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Show Al4 The Salt Lake Tribune WORLD Wednesday, December 22, 1999 Centrist Parties Ride Poll Success, Russian Soldiers Try to Force Trainload of Chechens Home Now Seek to Secure Speaker’s Post of Ingushetia, where about coe tracks in frontof the locomotive. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS because they fear fighting in the ‘THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MOSCOW — Russian centrist parties started work Tuesday on Parlaying their success at weekend polis into control of parliament. Their immediate goal is the Speaker's post, essentialtoend the longtime Communist domination of the powerful lower chamber. Coimmunists, who were the top ¥ote-getters in Sunday's parliaTentary elections, will remain the largest faction in the lower house, the State Duma. But they are expected tolose their grip on the house because of the surprisingly strong showing of the Unity party and other moderates. Unity's success was seen as a strong endorsement of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his handlingof the war in Chechnya. Putin has backed the party but does notbelong to it, and the outcomehasfurther strengthened his bid to succeed Boris Yeltsin in presidential elections in June, It was not immediately clear which centrists would seek the speaker's post or if the various centrist parties would be able tc work together. The battle for the position will probably dominate the political scene the next few weeks before the new parliament holdsits first meeting in January. The speaker is elected by the Duma’s members, andextensive negotiations among the house’s factions precede the nomination of a candidate. SLEPTSOVSKAYA, Russia — Determined to force Chechen refugees back home, Russian sol- diers hooked an engine to railroad cars filled with Chechens and towed them toward the warshattered republic. Frightened children chased the trains screaming for their par- ents, fearing they would be left ks with their bodies to stop the forced relocation. The operation was a new development in Russia's efforts to try to return some of the 260,000 people whe have fied the tumultu- ous republic since fighting began three months ‘The attempt tomove the thirdclass sleeper cars in the republic Russian soldiers fired two mi aseault rifles above tling into motion unexpectedly. Children studying in a tent school nearby were separated from their parents. “The children ran from the tent, yelling,” said Resa Gaitaiva, with her arms draped around the neck of her 7-yeay-cld daughter, Imam, whowas in the school but meet to jump on the moving ee refugees, most ofwhom are Muslims observing the fasting month of Ramadan, also were separated from a kitchen where they were preparing dinner to eat the people’s heads, said 25-year- old Ibragim Mensiyev. The track was cleared, but the train did not immediately leave. Officials had not told all the train dwellers that the cars,sitting on a railway siding in a field, would be moved, refugees said. Somesaid theywere told the train would move only to allow other locomotives to pass. The Emergency Situations Ministry towed about 36 wagons to Chechnya on Saturday afternoon, but only a few refugees ac- ‘The train stopped about three cepted the ride, observers from Human Rights Watch said. The other cars were returned to their again the refugees stood on the Refugees onthe train said they don’t wantto return to Chechnya after sundown. miles away for a few hours, and when officials tried to moveit original spot by Sunday. forests around their towns and because many houses have been destroyed as the Russian army rolled over their homeland. Many also feared Russian soldiers who, they claim, beat and sometimes kill civilians and have looted the abandoned towns and “venif we return, we have no where to go,” said Zaindi Batishev,66, standing on the garbagestrewn tracks by the remaining wagons, The aid operation for Chechen refugees has been hap! andfood andlong on bureaucratic hassles. American and European leaders havecriticized the overcrowded camps and offered help, but Russia insists it can handle thesituation. Benehme aes fe nie 2nd-- 23rd 8am rr rae BatesLiL Ly) DAY: Bihaa Erma Sunday, Dec. 26th RCRALal PenRAees ResortStore ra ernie? Bxeyare eee lacs orig. price Msto10) ‘800 Oar Price Ta ve La Tare pEhl oT aa a a Care ya tao i Es) Our Price ena ar Ht Ourprice Our price 24% ain iMef an Ua 909 659 Te Tad Pasivags Price a= BLT OT "186 Interim markdowns may have been taken. Styles, sizes or colors vary by location. SPORTSCASTLE 5550 South 900 East 801-263-3633 10200 S. State St. (cast of +13). ibis Ue th TAR a and poorly organized, short on tents |