Chechnya – The Chechen/Russian Conflict
The area known as the Caucasus of Russia is made up of six autonomous Russian republics nestled between Russia and Turkey, to the north and south respectively and the Black and Caspian seas to the West and East.1 The northern portion of the Caucasus is home to the territory known to us as Chechnya, located in southwestern Russia. Chechnya extends over approximately 15,000+ square kilometers on the northern slope of the Caucasus Mountains and covers several natural regions. Chechnya spans from her highest point at 14, 741 feet in the south to the northern plains and lowlands. 2
Chechnya boasts a fertile soil in the valley regions, with dry steppe vegetation in the northern plains. The mountain slope areas of the country have forests of beech, birch and oaks.3
The semi-desert and highland climates account for the occasional rain and greatly varying temperatures depending specific altitude. Precipitation falls somewhere between 5 – 20 inches per year. Temperatures range from 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months to 60 – 80 degrees in the summer.4
Set between the Black and Caspian Seas, the latter being the closest, Chechnya has been known for its rich mineral waters.5 Below the surface of the Chechen territory are Caspian oil deposits, which have been drilled and the 30 or so fields have been known to provide 4,000 tons of oil per day. The area also contains natural gas deposits.6
The Caucasus region is known for its ethnic variety. Dozens of languages and many different religions are part of the cultures of the various groups in this territory. Chechnya is home to millennia-old peoples who work as mountain-based herdsman and farmers.7 The country’s population as of 2002 was approximately 625,000, which represents a reduction in the once 1 million+ population as a result of the Russian/Chechen war during the 1900s. Groznyy, the Chechen capitol, is home to more than Ã?½ of the total population. The Chechen people refer to themselves as Nokhchii and speak a Caucasic language and are Sunni Muslims.8
The annual percentage of population growth is reported to be between 1 and 2% with a life expectancy of 70 to 74 years. The population boasts a literacy rate in the upper 90%.9 By the early 1990s, Chechnya had a 30% Russian population, who lived mostly in the central areas of the territory and many Chechens spoke Russian in addition to their traditional language.10
Chechnya’s economy was bolstered by the petroleum and natural gas production and pipelines that went as far as the Ukraine and central Russia.11 Much of the industries vital organs in the region have been destroyed or suffered massive damage throughout the years of turmoil in the area.12 Chechnya also has limestone, sulphur, gypsum and other minerals and croplands which produce food products, like fruit for wine.13
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The Caucasus region was dominated by the Mongols in the 13th century and the mountain peoples formed clans, some of which descended the mountains later in the 16th century. About that time, the region became a political and military battleground for Persia, the Ottoman Empire and Czarist Russia. During the 18th century a rebellion occurred on behalf of the Chechen people. Their leader was captured by Russians and remains a national legend. In the next few decades, Chechens developed economic relations with the Russians, but continue to resist the political control and managed to fend them off for over ten years; however, the movement eventually failed and the Russians gained control of the territory.14
Since the conquest of Chechnya by Russia in 1859, Chechnya has received her status as an autonomous republic (mid 1930s) and been invaded by Nazi Germany (early 1940s). It was believed that the Chechen people collaborated with the Nazis and nearly the entire population was deported to central Asia, an event during which over 200,000 Chechens perished.15
The people of Chechnya have managed to maintain their identity for centuries and have fought against the reign of Russia over the Caucasus region throughout that time. They have faced defeat by the Russians and continued opposition to their declared independence, faced occupation by the Bolsheviks and remain defiant and vehement in their pursuit of independence from the once Czarist Russia.16
With the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Chechnya pushed forward with their campaign for independence, only to be met with resistance form Boris Yeltsin and the troops he dispatched.17 By the end of 1994, war had broken out between Russia and the rebel Chechens.18 Groznyy was devastated and then taken completely by the Russian forces, a puppet government installed and troops stationed around the area; however, the rebels were steadfast.19 The world community tended to deny recognition of sovereignty to the Chechens and war continued for two years. Despite the cease-fire agreement in 1996, Chechnya’s national identity and status were undetermined.20
After approximately 80,000 deaths throughout the years of fighting, mostly Chechen civilians, Russia backed out in defeat and the Chechen government began to lose control over the rebellion. The citizenry was devastated by the weakened economy and consumed by the brutality of the Russian troops, making it easy for them to be swept away by radical ideas.21
In May of 1997, Yeltsin and the chief of staff of the Chechen forces signed a peace treaty, which made official the previous cease-fire. This did no good for the Chechens as the government’s authority eroded and the radical rebels carried the country into anarchy.22 The conflict between Russia and Chechnya is not over. Russians blame Chechens for several bombings in Moscow and wished to punish the rebels for the incursions into Dagestan in 1999. Russia assaulted Groznyy on December 25, 1999. This constitutes the beginnings of the “second Chechen/Russian war, which is still going on today.23 Thus, the once poorest region in the former Soviet Union, has been worsened by loss of power and other utilities, destroyed infrastructure and thousands of deaths and forced deeper into chaos.24 It would appear that the rebels and militants who are fighting for Chechnya are under Islamic control and Muslims from other countries are joining the fight against Russia’s control.
Chechens were forced to flee their homeland for neighboring territories to avoid bombing raids by the Russians under Vladimir Putin. Reports that Russia offered an ultimatum for citizens of Groznyy to evacuate, are met with criticism that Putin would assume all those who remained must be part of the problem and therefore would be bombed. Russian troops have been accused of looting and greater atrocities, compelling G8 and the European Union to threaten disciplinary action against Moscow.25 Accusations of human-rights violations on the part of the Russian troops abound and the Russian government claims it is fighting an “anti-terrorist” effort against the Islamic militants associated with Al-Queda and other international terrorist units.26
Chechen rebels continued to carry out attacks and take hostages. In 2002, 129 hostages and their rebel captors were killed in a Moscow theater as a result of an opiate gas released into the theater by the Russians. In March of 2003, Putin announced a referendum and proposed a Constitution, which provided Chechnya with an unspecified level of autonomy with an “elected” government.27 The elections were held and in October of 2003, Akhmed Kadryov became president of the Chechen Republic.28 The rebels rejected the election and the results and vowed to continue their struggle.29
It is believed that Russia is unlikely to win the guerilla war against the determined and stealthy rebels of Chechnya.
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
Chechnya’s oil availability is seen as a major determinant in the relations between Russia and the Chechens, as well as the international community. Despite condemnation of the Russian tactics against the Chechen forces by Western leaders and other, financial support to Moscow continued.30 Russia and the western hemisphere have an interest in the status of Chechnya. The refineries and pipelines located there supply the western markets. Therefore, western oil companies with the assistance form the United States government have made an effort to route the pipelines through Georgia to avoid involving Iran in the ordeal and reducing Russia’s influence. This places Chechnya between a rock and a hard place and some accuse western entities of promoting the secession of Chechnya, creating the break with Russia for their own potential benefit.31
Other issues that are resulting from the Russian/Chechen conflict are related to environmental concerns. Not only is life and property being destroyed, the natural environment is under attack, compounding the gravity of the situation for those who reside in the affected regions. Bombing of oil wells and refineries has contributed to water and air pollution. The earth is scarred and the ground laden with mines. Oil leakage and radiation are believed to be affecting the water supply. Citizens may be forced to survive by non-traditional methods, further straining the environmental condition.32
Religious differences have become another issue of the Russian/Chechen war. Since Chechnya is predominantly Muslim, fighters from neighboring Islamic countries have joined the violent struggle against the Russians.33
Chechnya’s fight against Russia has been about independence according to most sources; however, www.russiancourier.com claims that this is not so. The article titled “The Chechnya Conflict in the XX Century” states that experts reject the struggle for sovereignty argument and argue that the Chechen people prefer to live “in the political, economic, legal and cultural space of Russia”. The author also mentions that “the poorest classes and national minorities preferred the social guarantees” Russia provides.34
Russia is trying desperately to hold on to Chechnya and the reasons must outweigh the costs. While they are constantly being investigated on charges of human rights violations and are threatened with disciplinary action based on those charges, they object whole-heartedly to Chechnya’s secession not only because of the potential loss of economic assets, but also the threat of the domino effect. Chechnya’s successful break-away would set a precedent and perhaps create an atmosphere in which other parts of the federation will attempt the same.35
CONCLUSION
The Russian/Chechen conflict is based on the general desire for sovereignty by people whose identity has been established for thousands of years and the desire of a superpower to control as much of its hemisphere as possible and the natural resource/economic potential that goes with it. The fate of the Chechen Republic is yet to be determined, whilst it hangs in the balance between sovereignty and independence, Russian federal control, radical rebel supported anarchy and western influence. The ultimate goal of the strongest force in the region is to keep Chechnya as part of the Russian Federation, despite her rebellious nature.
NOTES
1.Fred Weir, “Conflict in Chechnya,” The Christian Science Monitor (electronic edition)
2.MSN Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
3.Ibid.
4.The Nystrom Desk Atlas (2001), 14-17.
5.Anup Shah, “Crisis in Chechnya,” www.Globalissues.org/geopolitics/chechnya.asp (2004), 1.
6.”Chechnya Questions and Answers,” www.rian.ru
7.Fred Weir, “Conflict in Chechnya,” The Christian Science Monitor (electronic edition)
8.Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
9.The Nystrom Desk Atlas (2001), 18, 29.
10.H. J. De Blij and Meter O. Muller, Geography Realms, Regions and Concepts, 8th edition, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1997): 131-133.
11.Ibid.
12.Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
13.Anup Shah, “Crisis in Chechnya,” www.Globalissues.org/geopolitics/chechnya.asp (2004), 1.
14.Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
15.http://www.rnw.nl/foreign/popup/html/popup_chechnya991111.html
16.Anup Shah, “Crisis in Chechnya,” www.Globalissues.org/geopolitics/chechnya.asp (2004), 2.
17.Ibid.
18.”Russia: The Chechnya Dilemma,” Library of Congress Country Studies (1996), 1.
19.Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
20.Fred Weir, “Conflict in Chechnya,” The Christian Science Monitor (electronic edition)
21.Anup Shah, “Crisis in Chechnya,” www.Globalissues.org/geopolitics/chechnya.asp (2004), 3.
22.Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
23.Christopher Ingold, “Chechnya Conflict and Environmental Implications,” ICE Case Studies (2002), 4.
24.Fred Weir, “Conflict in Chechnya,” The Christian Science Monitor (electronic edition)
25.Anup Shah, “Crisis in Chechnya,” www.Globalissues.org/geopolitics/chechnya.asp (2004), 4.
26.Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
27.”Chechen Republic of Ichkeria,” UNPO – Unrepresented Nations and Peoples (1991 – 2004), 2-3.
28.”Chechen Republic of Ichkeria: Amnesty International Report 2002,” UNPO – Unrepresented Nations and Peoples (1991 – 2004), 1.
29.Encarta, http://encarta.msn.com, “Chechnya.”
30.Fred Weir, “Conflict in Chechnya,” The Christian Science Monitor (electronic edition)
31.Anup Shah, “Crisis in Chechnya,” www.Globalissues.org/geopolitics/chechnya.asp (2004), 4.
32.Christopher Ingold, “Chechnya Conflict and Environmental Implications,” ICE Case Studies (2002), 3.
33.”Islam in the North Caucasus,” Archives de Sciences Sociales de Religions 115 (2001): 93-110.
34.Evgeniya Stroganova, “The Chechnya Conflict in the XX Century,” Russian Courier, 14 July 2004, p. 1.
35.Ilyas Akhmadov, “The Russian-Chechen Tragedy: The Way to Peace and Democracy – Conditional Independence under an International Administration,” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria: 30.
