BESLAN TRAGEDY: PEOPLE'S ATTITUDES
Note: This survey was carried out within a framework of a twelve-month project "Public opinion in North Caucasus" aimed at monitoring public opinion and implemented in all the republics of Northern Caucasus by the financial support of the US fund NED. Distribution of answers in the survey is given in percentages. A statistical error in such surveys is within a 7% limit. Two answers were allowed for some questions.
Negative forms of social self-perception of the population in Karachaevo-Cherkessia are ready to be expressed in mass anti-governmental manifestations
(Caucasus Times) - On August 10-17 2005, Caucasus Times has conducted a lightning survey of 200 residents (100 women and 100 men) of the town of Cherkessk, the capital of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. The age of the respondents was from 16 to 65.
The results of the survey testify to a high degree of dissatisfaction of the population concerning the republic's leadership, a pessimistic mood with regard to the republic's future, a high degree of tension in society at large and, as a consequence, the readiness of a substantial part of the population of Karachay-Cherkessia to participate in anti-government actions.
Thus, the majority of those questioned - 84% - see the most acute problem of Karachay-Cherkessia as being in the region of social and economic issues. Moreover, women react more sharply to the social and economic disorder of everyday life (90 women, compared to 78 men). A substantial part of the respondents - 71% - saw the most acute problem as lying in the sphere of public safety (criminality, terrorism). In the course of the survey it came to light that an equally significant problem for all categories of population of the KChR is in the field of inter-ethnic relations - 27% (24 women and 30 men). And only 2% of respondents consider the sphere of religious interrelation an element of possible conflict. 2% of those questioned consider corruption and instability of authority as the hottest problem of society.
The prospects for the development of the situation in Karachay-Cherkessia receive an extremely pessimistic assessment from the republic's population. Thus, 61% of respondents noted that the situation in the republic in the near future will not change substantially (70 women even 52 men). 27% of those questioned (22 women and 32 men) consider that the position will only deteriorate, and only 6% have an optimistic assessment of the situation. 6% of respondents have difficulty in answering the questions.
The attitude of the residents of Karachay-Cherkessia towards the replacement of elections for regional leaders with appointment by the Kremlin bears witness to the high degree of the dissatisfaction of population with the republic's leadership. An overwhelming majority of those questioned - 65% - expressed confidence that the replacement of elections for regional leaders with appointment by the Kremlin qualitatively stabilizes the situation in the republic. Moreover, women are more optimistic in their forecast - 74 women to 56 men. A less significant percentage of those questioned - 29% - (20 women and 34 men) consider that the innovations of the Kremlin will lead to a redoubling of the existing problems. And only 6% of respondents had difficulty in answering.
