Chechnya

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Chechnya
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Origins/Background

• In the 19th century The region of the North
  Caucasus was incorporated into the Russian
  empire following border conflicts with the
  existing Ottoman Empire.
• Numerous Islamic peoples, the Ingush, Dagestani
  and the Chechen were settled in the region.
• Resistance to foreign authority and russification
  was present from the beginning.
•  
• Following the Bolshevik revolution
  Chechnya-Ingushetia gained the status of an
  autonomous republic (ASSR).
•  
• During World War II like most western soviet
  ethnic groups about 400,000 Chechens were
  deported to Siberia by Stalin, under the
  accusation of being Nazi collaborators.
• In 1957 under Khrushchev these people were
  allowed to return to their homeland.
•  
• The deportation remains the central grievance
  for Chechens and looms heavy in their collective
  memory. Ironically, it was during the hard years
  they spent away from their land that a
  distinctive Chechen identity appears to have
  taken form.
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First Chechen War

• In 1994 Russian troops attacked the Chechen
  capital city of Grozny and sought to displace the
  pro-independence government. The ranks of Chechen
  pro-independence fighters quickly swelled and the
  war dragged on for 2 more years, ending with
  recapture of Grozny by the Chechen rebels in
  1996. Dudayev was killed and was succeeded by
  Aslan Maskhadov the Chief commander of the
  Chechen army.
• The dismaying recapture of Grozny as well as the
  overall unpopularity of the war brought the
  Russians around to the peace table. The
  devastation of the region and mounting civilian
  casualties were enough for the Chechens.
• The officially accepted death toll was around
• 2,500 Chechen fighters, 6,000 Russian troops, and
  50,000 civilians
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Independence

• Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and
  the withdrawal of the 15 republics Chechen
  independence sentiments were reinvigorated.
•  
• In 1991 The National Congress of the Chechen
  People was formed a - political party led by
  Dzhokhar Dudayev. The party, through the use of
  militants, dissolved the old governing body of
  the Chechn-Ingush ASSR and declared independence
  from the Russian Federation. Elections were
  held and Dudayev became president. Ingushetia
  voted to remain part of the Russian federation
•  
• Yeltsin did not recognize the illegitimate
  government. However between 1991-94 some
  attempts were made to strike a deal to keep
  Chechnya a relatively autonomous region within
  the confines of the Russian federation.
  Communication eventually broke down and Russia
  began to support coup detat attempts on
  Dudayevs government.
•  
• Towards 1994 Dudayevs policies had transformed
  Chechnya into a mafia haven and crime and
  lawlessness were on the rise. Added to that there
  was strong opposition against him within the
  provisional council.

Dudayev
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Lead up to renewed hostilities

• Following the cease-fire Chechnyan autonomy was
  recognized and Maskhadov was elected president of
  Chechnya.
• The man however could not control the numerous
  militant groups that took root in the region.
  Added to that the governing judicial body was
  weakened due to the rise of Islamic Sharia law.
  Crime and lawlessness continued to be a problem.
  
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• In August 1999, Shamil Baseyev a militant
  commander during the first Chechen war led
  several hundred soldiers over the Chechen border
  in to the neighbouring Russian republic of
  Dagestan. Russian troops drove the invaders back
  and began bombing southern Chechnya. Vladimir
  Putin annulled the 1996 cease-fire agreement and
  the Second Chechen war began.
•  

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Second Chechen War

• Began by the Russians in retaliation in response
  to the Islamic International Peacekeeping
  Brigades invasion of Dagestan in 1999, and the
  bombing of various places in Russia blamed on the
  Chechens (it is never proved the bombings were
  the work of the Chechens)
• Starting with an air campaign and followed by a
  land invasion, Russia, under Putin, attacks
  Chechnya
• Massive amounts of refugees flee to neighboring
  countries, who then appeal to the UN for help
• Aslan Maskhadov is elected leader of the Chechen
  government
• In return, Putin declares Aslan Maskhadov and his
  government illegitimate
• In an attempt to make peace, Maskhadov offers to
  get rid of the warlords responsible for the
  invasion of Dagestan but this is rejected by
  Russia
• Maskhadov declares a holy war against the
  Russians who begin the siege of Grozny (capital
  of Chechnya)
• Russia gains control of Grozny in February 2000,
  but most of Grozny has been destroyed and over
  200,000 people have fled
• Direct rule is established by Putin after Aslan
  Maskhadov is assassinated in May 2000 and Akhmad
  Kadyrov is elected head of the new Chechen
  government in a fixed election

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After the Second Chechen War

• In March 2003 a new constitution is put in place,
  which grants Chechnya some independence in return
  for Chechnyas surrender of claims for complete
  independence
• Suicide bombings ensue
• In 2005 Ramzan Kadyrov becomes caretaker prime
  minister, later appointed president in 2007 who
  is criticized for being head of a private militia
  group (Kadyrovtsy) which has garnered warnings
  from groups such as Human Rights Watch over
  killings and kidnapping incidents
• High levels of unemployment (an estimate 70)
  still reign in Chechnya despite the 2 billion
  put in by the Russian government to rebuild the
  economy (an estimated 350 million has actually
  gone where its supposed to)
• Guerilla warfare still continues and despite a
  recent 2007 poll in which 70 of Russians want
  talks with the separatists instead of a military
  response

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Stalingrad
Grozny
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Shamil Basayev
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Proposed Solution - Military

• Secure the region by increasing Russian troop
  presence
• -Extremely high levels of violence, corruption
  in both the Russian and Chechen government and
  crime must be reduced as a foundation of
  improvement
• -Increasing international pressure/economic
  incentive for Russia to minimize human rights
  violations
• -Continue operations to root out terrorist
  militants political negotiations are dead-ends
  with radical extremists

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Proposed Solution Political

• Keep Chechnya in the Russian Federation for the
  short term with long-term possibility of
  separation Russia will not tolerate a radical
  state as a neighbour.
• An unstable Chechnya caused by Russian
  withdrawal ruled by militants is unfavorable
  because as in 1996-1999, a state of lawlessness
  or radical Taliban like Islamic power will
  prevail
• Once Chechnya is stable in the future, allow
  separation to free up Russian resources, and the
  Russians should be given a portion of Chechnyas
  economic resources as a incentive to let go of
  Chechnya
• Once security is achieved, gradually move towards
  a Chechen elected leader free of Moscow
  interference
• The new Chechen leadership enters a regional
  security alliance with Russia to secure
  Chechnyas strategic importance

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Proposed Solution Economic

• Increasing oil output to create enough capital to
  spur industrialization projects
• Appeal to foreign and Russian investments as a
  source of reducing the unemployment rate
• This step requires a certain stability so that
  foreign workers are not kidnapped
• Request humanitarian aid for the region