Chechnya
ChechnyaBy: Andrew Dennis
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The Chechens always despised being ruled by the Russians, likewise, Russia loathed them ranked them among the most ruthless and severe criminals of the former Soviet Union (Roskin 285). Stalin deported the Chechens to Kazakhstan in 1944, claiming they were "German collaborators". When the remaining Muslim Chechens were permitted back into their homeland, they returned feeling bitter and helpless without any available resources on which to survive. Since their repatriation, the people of Chechnya have had a particular bone to pick with Russia (Fielding). Animosity between the Russians and Chechens eventually exploded into a brutal bout of ethnic fighting leaving the present-day status extremely sketchy. The entire issue is complex and volatile. In order to gain a sense of what is currently happening in Chechnya, this paper will explore a number of aspects of the conflict: what caused the war, who was involved and why, and what, if any, developments are being made towards peace. After examining those topics, we will try to decide if there is any hope for the future; will recent events will lead us towards peace or further hostility and warfare. In 1991, immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Chechen rebel leader Jokar Dudayev hopped on the bandwagon with other seceding republics, and ceased an opportunity to declare independence from Russia, or "Mother Moscow". "Most Soviet nationalities did not like the Russians, whom they saw as a colonial, or occupying power" (Roskin 284). Contrary to places like Estonia, Armenia, and Ukraine, Chechnya did not fully succeed at seceding and was still legally a member of the Russian Federation (Dyer). In practice, they were as independent as you could get, and they lived quite peacefully for a couple of years, despite the formal connection to Russia. The arrangement might have worked out if it wasn't for Russia's persistent paranoia. They began to fear that these Republics would serve as an example for other areas contemplating secession, and they were experiencing difficulty coming to terms with their shrinking borders. A mere two years after Chechnya made their declaration for independence, President Boris Yeltsin decided he could not let them go. Subsequently, he prescribed a remedy for their suppression which was sending in the troops (Dyer). Apparently Yeltsin made this hasty decision without any consultation with the military, in the absence of parliamentary debate, and with next to no publicity (Roskin 285). These actions would later come back to haunt Yeltsin, as this horrific ethnic war begins to materialize. Yeltsin's plan was to enter Chechnya and erase any notion of independence. He promised this would be a quick and painless victory for Russia, taking only a few days. Some were even audacious enough to boast that the attack would amount to a few hours. Of course, no one had any reason to doubt him; after all, Russia still has one of the world's largest armies, "with more soldiers than Chechnya has people" (Dyer). But, ten weeks following their entry into Chechnya,...
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