Informational, Cultural and Economic
Representation of
Chechen Republic Ichkeria in
Finland |
Official Foreign
Affairs Representative of the
President of Chechen Republic Ichkeria
in Finland,
Appointed by President
Zelimkha Jandarbijev
Bessarion Gugushvili
Tel/Fax: +(358-9)-349-87-91
E-mail: [email protected]
Poet, President, Peace Seeker
... |
 |
In
1997 General Aslan Maskhadov was elected
President of Chechen
Republic Ichkeria > |
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 |
INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF
PARLIAMENTARIANS
ON THE PROBLEM OF CHECHENIA |
| Chechenia, Great Britain,
Estonia, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait,
Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Poland, Turkey, the
Ukraine |
Gedimino pr. 53, Vilnius,
Lithuania,
Tel./fax.: 370 2 39 64 97
Tel.: 370 2 22 01 07
E-MAIL: [email protected] |
Documents: |
International Committee on
Human Rights of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria (ICHR-ChRI):
Aslanbek Abdurzakov,
Chairman of the International Committee on Human Rights of the
Chechen Republic Ichkeria Web
Site "Ichkeria-NGOs"
Aslanbek Abdurzakov, Ruslan Akaev
(Vice-Chairman of the Coordinational Council of the
Non-governmental Organizations of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria)
147 000 military, government
officials and even clergy were awarded this medal:
"For the Conquest of Chechnya and Dagestan in 1857-1858
and 1859"
by Russian Emperor Alexander II
End of 1999,
Evil Empire started new aggression
against Free Ichkeria
New atrocities, bloodshed, unscrupulous falsehood, new evidences
of 'Russizm'... ALERT!
Kremlin orders for total devastation of Johar-City (Grozny):
Danger of using chemical weapons !!! See: Watch objective information: http://www.kavkaz.org/ Humanitarian dimension: http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/russia/chechnya/
See Also: Amina site Statement
of Representative of the
President of Chechen Republic Ichkeria in Finland on
"New aggression of Kremlin in Ichkeria"
Win cyr document Protest
movement in Finland: 22
Oct. 1999 - Picket - top level meeting between EU leaders and
Russian Prime Minister Putin in Helsinki 12 Nov. 1999 - Picket - Meeting of foreign
ministers OSCE and Russia in Helsinki From 25 Nov. 1999 - daily collection of
signatures with demand to recognize Chechnya as independent
state
Paintings
of Alla Dudajeva - widow of Jokhar Dudajev
Finnish-Caucasian Association
Chairman Heikki Riihijarvi
Vice-Chairman Aila Niinimaa-Keppo
Fax: +(358-9) 694 02 88
Tel: +(358-9) 694 02 99
E-mail: [email protected]
Ambassador at large of Chechen
Republic Ichkeria to the EEC
Prince Charles Tchkotoua
Tel:: +(44-171)-352-3597
Fax: +(44-171)-352-8968
Representative of Chechnya to
Denmark
Usman Firzauli
Tel/Fax: +(45) 33 24 91 54
Informational Reports
from Finland Report on Chechenia I: Internetional
Law
Report on Chechenia II: Long,
Difficult and Turbulent History of Chechenia
Report on Chechenia III:
Human Rights and Attempted Genocide in Chechenia
Report
on Chechenia I: Internetional Law
By: Klaus Susiluoto 31.10.1999, The international community bears a large
responsibility for the situation in the Chechen Republic,
Ichkeria. This report tells why Chechenia fulfills many
requirements for recognition (of independence) to become a member
in the international community whereas Russia has broken against
international law as well as mutual agreements. It also seems that
Russia has no respect for human rights. Chechenia declared independence already in 1991 Despite Russia’s misinformation
campaign the fact is that there are many facts which speak in
favor of Chechen independence. First, Chechenia declared its
independence already in the autumn 1991, just before the Soviet
Union officially collapsed and became Russia. According to Soviet
constitution, the republics and autonomous republics actually had
a right for secession. Officially Chechenia declared its
independence 1.st of November, 1991. Secondly, Chechenia arranged free presidential
elections the same autumn when Jokhar Dudayev was elected as a
president. About 90 % of the population voted for him, mainly
because of his strive towards independence. So, the will of the
Chechen nation was clearly in favor of independence. At the beginning of 1997 Aslan
Maskhadov was became President in fair and free elections. He
naturally also is pro-independence figure - he was actually the
commander-in-chief during the Russian invasion 1994-96.In the
elections of 1997 he got 59.3 % of the votes. The election process
was done in the presence of OSCE and other foreign observers. So,
Russia’s aim at creating puppet government and marionette leader
to replace Mr. Maskhadov is a clear violation against the
principles of democracy. Thirdly,
Chechenia (Chechnya is a Russified form of the name of this
territory of some 17.000 km2 did not participate in the
talks between the center and 89 Russian areas in 1991-1992 when
Russian Federation was formed, nor has it later agreed to the
Federation treaty. Legal
right for self-determination The fourth reason for the right to be independent is
linked to the brutal invasion of Russia in 1994-96. The violations
of human rights, which led to genocide of tens of thousands
civilians, was a clear signal that Russia does not fulfil the
moral or legal requirements set for good and human administration
in the Chechen area. Mr. Charles Tchkotoua says in his article ”Past
Explains the Future”: ”In
the recent years it has become a principle of the international
law that a people deprived of its right to self-determination,
particularly where this situation is accompanied serious
human-rights violations, is legally entitled to
self-determination.” This
was partly the case in East-Timor where 800 000 local people were
brutally ruled by a nation of 200 million inhabitants. The fifth reason for the right of
independence is linked to the treaty that ended the war in
Chechenia in 1996. It is stated in the “Khasavjurt Agreement”,
signed between General Alexander Lebed, official representative of
Russian Federation, and Aslan Maskhadov, Chechenia’s
representative: “The basis
for mutual relations between the Russian Federation and the
Chechen Republic, in accordance with universal principles of
international law, shall be reached before October 31.st, 2001.”
(And there are no references to the Federal Treaty in this
agreement). Chechenia is
not an Ultra-Islamist state What Russia is now doing is very far from the
principles of international law. By allowing Russia to continue
the brutal politics the West is giving a signal to Russia not to
respect international law or the basic human rights. According to the statutes of the UN
and OSCE, every nation has a right for self-determination. Why has
this principle been forgotten in the Chechen case? One reason may
be Russian misinformation. Chechen Republic of Ichkeria is not an
ultra-Islamist state. The rights of non-Muslim religious practices
are guaranteed in the Constitution. Nor is there any evidence of
that the terrorist acts in Moscow would have been made by
Chechens. However, the Chechens have sponsored the Dagestan
independence movement, but the fact is that both Chechenia and
Dagestan are areas annexed to Russia by force in the 19.th
century. If the colonies in Africa and Asia have had their
independence from the West, why not the ones in Northern Caucasus? Although the Chechens at the moment
are not terrorists, not even fanatics, there is a danger that they
will be seeking more radical Islam because of West’s calm
attitude. If there is a
nation that deserves independence, it is the Chechens. The
negotiations between Russia and Chechenia should start as soon as
possible to avoid even more casualties. In the long run, also
Russia would benefit from a small friendly neighbor. Main source used in this report:
Contrasts and solutions in the Caucasus edited by Ole Hoiris and
Sefa Martin Yürükel, Aarhus University Press, Denmark 1998. ISBN
87-7288-708-7. Especially articles by: This book is one of the few books dealing with
Caucasus. The book contains some objective and good articles such
as those mentioned above, but all articles are not as qualified.
There simply are not enough experts on the Caucasian issues.
Report
on Chechenia II: Long, difficult and turbulent history of
Chechenia
By: Antero Leitzinger & Klaus Susiluoto (1999 11 20). World has been surprised because of
the tough resistance of Chechens against Russians. There is,
however, historical background to this. The conflict between
official Russia and the Chechens has lasted more than 250 years,
mainly because of Russia’s brutal policy in this distant corner
of Europe and Chechens´ unwillingness to subdue to Russian
command. Cossacks were
not a real threat The
history of Chechenia is long, difficult and turbulent. (”Chechnya”
is Russified form of the name of this territory. The Chechens
actually call their country “Ichkeria” nowadays but we
use Chechenia here). The tribes that later formed the Chechen
nation have been mentioned in the Armenian and Georgian documents
already from the 7th century on. Armenians and Georgians had
adapted Christianity at an early stage, it was a state religion in
Georgia from 4th century on. There are also Church remnants on
Chechen territory, so part of the population may have been
Christian. Later Islam became more important, however, but
paganism prevailed in many areas until the 18th century – when
Islam started to act as ideology of independence and
self-determination. There
were many Chechen tribes, but common to them was love for freedom
and emphasis on equality (many sources refer to this). The form of
government was free men’s democratic society similar to that of
the Swiss, also a mountain people. They were skilled warriors who
sometimes used their energy in robberies, taking also hostages
under certain regulations. There was not land-tied serfdom in the
Chechen lands. They did not have nobility, which made it difficult
for Russia to give grants and to create a local pro-Russian upper
class. Chechens had cattle,
and they cultured soil as well, but most of the land was forest
until the 19.th century, when Russians destroyed big part of the
woods in connection with their war efforts – this was ecological
catastrophe and essentially changed landscape and agriculture of
the region. Chechens were not “plain people” or plainsmen as
Russians (liking their Steppes); Chechens had their great forests,
beautiful hills and desolate mountains. For example Chechen tribe
of Ichkers lived as free men in the forest of Ichkeria - which
later gave the name to the contemporary state. There were even
regulations to protect old trees. “Chechnya” - how the area became called by
Russians – was relatively compact and peaceful. Some tribes
adopted Islam earlier than others, while some tribes emphasized
their traditional way of life. The common Vainakh - as they call
themselves - nation was very democratic, and each tribe and family
could decide very much for them selves. This was how the Russian
invaders were able to separate the more hierarchically organized
people in Daghestan (where Khanates existed) and the peaceful
Ingush tribe from the more independent-minded Chechens. The real clashes with Russians did
not start until the 18.th century, although Cossacks had lived in
the Northern part of the Terek river since 16th century (Ryazan
Cossacks possibly already in the 15.th century). Cossacks adapted
some Caucasian habits, but they remained Christians, whereas many
mountaineers converted into Islam at the same time. There were
not, however, religious wars. (Cossacks were originally rebels who
escaped central government of Moscow and serfdom). Later the role
of Cossacks in Russian Empire was to gain new lands, they were not
tribe or ethnicity but paramilitary unions). Fights between
Cossacks and Chechens were mainly for cattle and land but Chechen
tribes had campaigns (at least 1604, 1685, 1712) to drive the
Cossacks to the North of Terek river. On the other hand, there
were interethnic marriages and peaceful coexistence most of the
time. Imperialist policy
starts The first real
conflict between the Russians and Chechen tribes began during the
reign of Peter the Great who at the same time declared himself as
heir and crown-prince of Georgian Kingdom (although Georgia before
this was independent, having much older statehood and culture than
Russia). Russia’s imperialistic policy in Caucasus had thus
started. The (official) Russian troops encountered the Chechens
for the first time in the summer 1722 while attempting to conquer
the village of Ender. The Chechens won the battle, and Peter the
Great persuaded the Kalmuks to a campaign of revenge against them. During the following decades the
Russians were not very successful, but they started using Cossacks
in Russian politics in Caucasus . These former rebels became under
Russian state special protection (they now raised rebellions
against state only when their privileges were attacked) Cossacks
were used as a Russian armed hand in campaigns in Caucasus. In the 1760’s Kizljar became the
Russian capital of Caucasus. The Chechen Kist tribe attacked the
city in the late 1760’s killing its inhabitants. During
1765-1779 the Kabardos fought against the Russians, having
assistance from the Chechen tribes. One feature of Northern
Caucasus was – and still is, in spite of Russification – a
rich texture of small nations and languages. Contrary to a common
belief, they share a lot of everyday habits, and religious wars
have not been very usual. Grozny
founded in 1818 During
the reign of Catherine the Great Russia’s imperial policy
strengthened. Catherine’s favorite Count Potemkin established
Vladikavkaz in the beginning of 1780’s. It was abandoned but
re-established in 1799 (Vladikavkaz means “ruling Caucasus”,
so openly imperialist were the Russians of that time!). Important factor for Chechenia and
all North Caucasus was establishing of rule of Russia in Georgia
(started from early 18th and ended in the middle of the century,
again since the beginning of 19.th century, partially voluntarily
this time). Also Armenia and today’s Azeri areas were taken by
Russia, so North Caucasus (Daghestan, Chechenia) was rounded by
Russian colonies. Also important was official state politics of
Tsarist Russia. Russian colonization of Caucasus meant also
ethnical cleansing and as well as demographic colonization, so
there were big changes of ethnic structure in these territories.
– This was officially -not secretly – declared. The Georgian Military Road was
constructed to Tbilisi, Georgia. Although Catherine II (Catherine
the Great) and her follower (after a short interval) Alexander I
were relatively enlightened rulers in Russian scale, they did not
understand the flexible diplomacy that would have needed in this
region.
The Russian General Yermolov was nominated commander of the
Caucasus region in 1816. It was Yermolov who founded Grozny in the
middle of Chechen lands in summer 1818. He was a skillful soldier
but very unskillful diplomat. An English observer, historian John
F. Baddeley later remarked: “Yermolov’s
strategy was based on the complete terrorizing of the civilian
population, which provoked horror and outcry for its cruelty even
in Moscow. He promised results within a year, yet he only managed
to provoke previously independent other nationalities of the
Caucasus into a united holy war against Russia” No wonder that a common
Chechen-Daghestani resistance to Russian colonial rule lasted more
than 40 years after the founding of Grozny! It was the surrender
of the legendary leader Shamil in 1859, when Russia had “peace”
in Caucasus – for a while. Around mid-19th century, the
perseverance of Shamil's "mountaineers" was followed and
analyzed with amazement all over Western Europe, where the
Caucasian war was compared to the early freedom fights of Algeria
and South Africa. The morality of European colonial wars became
questioned (by Karl Marx and many others), and romantic literature
flourished with descriptions of both Chechen chivalry and
banditry, with frequent but inaccurate references to kidnappings
(f. ex. by Alexandre Dumas and Lev Tolstoy). Despite Romanticism,
Shamil and his precedessor Sheik Mansur and Gazimullah were not
only soldiers but also skillful administrators who had keen
interest in foreign policy also. In many cases they had to
disappoint with Turkey’s policy. Caucasus has often influenced and sometimes even
dominated Russian foreign policy. It has been claimed that the
rigidly autocratic rule of Czar Nicholas I was exhausted and the
collapse in the Crimean War (1853-56) hastened by the continuous
humiliations of Russian military in Chechenia. Tens of thousands
of Russians died in wars in Caucasus during 19th century. An early Russian dissident, Ivan
Golovin, wrote from his French exile in 1845: "The war in the Caucasus is under prevalent
circumstances a truly fruitless war and the stubbornness, with
which the Russian government insists on its continuation, will
have nothing but useless bloodshed and increased hate as its
consequence, and make every lasting rapproachement impossible.
Russia should, first of all, declare war on its own officials who
are its greatest enemies, and who, after calling forth the quarrel
themselves, make it in its continuance pernicious, by robbing and
stealing without mercy. They sacrifice the interest of the country
to their own interests and sell enemies even weapons and
gunpowder. They conceal the number of the killed ones..." Not much has changed in over 150
years! Republic of
Mountaineers’ People Despite
the official conquest of Chechenia in 1859, war in Caucasus never
really ended. Hundreds of thousands of Cherkesses were forced to
move to Turkey during 1860’s. Circassians were subdued by 1864,
but Chechens rose again in frequent popular revolts in 1862-1865
and 1877-1878. The same policy was used in South Caucasus, where
most of Abkhazian-Adigean tribes were totally eliminated (Ubikhs)
or forced to migrate to Ottoman Empire (Turkey). Thousands of
Chechens were deported, and voluntary mass emigrations took place
in 1901. There are tens of thousands of people in Jordan and
Turkey who have Chechen roots. Descendents from this diaspora have
helped Ichkerian Chechens – Russians naturally refer them as
international Arab terrorists! During the First World War and revolution in Russia
in 1917, a “Confederation of North Caucasian Peoples”, or a
"Republic of Mountaineers" (as it was popularly called)
was established. Independence was declared on 11 May 1918, which
was de facto recognized by Turkey, Germany and France. The flag
contained green and white stripes, which can still be seen in the
modern Ichkerian flag (the Republic of Mountaineers, however,
included also other nationalities as well such as Kumyks and
Avars). The Government had
to exile to Georgia and further to France (together with Georgian
government) by advancing Russian troops - both White and Red
(Bolshevik) - by 1921. Armed resistance was nevertheless recorded
until 1925 and again in 1929-1936 and 1940-1951. During the Finnish Winter War
(1939-40) Hasan Israilov, journalist by profession, raised a
rebellion in Chechenia. The temporary government remained in power
for several weeks in 1940. Many
Chechen leaders were executed or deported in 1929 and 1939, and
finally in February 1944 almost the whole population (about 400
000 according to 1939 census) was deported to Central Asia, mainly
to Kazakhstan. The reason was: pro-Nazi attitudes – although
Nazis never arrived on the Chechen soil! (Only part of Ingushetia
was occupied by the Germans). Soviets also destroyed Chechen
national monuments such as ancient watchtowers and tombstones.
Many villages were burnt, thousands of people were shot or left
die. For a while, there was
neither Chechenia nor Ingushetia anymore. Although the Soviet
Union was officially voluntary federation of numerous more or less
nominally autonomous entities, "Socialist Soviet
Republics" (SSR's and ASSR's), the existence and status of
these pseudo-states was determined by political convenience and
the whims of a dictator. Tuva, for example, had been a fully
independent state for some decades - just like (Outer) Mongolia,
although both were recognized only by the Soviet Union and each
other - until 1944, when it was suddenly downgraded into an ASSR
within Russia. Chechens could not return to their native land
before mid 50´s. Some were not granted a permission before 70’s
and 80’s (there was an internal passport in Russia). Many Russians had moved to houses
owned by Chechens, and there was unrest in 1958 between Russians
and Chechens, but all in all, the two nationalities lived quite
peacefully together. Oil industry became leading branch of
industry for Checheno-Ingushetia with Grozny as its center.
(Grozny had been important center of oil industry already 1917,
second after Baku in Azerbaijan, but it was after WW I and civil
war of Russia, when the population growth of Grozny really began). Checheno-Ingushetia In 1956-1957, the status of
Checheno-Ingushetia was re-established as an ASSR (autonomous
republic) within Russia and the Soviet Union. This is the base of
contemporary Russia's claim that Chechenia is an integral part of
the Russian Federation. While the international community today
refuses to recognize the legality of protectorates and annexations
of Germany and Japan in the 1930s and 1940s, and most countries
never officially accepted the annexation of the Baltic states by
the Soviet Union in 1940, Stalin's legacy has been sanctioned by
accepting the Bolshevik administrative structures and their
arbitrary changes between 1918 and 1957. The people in the Soviet
Union were never consulted or given a chance to exercise the same
democratic rights of national self-determination as granted to the
colonies of other European empires. Even a big part of the
Russians living in Chechenia are in favor of independence. Ichkeria declares independence in
1991 In autumn
1991,Checheno-Ingushetia was divided into Chechenia which declared
independence as the "Chechen Republic of Ichkeria"
(1.11.1991), and to Ingushetia, which choose to remain within the
Russian Federation. Several experts of international law have
considered these changes of legal status equally legal. When the
Soviet Union disintegrated in December 1991, all SSR's were
recognized as independent states but the Russian Federation, as a
kind of rump-USSR, did not grant its own autonomous republics the
same rights, although this should have logically followed. There was a referendum about the
constitution of the Russian Federation in 1993, but Chechenia and
Tatarstan did not participate in it. The Russian Federation then
negotiated a separate treaty with Tatarstan in 1994, but invaded
Chechenia in December 1994. (There had been clashes before this).
The Chechen war of 1994-96 was very bloody. The peace came in
August 1996 with Lebed as Russia’s main negotiator. As we have seen, Russia did not
respect peace agreement, but used obscure terrorist accusations as
a pretext to launch a new attack (we will deal KGB’s or FSB’s
possible role in this in our report V). Although there would have
been some dozen Chechen terrorists and although there are
criminals doing kidnappings, this does not allow an attempted
genocide and full-scale war (see our report III), as was also
stated by German Councellor Gerhard Schröder in OSCE’s meeting
in Istanbul. What makes
Russian politics so psychotic in Caucasus? One reason for unskillful politics of Russians in
Caucasus is their total lack of self-criticism combined with
unwillingness to compromise. This could be called a general
reason. Then there is of course the will to revenge the
humiliations in the first Chechen war. Another aspect is Russia’s
internal politics. Prime Minister Putin is trying to raise his
popularity by means of war. One reason for continued conflict is
that Russians are not willing to negotiate with democratically
elected forces in Chechenia – which means they basically do not
even respect democracy. One factor in Russian policy is oil ( a
Dutch expert will tell about this in our later reports) –
important oil pipelines go through Chechenia. It has been typical in Russian history to negotiate
only with those who are going to agree! - as Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin stated boldly in Helsinki in October 1999. Russia
admits, that there can be only a peaceful political solution to
the problem of Chechenia, but only after all opposition has been
wiped out by force! It
should be remembered, that even international observers like the
OSCE have evidence of two kind:
that the puppet rulers
established by Russia in shamelessly rigged show
"elections" in 1995-1996 did not enjoy genuine
popular support; that the chief of staff of the Ichkerian
army, Aslan Maskhadov, was elected as president of
Ichkeria in fair and free elections in 1997. Nevertheless,
Russian officials have again denied the legitimacy of
Maskhadov, with whom Yeltsin signed a treaty in May 1997,
(and established shadow representations, puppet government
by notorious criminals like Beslan Gantemirov). The reason
to deny Maskhadov’s legitamacy is simple: he is not
going to give up the idea of Chechen independence - what
was basement of his election campaign.
How to study history of
Caucasus? In studying
the history of the Chechen nation, Moshe Gammer's work
"Muslim Resistance to the Tsar - Shamil and the Conquest of
Chechnya and Daghestan" (London 1994) is the most valuable
source published recently. Details over the resistance from
mid-19th to mid-20th century can only be composed from short
fragments here and there. Anatol
Lieven’s book “Chechnya: The Tombstone of Russian Power”
reveals the inner weakness of Russian army during the campaign of
1994-96. Lieven also has interesting remarks about Chechen
national character, which is very egalitarian (in contrast to
Russians). Lieven also says, that “even religious Chechens are
often a great deal less strictly Islamic than they think they are”.
He says that Chechen mosques are different from all other mosques
he had seen, resembling English neo-Gothic redbrick castles and
churhes! And when one knows that Chechens have good relations with
the Baltic countries, the only genuinely democratic countries of
ex-Soviet Union, it is not very easy to believe Russian stories
about Ultra-Islamist terrorists. (Although there is a danger that
this will later happen, if Russia pursues its brutal policy, as
Mr. Clinton said in Istanbul). Equally important is to study the history of other
Caucasian nations and their obvious common denominator, Russia.
There is, for example, an intriguing similarity in what happened
in Karabakh and Abkhazia, and generally in Azerbaijan and Georgia
in 1988-1993 (the return of the old Soviet time politicians).
Chechenia was about to follow the same scenario, but the
separation of Ingushetia and the timely military build-up of
Jokhar Dudayev - who was an army officer, in contrast to his
colleagues Zviad Gamsakhurdia and Abulfaz Elchibey - saved
Chechenia for a different fate (in Georgia, form example, there
was a coup provoked with demonstrations, which in Georgia had
never more than 2000 persons). Western TV showed some “anti-Zviadist and
anti-Dudayev demonstrations” which were actually PRO-Zviadist
and PRO-Dudayev demonstrations! – This can be read on Georgian
banners in the hands of demonstrators (Orthodox Georgians and
Muslim Chechens have traditionally had quite good relations,
although Abhazia has caused headache in relations because of
Chechen involvement there). Georgian
coup of 1991-92, when Gamsahurdia was ousted, was assisted by
Russian military forces combined with local elite which included
some criminal elements as well (later president Shevardnadze has
taken some distance towards Russians, approaching the US). In
Chechenia Russian Army bases were closed in early 1991 – this
was one factor Chechens could do better than Georgia or Azerbaijan
until late 1994. Another factor for the collapse of real democracy
in Georgia and Azerbaijan was strong antizviadist and antielchibay
propaganda from the Western states – who labeled them as
dictators, ultranationalists etc. Caspian Sea oil is important factor in Caucasian
politics. Last accord in this deal was signed OSCE’s meeting in
Istanbul 18.11.1999 when Baku-Jeikhan Pipeline through Georgia
became one of the main goal of Istanbul summit. Although Chechenia
was on schedule, it seems that West still does not fully
understand the range of Russia’s brutal politics in Caucasus.
This is not a good trend, since human rights and democracy in
Caucasus is just as important as in the West. There was, however, some progress in the Chechen
issue also in OSCE’s Istanbul meeting (see our other report).
Important was for example that Mr. Maskhadov was understood to be
democratically elected President of Chechenya (Finland’s
President Mr. Ahtisaari, who used EU’s speech, took a strong
position in Istanbul in favor of Mr. Maskhadov, urging Russia to
negotiate with him). More
details about Chechen history can be found in the book "CAUCASUS
and an unholy alliance", published in Vantaa, Finland, in
autumn1996, which is based on an originally Finnish booklet
"Tshetsheenit", published in Helsinki, Finland,
in January 1995, and contains many articles by renowned writers
about Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the "ethnic
conflicts" of Central Asia as well. Both books can be ordered
from Leitzinger Books, Kytösuontie 8 D 47, 00300 Helsinki,
Finland; please look for further information on http://www.clinet.fi/~zinger/booksAnatol
Lieven’s book on Chechenya can be ordered via Amazon.com
Report
on Chechenia III: Human Rights and Attempted Genocide in
Chechenia.
By Antero Leitzinger (1999-11-17) and Klaus Susiluoto.
The sources are mentioned in the text.
See also: www.chechenya.org and www.amina.com
and Yahoo.com/News. Within several weeks the world is
celebrating the millennium. It would be an important symbolic
gesture for international community to start the 3.rd millennium
from a ”clean table” in Europe. This does not seem to be
possible, when Russia is violating the basic human rights in
Chechenia in an extremely brutal way. There are clear evidences of
war crimes. As a whole, the Chechen catastrophe can be called a
serious attempt at genocide. Utterly lawless war The wars in Chechenia have been among the bloodiest
in European history, especially when taking into account the small
area (17.000 km2) and the population of no more than about one
million (1989) – the figure now is even less. The first Chechen
war of 1994-96 killed almost 100.000 people. Of these, an
estimated 60.000-70.000 were civilians, 13.000-15.000 Russian
soldiers and 8.000-10.000 Chechen fighters. Ms. Holly Cartner, executive director of Human Rights
Watch’s Europe and Asia division, called the Chechen conflict of
1994-96 ”an utterly lawless war”. Just a few days after the
new Russian invasion this autumn, Ms. Cartner warned about a new
catastrophe, which has now reached terrible scales. Already 4.000
civilians have been killed so far in brutal shellings, missile
attacks and bombings. Compared to the size of population this
would mean that more than 200.000 French, 300.000 Germans or more
than 500.000 Russians would have been massacred! In this light
everybody understands that this is not only a humanitarian
catastrophe, but a very serious attempt at a genocide. Human Right Watch has collected
information of the civilian casualties by interviewing
eyewitnesses in refugee camps in Ingushetia. (The interviews were
done separately and at length). The human rights teams found out
that:
On October 21.st at 5 PM three missiles hit
Grozny (Jokharchala in Chechen language) central bazaar,
killing about 140 people. Of these, only a few were
Chechen soldiers. The attack was, in all likelihood, a war
crime by Russians. Even if the Chechens had their command
center in the vicinity of the bazaar, which would be
against international rules, the attack was a serious
crime. (Chechens did not have a command center near to the
square - this information by Mr. Gugushvili, official
representative of Ichkeria). The
village of Novyi Sharoi, which had only civilian people,
suffered heavily under Russian bombardments starting on
October 23.rd. Proven death casualties at least ten. (for
further information, Jean-Paul Marthoz in Brussels, + 3 22
736 78 38, Diederik Lohman in Moscow, + 7 095 250 68 52) The village of Samashki, without Chechen
combatants, suffered dozens of dead and wounded in one
day, Oct 27th (further inf. Rachel Denber, + 1 212 216 12
66) The
city of Urus Martan has been bombed every day in November,
except November 9-11, when it was extremely cold. Many
casualties are reported.
These examples are naturally only
a part of Russia’s brutal policy. The attack on Grozny’s
central bazaar coincided at the same time when Russia’s Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin visited Helsinki to attend the top meeting
between Russia and the EU. Mr. Putin stated in Helsinki that the
explosions would have been between Chechen gangs, which was a pure
lie. - According to Washington Post, Pentagon has tracked more
than 60 short-range ballistic missile attacks to Chechenia (two of
those in the Central Bazaar). The Russian missile strikes are very
inaccurate, destroying whole block, even many blocks of cities,
which means that those attacks can be seen as terrorist measures
hurting and killing innocent civilians (this opinion drawn from
Israeli and US defense official’s reports, which certainly are
not in favor of Chechens). Executions and hunger deaths The German human rights organization Gesellschaft
für bedrohte Völker published a press release on 2.nd of
November. According to the report the Russian troops have executed
Chechen (war) prisoners as well as civilians. In Naurski and
Gorogorski counties 80 men have been shot. (One should also bear
in mind that in last Chechen War the Russians gathered Chechen
males of age more than 14 years to infiltration camps. The torture
in these camps was systematic. American scientist Amy Knight, in
her book Spies Without Cloaks, estimated that almost 800 security
agency officials began to handle affairs in the occupied areas in
1994-96). In the war of
1994-96 as well as now in 1999 the Russian soldiers have robbed
Chechen property, even blackmailed family things to themselves in
order to let people cross the border to Ingushetia. There are also
information about first hunger deaths in Chechenia (Felicitas
Rohder, phone + 49 551/4990628). Jelena Bonner, widow of famous scientist and human
rights activist Andrei Saharov, said in front of the foreign
committee of US Senate on 4th of November:
”This war is needed to raise the standing in the polls of the
current prime minister, Vladimir Putin, whom Yeltsin has publicly
endorsed as his chosen successor…Chechens have been banished
from Russian cities, with Moscow leading the way in violating
their legally protected rights…” There have been illegal
arrests and deportations of Chechens living Russian cities, so the
tragedy does not happen only in Chechenia proper. Who can
guarantee Chechens living in Russia will not be deported even in
larger scale? The
Russian leadership also violates the civil rights (of Russians)
and international war regulations by using young army draftees in
the battles in Chechenia (President Yeltsin’s decree, whereas
only volunteers should be used). Concrete measures are needed It seems that Russia’s tactics is to weaken Chechen
population by partial or total mass murder in order to subdue the
runaway republic. But as our history report shows, this is not an
easy task. One should, however, be really concerned about Russia’s
policy. When they have not had the victory by “normal” way of
fighting, they are, in a state of war psychosis, more and more
willing to use even more destructive weapons. This does not mean
one should let Russia blackmail world community. If there will no
concrete measures against Russia, also Georgia and Azerbaijan may
suffer (see www.jamestown.org).
There have also been threats against these countries, and on
17.11. Russian helicopters laid mines on Georgian territory (CNN,
Interfax), a measure that Georgia immediately protested. Jelena Bonner and Bessarion
Gugushvili have warned that Russia’s aim is not to destroy
terrorists (where are the proofs of Moscow explosions?) but to
annihilate the whole Chechen people or crucially weaken them by
blind aggression). An
American veteran on foreign policy, Mr. Zbigniew Brzezinski
recently warned about the possibility of genocide. If Russia lives Stalinist times
demonizing, destroying and killing people, when the rest of Europe
(perhaps except Serbia) has, after all, learned something, is it
not a dangerous situation? Russia will not learn anything if it is
allowed to continue its brutal policy. The first step to a
peaceful solution is that Russia will withdraw its troops from the
Republic as Mr. Knut Vollebaek, Norwegian foreign minister,
chairman of OSCE, has demanded Russia to do as soon as possible. There was indeed some progress in
OSCE meeting in Istanbul just a few days ago, but history shows
that Russia is not willing to keep its promises and respect
international agreements, especially not in Caucasus. Our next
report (IV) will handle this problem field, and tell why it is
important to for the West as well as Russia that there will be
sanctions against Russia. Only concrete measures can save the Chechen nation
from genocide.
Chechnya official Home
Letters
from readers
CHECHYA / NOKHCHIN
David Russo Their
land was born on a storming night;
The mother wolf gave a howl of fright.
The Chechens were raised in the mountains cold,
This noble folk learned of the days of old.
“Allahu akbar!” was the great cry,
Their love of God none could deny.
Chechen mothers, strong and proud
Raised children to sing out firm and loud.
Their fathers taught them to hunt in the wood;
To live in nature and to all to do good. “Nokhchin!” they cry, their sacred motherland.
“Nokhchin!” they cry, they are no thieves’ band;
Though some might say that of them --
These are the noble race of Shem!
Hard days have they endured,
Wrath upon them was poured,
The years went by, great with pain,
Not washed away in mountain rain,
But in a foreign land they were,
Not in their home of wood and fur.
The nation was cruel to all the clans:
The once had Soviets stolen their lands.
Yet still they sang “Allahu akbar!”, to the Lord,
Though many days they had fought and warred. Now again their freedom was threatened,
By the blood of the innocent was the flag wettened.
Chechens are free as the eagles of the mountain,
To prove it they drank bitter draughts from life’s fountain!
Rocks may fall and crack and break,
Yet Chechen honor will no one take!
They overcame hardship and strife,
With dignity, to live a free life.
Though the enemy wounded them cruelly,
And swords pierced people unduly;
Soldiers died by bullets in the wild and cold,
Civilians murdered: more evil than of old!
Finally, the terrible waste was stopped,
The branch of peace on them was dropped. And although their tears have flowed,
They’ve finished the trial of a heavy load.
The love of friends,
And Their song bends,
To Help them recover from their trouble.
The waters of hope do bubble,
And a bright future they await.
Slow, sweetly, softly: not too late.
They have peace, and they are free!
A great republic they aspire to be.
They’re people of the wolf, of the great homeland,
And Almighty, Eternal God holds their hand!
“We are proud to be Chechen!” they do cry,
And to the heavens they hold their heads high.
"They (Chechnya) consider
themselves free, in practice we are dealing with a free state
which resolves its problems outside the constitution of the
Russian Federation, and yet we try to put a handkerchief over that
obvious point." -- Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, saying
the Russian government should recognize the breakaway region as
independent.
"Russia Today"
1.16.1996
April 21 - International Day of Chechnya Supporters of Chechnya in Finland noted International
Day of Chechnya and memorial of Djohar Dudayev
On this picture:
Russian Army ammunition boxes full of bones of chechens killed in
Karpinski "filtration camp" near Grozny. Bodies were
processed thermally and chemically, bones were crushed. From the
book "Chechnya - Fight for Independence", by Zelimkha
Yandarbiyev.
To His Excellency
President of the Chechen Republic - Ichkeria (Chechnya)
General Aslan Mashadov Dzhokhar-Ghal
(Grozny) Your Excellency With great admiration of and respect
for the valorous fight for independence of the Ichkerian nation,
and with deep sympathy and concern because of the Russian
atrocities in and devastation of your country the undersigned
Finnish non-governmental organizations have the honour and
pleasure to congratulate the Ichkerian people and Your Excellency
in person for your great achievements so far. We and with us the vast majority of our people do
ardently hope that your courage, strength and perseverance – the
sisu, as we call that mentality with a word which became
world-famous durlng our Winter War against the Soviets in 1939-40
– as well as the democratic dignity shown by your people in
recent elections and the wisdom of your eadership will bring about
the final triumph of a safe freedom and independence to Ichkeria. Having suffered under Czarist
oppression and having succesfully frustrated Soviet Russian
imperialist schemes against Finland in three wars (l918, 1939-40,
l941-44) we Finns know of our own experience what standing alone
against overwhelming odds entails – but we also know that
success is possible in such an endeavour. Sadly, we also know that the words and deeds of
faraway Western governments are often worlds apart. The world
should not leave you alone. The Russians never can and never will
repay the material destruction they have inflicted on Ichkeria.
Therefore the world should extend diplomatic recognition and
sufficient material assistance to Ichkeria. The undersigned do appeal to the Government of
Finland asking it to fulfill what we consider its moral
responsibility towards another small nation, conquered by the late
Czars which has bravely and with great sacrifices shown its
determination to be free from imperialist domination. We ask our Government to do its
utmost in the framework of the European Union for the recognition
of the independence of Ichkeria, as well as in our national
confines to direct material assistance to Ichkeria as well as to
assure the safe delivery to Ichkeria of aid shipments of private
organizations in Finland. We
do bare our heads paying our reverential respect to the fallen
freedom fighters of Ichkeria and to the civilian victims of
Russian atrocities. We are especially remembering the Father of
the proclamation of the independence of Ichkeria, late President,
His Excellency Dzhokhar Dudaev, teacherously ambushed by Russians
during a teleconversation with a negotiator. May we also in this
connection mention the fate of the late President of Georgia, His
Excellency Zviad Gamsakhurdia, a great champion of freedom,
democracy and human rights, an idealist and a poet, who enjoyed
the friendship and the protection of your people during his exile,
before he was hunted down in the Caucasian mountains by the
restorers of terror rule in Georgia. May God – and your own wisdom, hardened by
experience – protect you personally and your people from further
treacherous acts by the opponents of freedom. Mr President, we ask you to accept the assurances of
our deepest respect. Helsinki,
February 5, 1997 Suomen
Helsinki-Ryhmä RY
(The Helsinki Group of Finland)
Heimo Rantala, Chairman
Sisko Vienonen, Secretary Kansalaisjärjestö Itsenäisyyden Puolesta RY
("For the Independence" Association)
Heikki Eskelinen, Hon. Chairman
Raimo Rosendahl, Chairman Suomalais-Kaukasialainen Yhdistys
(Finnish-Caucasian Association)
Heikki Riihijärvi, Chairman
Aila Niinimaa-Keppo, Vice Chairman Suomi-Georgia-Seura RY
(Finland-Georgia Society)
Aila Niinimaa-Keppo, Chairman
Reno Siradze, Vice Chairman
Open Radio 2x2 [Nov. 27, 1996,
22:30]: "...Aslan Maskhadov declared -- in nearest
future representations of Chechen Republic Ichkeria in Turkey,
Jordan and Baltic states would be converted to
embassies...". REPRESENTATION
OF CHECHEN REPUBLIC OPENS IN WARSAW. DECEMBER 14. /RIA
Novosti correspondent Viktor Nesterov/. "...The official
opening of a representation of the self-proclaimed Chechen
Republic of Ichkeria took place in the Polish capital Friday
evening. It was time for the conclusion of the work of the Third
International Roundtable on Chechnya. As Ikhvan
Gerikhanov, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Chechnya,
declared at the ceremony, the opening of the representation
must show to the entire world that the Chechen people has the
right to open its official missions abroad..." CHECHEN FLAG
OVER WARSAW DRAWS MOSCOW'S IRE. Leonid KORNILOV.
"...A "roundtable" on restoration
of Chechnya, peace in the Caucasus and democracy in Russia was
held in Warsaw, Poland, on December 11 to 13. It was organised
by the local authorities of Warsaw and Krakow and the
Krakow-based Chechen Information Centre, which Moscow has
protested against for nearly two years now. The conference was
financed by the Warsaw self-government, which signed a
"treaty of brotherhood and co-operation with
Chechnya" in January 1995. Alla Dudayeva attended
the "roundtable" as a guest of honour. First
Vice-Premier Khozhahmet Nukhayev and Foreign Minister Ruslan
Chimayev represented the government of the Chechen Republic.
(Izvestia, December 15.)..."
Statement
of Representative of the
President of Chechen Republic Ichkeria
in Finland
on "Moscow Cup 17.10.1996" Informational,
Cultural and Economic Representation
of Chechen Republic Ichkeria in Finland
--
Statement on Novie Atagi provocation
17.12.1996
Information from Finland Pääministeri pakolaisena. Georgian
expääministeri Bessarion Gugushvili Kaukasian konfliktien
keskeltä Suomeen. Toimittajana Leena Niinimaa. Ylen
Ykkönen Torstai 14.03.96 Päivän ohjelmatiedot 140396
YLE/tied. 18.03 Maailmanpyörä. "Dudajevin leski aikoo pyytää poliittista
turvapaikkaa Suomesta", Tarja Laaksonen,
'Iltalehti', 25 Jun 1996, No 144, p.3 "Tshetsheenien edustusto Suomen", Jan
Erola, 'Iltalehti', 23 Sep. 1996, No 221, p.5 "Riihijarvi oli tshetsheeni-tiedotuksen
pioneeri", Jan Erola, 'Iltalehti', 23 Sep. 1996,
No 221, p.5 Tshetsheenit
perustaneet Suomeen toimiston. Tshetsheenit ovat
perustaneet Suomeen toimiston, jonka tarkoituksena on
kehittää Suomen ja Tshetshenian välisiä suhteita. Asiasta
kertoneen Yleisradion radiouutisten mukaan toimistoa johtaa
georgialainen Vissarion Gugushvili. Hän asuu Suomessa
poliittisena pakolaisena. 96.09.23. (MTV3,
Päivitetty 08:03) "Tuhottu
Tshetshenia tarvitsee apua", Martti Valkonen,
'Helsingin Sanomat', 29 Sep. 1996, D, p.4 Press-Conference of Representative of the
President of ChRI and Finnish-Caucasian Association in
Helsinki, 1 Oct. 1996 "Georgian
Pääministeri asuu Vantaa", Markko Laitinen,
'APU', 25.10.1996, p.27 "Europaan
neuvosto koulii Venäjää", Martti Valkonen, Cristian
Westerback, 'Helsingin Sanomat', 17.11.1996. "VENÄJÄ ON SAIRAS", Georgian
pääministeri vaatii vapauttav 'Ajan
Suunta', 4/1996, Sunnuntai 8.12.1996 "Georgian mielipidevangit vapaiksi!", 'Ajan
Suunta', 4/1996, Sunnuntai 8.12.1996 "Tshetshenian surmatöille on monta
motiivia", Aila Niinimaa-Keppo, 'Iltalehti',
23.12.1996, p.6 "Punaisen
Ristin työntekijät jättivät jäähyväiset tovereilleen
Genevessä", 'Helsingin Sanomat', 20.12.1996, p.C2 "Tshetsheenit voittivat maansa
isännyyden", 'Helsingin Sanomat', 31.12.1996 "Dzhohar Dudajev kuoli silmieni edessa
(Tshetsheenijohtajan leski Alla Dudajeva tyrmää sitkeät
huhut, että hänen miehensä olisi elossa)", Anu
Kuistiala, 'Ilta-Sanomat', 23.1.1997, p.14 "CAUCASUS
and an unholy alliance". 1977, Vantaa (Finland).
Pages: 256, ISBN: 952-9752-16-4. Articles by Zviad
Gamsakhurdia, Jokhar Dudaev, Abdulfaz Elchibey, etc. Seminar: "Russia and Islam", 17-18 Oct.
1997, Helsinki. Finnish Institute for Russian and East
European Studies.
 Chechen Republic Ichkeria - Government
Special
Selection of International News, Articles, etc. * from the
previous war
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