Russian mayor laments that he can't hunt down the homeless
by Andy Potts at 24/02/2011 14:24
Russia’s homelessness problem would be swiftly resolved if only the authorities could hunt them down – with guns if possible.
At least, that’s the view of Chita’s mayor, Anatoly Mikhalev, who has complained to deputies about the rising numbers of tramps in his city.
And he called for greater powers to control the problem, lamenting that there is “no license to hunt the homeless”, according to Trans-Baikal news agency Zabinfo.
His region is an area where hunting is more than just a pastime for many residents, and he appealed directly to the local enthusiasm for shooting at wildlife in outlining an extreme solution to the problem.
Hunt them down
Mikhalev’s dramatic solution to the problem dogging his remote Siberian outpost came as he answered questions at a meeting of the city council.
“Unfortunately we do not have a license to shoot the homeless, and other legitimate ways of coping with them are not available today,” he said.
And he called for an official definition of a “parasite” to be created to free up much-needed space in social shelters.
No laws
The mayor complained that there is no clear legal definition of homelessness, nor is it obvious who should be responsible for people in this position.
And he argued that 90 per cent of the available social accommodation in his region was taken up by people who demanded help from society while giving nothing in return.
He claimed that in Chita hospitals have to spend more than 17,000 roubles to give a bed to a homeless person who he believes should not be housed there.
The charitable approach
Not everyone believes that rounding up the homeless is the answer, however.
In Moscow various charities – many backed by the Orthodox Church – are working to provide food, clothing, shelter and a thorough wash and brush up for people living on the streets.
And many organisations, such as Miloserdiye, the Sofia Foundation and Spravedlivaya Pomoshch are on the look-out for volunteers and donations to help their work.
