Tshetshenia kieltäytyi vastaanottamasta apua Tanskasta

Chechnya authorities have ordered a complete ban on "anything coming out of Denmark", and suspended a relief programme by the Danish Refugee Council, a non-profit organisation that has been helping thousands of displaced refugees.

The government orders follow publication of caricatures of Prophet Mohammad by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in September last year. The publication followed by repeat publication in several European newspapers has led to worldwide protests by Muslims.

Acting Chechen Prime Minister Razman Kadyrov says his decision to suspend the work of Danish humanitarian organisations has saved their staff from Muslim wrath.

"Many Muslims wanted it (suspension of the activities), including those in our republic," Kadyrov said in an interview published in the Kommersant-Vlast magazine. "These representatives could have been taken hostage to demand an apology from Denmark. I heard such rumours and my decision saved the Danes from being taken hostage. The Danes should thank me."

Kadyrov said he now wants Danish groups to leave. "I will do everything to make these organisations leave Chechnya," he said. "I believe the Danish authorities must apologise for what their media did."

But an apology would not be enough, he said. Muslims "want to punish those who abused the name of the Prophet."

He went on to accuse Danish employees of involvement in "intelligence work" in Chechnya republic. "These organisations never cooperated with the authorities and have been collecting all kinds of information," he said, adding that Denmark supports terrorists.

The Danish Refugee Council has dismissed the accusations as "completely baseless" and expressed concern over the effects of a sudden disruption of its humanitarian programme. Country director for Russia, Per Ilsaas, says they have scaled down activities as they await a decision on further work from the federal Russian government..

"We are concerned about the deplorable situation of the refugees, and eager to give a helping hand and vigorously improve their material welfare after relative peace has been established after the democratic elections," Ilsaas told IPS. "Our organisation is ready to continue its work with the people."

People in the region still need aid, she said. "The results of our feasibility studies show that the humanitarian situation in Chechnya has to be improved if the natives are to benefit."

Of Chechnya's population of 573,500 as many as 91,700 are vulnerable, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The Danish Refugee Council assists internally displaced people and also the war-affected population at large, Ilsaas said.

But Ilsaas was hopeful that negotiations with Russian authorities would make it possible to resume humanitarian work in Chechnya. "The dialogue has begun and there is hope that it will be successful," she said.

Moscow has taken a cautious position. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday that Russia was "seriously concerned over the negative consequences that resulted from the publication of caricatures that insulted the faith of Muslims." According to the statement, the scandal only benefited "those who wanted to spark ethnic strife for their own political ends."

The ministry called for "joint efforts" towards tolerance and the establishment of dialogue for the resumption of humanitarian assistance in Chechnya.

The hasty decision by the Chechen authorities to suspend work by the Danish groups has led to some differences with Moscow. Duma (parliament) speaker and chairman of the pro-Kremlin United Party, Boris Gryzlov, said Kadyrov needs to be more careful. "Such statements must first go through the (federal) government," the Nezavisimaya Gazeta quoted Gryzlov as saying.