, there are websites running extremist propaganda. Visitors of certain Internet pages criticized the policy of Chechen authorities. However, now these stereotypes are broken. Even the opponents cannot but admit that the life in the republic has radically changed for the better," said Lema Gudaev.

Former owners of "U Kamina" told about the reasons of stopping the resource. "For the last 2-3 years, the administration of the portal experienced permanent pressure exerted by the authorities of Chechnya and Russia. Through their efforts the forum was put into the list of 'extremist websites'. Offers to sell the resource intermixed with demands to close it as a whole, or its separate topics or sections," the owners of the resource said.

According to their version, employees of various Chechen power structures and information departments were constantly monitoring the forum, threatened its participants (whom they could identify by certain attributes or channels) with physical execution of them or their relatives. "In Chechnya, the website was blocked by all providers and could be accessed only through the mobile Internet. Also, the closing of the forum was preceded by a fortnight-long massed DDOS-attack, which hampered its normal functioning," the interlocutors said.

"On the one hand, the 'Adamallah' website was founded and is run by the same administrative team, except for A. Digaev, which ran 'U Kamina'," said the owner of the portal.

The word "adamallah" in translation from the Chechen language means "humanity". In the Chechen perception this word has many values, namely: humanity, honesty, justice, altruism, will, morals and kind-heartedness.

"We hope that 'Adamallah' will be the same island of the freedom of speech as 'U Kamina' was, despite the aspiration of the current Chechen regime to put the Chenet under total control," the source said about his plans.

In the meantime, Lema Gudaev ascribes the high popularity of foreign-based Vainakh websites to the fact that until recently there were few opportunities inside Chechnya to set up Internet pages.

However, according to his version, recently the local Internet sphere in the republic has been progressing by leaps and bounds. "Local portals appear, including those for running a dialogue. The ministry has declared a contest for the best website 'Golden Website of Chenet-2009' to learn what resources operate in the republic and what they write about. There are many private and big Internet projects. The field is very broad," the Chechen official said.

Mr Gudaev is sure that the Chechen Internet space in the region is independent and free. According to his version, it is confirmed by the great variety of opposing viewpoints placed and covered by local resources.

He said that he knew nothing about the forum named "Adamallah".