The Moscow subway bombing on March 29, 2010 opened many eyes to the real story of terrorism by Chechen separatists. Many believed, as prime minister Vladimir Putin had announced, Chechen terrorists had been destroyed. With the end of the Second Chechen War in April 2009 and Russia pulling out of the region known as Chechnya, citizens believed Russian troops had prevailed.
Then came the subway bombing on the Moscow metro. This incident caused Russia and the world to realize that Chechen rebels are well-organized and have elaborate plans for terrorizing their neighbor to the North.
The Beginnings of Conflict Chechnya
Many people do not realize that the conflict with Chechen separatists has spanned centuries. It is not only a contemporary fight.
In the eighteenth century Muslim tribes inhabited the area known as Chechnya, living in the mountains. Czarist Russia wanted this land for itself and fighting between the two groups began around 1722. However, the Muslims could not match powerful Russia, thus most of Chechnya was "occupied" by Russia by middle of the eighteenth century.
Chechen Rebels
For the Muslim tribes in the eighteenth century this was a holy war - as it is today. It is a war that stems from religious beliefs and territorial rights - not because Chechnya is an oil-rich country. Chechen rebels or separatists from the 1700s until today are fighting for Chechnya to be an independent state that is under complete Muslim control.
Back in 1785 the Muslim tribes scored a huge victory in the holy war against the Russians. A Muslim cleric named Sheikh Mansur, who ruled over and unified tribes, led the rebels to defeat the Russians in 1785. This shocked Russians in the same way they were shocked with the recent Moscow subway bombings. How could a small separatist group organize so quickly and effectively?
Due to this victory, Mansur is a legend amongst Chechen rebels.
However, the celebration did not last very long. Czarist Russia sent more troops to the region in response to the defeat. This led to the rising of a second heroic Chechen separatist leader by the name of Imam Shamil. He is responsible for the current-day guerrilla warfare tactics, since he is the one who employed them for decades to fight off the Russians.
Shamil was finally captured in 1859. Russia then moved into Chechnya and annexed the area, forcing Shamil's supporters to leave.
The warring in Chechnya came to a standstill for the next fifty years. Then the Russian Revolution came and Stalin's reign, thus leading to the modern-day First Chechen War.
The countries of Russia and Chechnya never seem to be at peace. With the recent Moscow bombing, many believe peace is not an option for two nations with such differing beliefs. Thus, the fate of Chechnya is a waiting game to see what will happen next.
This article, History of the Chechen Conflict, discusses Russia-Chechnya relations from the 1999 war up until today.
Source:
Conflict in Chechnya by Lee Banville, PBS Online NewsHour -- viewed April 18, 2010
Jennifer Ciotta - Jennifer Ciotta is the author of I, Putin (Vladimir Putin novel): http://vladimirputinnovel.com.
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