Ingushetia Poll Marked by Violations, Opposition Says

By Maria Korolov | Reuters World Service | February 28, 1994

NAZRAN, Russia, Feb 28 -- Preliminary poll results on Monday showed that General Ruslan Aushev was headed for re-election as
president of the volatile southern Russian republic of Ingushetia.

Opponents accused Aushev, whose army of uniformed police patrolled the polling stations, of securing victory
in the north Caucasian republic by force and trickery.

According to the official results released early on Monday evening, 94 percent voted for Afghan war veteran
Aushev and only four percent for opposition candidate Bamatgirei Mankiev.

Almost 98 percent also approved Aushev's proposed constitution, which gives the president sweeping
powers.

The presidential elections were announced only a week and a half ago - giving opposition candidates 10 days
to campaign.

Mankiev, the only other candidate, was refused direct air time in local broadcast media while newspapers
ignored him altogether.

"There is no real alternative to Ruslan Aushev," read the headline in the Caucasus News newspaper. Its
article, signed by "the editors" did not mention the existence of another candidate.

"These people are not ready for freedom," Aushev told Reuters, explaining why his proposed constitution
gave him almost unlimited powers.

'This region isn't like the West. The West has a high level of education, culture, long-lived democratic
traditions."

Local journalists said they saw no point in interviewing Mankiev because he would lose anyway and on
Sunday night there were no local journalists at the opposition's headquarters.

Copyright 1994 Reuters, Limited