Remember Chechnya?

When 9/11 and it's consequences took over the media, the latest developments
in Chechnya reminds us of the century old ongoing struggle of a freedom
loving oppressed people. Not to mention the ongoing human rights violation of
the worst kind. Let us refresh our memory on this occasion.

Syeda Sultana Razia, PhD
Former President
Canadian Society for Peace in Chechnya

Who are Chechens?

The Chechens are Sunni Muslims, having converted in the late 17th to early
19th centuries. Islam is now, as it has been since the conversion, moderate
but strongly held and a central component of the culture.
The Chechens are the largest North Caucasian group and the second largest
Caucasian group (after the Georgians). Chechen population is 956,879 (1989
census).

Russian Invasion
1858 - After decades of violent resistance, Chechnya is conquered by Russia
following the defeat of Imam Shamil and his fighters, who had aimed to
establish an Islamic state.
1922 - Chechen autonomous region established; becomes the Chechen-Ingush
Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1934.
1944 - Soviet dictator Stalin deports the entire Chechen and Ingush
populations to Siberia and Central Asia, citing alleged collaboration with
Nazi Germany. Many thousands die in the process.
1957 - Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev restores the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous
Soviet Socialist Republic

War in Chechnya 1991
Elections were held on 27 October 1991 and Jokhar Dudayev, a former Soviet
Air Force General, Won claiming 90%of the votes. Glasnost, the new openness
in Russian society under Gorbachev, initiated a period of renewed unrest in
Chechnya and other Soviet Republics. After a long period of struggle between
different Chechen groups.

1992/1994
Dudayev refused to sign a treaty in March 1992 granting Chechnya
Substantial autonomy- demanding instead total independence. In 1994 Civil war
broke out backed by Russia.

1994/1995
On November 25, an abortive attack on Grozny was backed by Russian
helicopters and tanks. On December Russian troops invaded Chechnya and bombed
Grozny and other towns

1995/1996
A peace accord was signed on 30 July 1995 only to collapse that in
October. A Russia-approved candidate was elected head of the state on 17
December and signed an autonomy deal with Russia. The Rebels rejected the
accord and attacked Grozny in March 1996.

1996/1997
Yeltsin's National Security Advisor, General Lebed, negotiated a deal in
August 1996. A decision on Chechnya's final status was postponed until 2001.
The last Russian troops withdrew in January 1997.
An estimated 60,000-100,000 people had lost their lives during the war.  
The Chechen military president Aslan Maskhadov was elected Chechnya's new
president.

1999
Terrorist bombs explode in Moscow and other Russian cities. Russian
authorities blame Chechen paramilitary commanders. Chechen insurgents enter
neighboring Russian territory of Dagestan to the rebels seeking to create
separate nation.
Russian troops recapture breakaway areas of Dagestan. Yeltsin sends nearly
100,000 Russian troops into Chechnya. Russians occupy much of Chechnya,
pulverize Grozny, driving rebels into hills. 250,000 refugees fled to
neighboring provinces and
hundreds were killed.

2000
Despite Russian claims of imminent victory, war continues. Russians are
unable to defeat rebels in mountainous areas. United Nations officials call
for investigations of alleged human rights abuses by Russian troops and by
Chechen rebels. New Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to human rights
investigation, continues war.

2001
Russian president Putin appoints Stanislav Ilyasov as Chechen prime minister.

2002
On Oct. 23, Chechen rebels seized a crowded Moscow theater and detained 763
people, including 3 Americans. Armed and wired with explosives, the rebels
demanded that Russian government end the war in Chechnya. Government forces
stormed the theater the next day, after releasing a gas into the theater,
which killed not only all the rebels but more than 100 hostages.

2003
In March Chechens voted in a referendum that approved a new regional
constitution making Chechnya a separatist republic within Russia. Agreeing to
the constitution meant abandoning claims for complete independence. While
Moscow has presented the referendum as a way of bringing peace to the war-
ravaged region, it is unclear how much power Russia would actually grant the
separatist republic. A spate of Chechen suicide bombings followed throughout
the year.

In September elections, Akhmad Kadyrov, the de facto Chechen president
installed three years earlier by Russia, officially becomes president. Human
rights groups as well as several nations questioned the fairness of the
elections. During 2003, there were 11 bomb attacks against Russia believed to
have been orchestrated by Chechen rebels.

2004
Feb 6 2004: A powerful bomb rips through a packed Moscow subway train during
the morning rush hour, killing 41 people.
May 9 2004: Akhmad Kadyrov is killed in a blast in a stadium in Grozny. At
least 15 others are killed and dozens of others injured.

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