'Hardman of the Caucasus' to become Chechen PM
By Andrew Osborn in Moscow
Published: 01 March 2006

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article348393.ece

A former militia leader who boasts an 8,000-strong
private army and keeps a lion and tiger as "pets" has
emerged as the favourite to become the next prime
minister of Chechnya after the post became
unexpectedly vacant.

Sergey Abramov, the ethnic Russian who held the job
previously, has resigned, "gifting" the position to
Ramzan Kadyrov, 29, whose father, a former president
of Chechnya, was murdered in 2004.

Mr Kadyrov's candidacy must be confirmed by the
Chechen parliament and the Chechen president, which is
expected to occur this week. But there are signs of a
power struggle.

Factions within the pro-Moscow administration in
Grozny, the Chechen capital, are known to be opposed
to Mr Kadyrov, and it remains to be seen whether the
Kremlin will acquiesce, although his appointment would
be consistent with Moscow's stated policy of
"Chechenisation", of transferring power from ethnic
Russians to loyal Chechens.

Mr Kadyrov, the self-styled hard man of the Caucasus
and a boxing fanatic who counts Mike Tyson among his
friends, has been tipped to take over his father's
mantle for some time and has been awarded a Hero of
Russia star by President Vladimir Putin.

Most observers already regard him as Chechnya's de
facto leader despite the fact that Alu Alkhanov, a
former policeman, technically occupies the
presidential chair.

That Mr Kadyrov is now poised to become the region's
premier, putting him a heartbeat away from the Chechen
presidency when he turns 30 later this year and
becomes eligible for the highest office, will not
please human rights groups.

Human Rights Watch and others have alleged that Mr
Kadyrov and his militia are directly involved in
torture and kidnap, and of presiding over a reign of
terror where people are dragged from their homes at
night never to be seen again.

Mr Kadyrov has also been accused of operating a
private dungeon near his home and of tearing strips
off his enemies' backs in protracted torture sessions.
He denies the allegations.

Mr Abramov has been recovering from injuries he
sustained in a car crash on the outskirts of Moscow in
November last year.

Mr Kadyrov, previously a rebel fighter who fought
against the Russians, was appointed to carry out Mr
Abramov's functions in his absence and began to stamp
his own mark on Chechnya by introducing elements of
Sharia law, which is derived from the teachings of the
Koran. He has advocated polygamy and has clamped down
on alcohol consumption and gambling.

He appeared to go too far for the Kremlin's liking
recently, however, when he expelled Danish human
rights groups from the region as punishment for the
publications of the cartoons depicting the Prophet
Mohamed. He has since let them return after a
representative of Mr Putinquestioned the legality of
the expulsion.

Mr Abramov said he had resigned on condition that only
Mr Kadyrov could take over. "The time has now come to
transfer power to Ramzan," Mr Abramov told a press
conference. "Ramzan Kadyrov has a big future and the
experience of heading a government will come in handy
for him. I'm surprised that he has not been appointed
already."
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More about chechnya at:
http://www.islamawareness.net/Persecution/Chechnya/