Chechen Republic of Ichkeria

Mountain Republic	1917–1920
North Caucasian Emirate	1919–1920
Chechen National Okrug	1920–1922
Chechen Autonomous Oblast	1922–1934
Chechen–Ingush Aut. Oblast	1934–1936
Chechen–Ingush ASSR	1936–1944
Grozny Oblast	1944–1957
Chechen–Ingush ASSR	1957–1991
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria	1991–2000
Chechen Republic	2000–present

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The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (/ɪtʃˈkɛriə/; Chechen: Nóxçiyn Paçẋalq Noxçiyçö [noχtʃʰiːn pʰɑtʃʜɑlq nɔχtʃɪtʃʰy̯ø], Cyrillic: Нохчийн Пачхьалкх Нохчийчоь; Russian: Чеченская Республика Ичкерия; abbreviated as "ChRI" or "CRI") is the unrecognized secessionist government of the Chechen Republic. The republic was proclaimed in late 1991 by Dzhokhar Dudayev, and fought two devastating wars with the Russian Federation, which denounced the secession. In late 2007, the President of Ichkeria, Dokka Umarov, declared that he had renamed the republic to Noxçiyc̈ó and converted it into a province of the much larger Caucasus Emirate, with himself as Emir. This change was rejected by some members of the former Chechen government-in-exile.

Ichkeria was a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. Former president of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, deposed in a military coup of 1991 and a leading participant in the Georgian Civil War, recognised the independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in 1993.^[3] Diplomatic relations with Ichkeria were also established by the partially recognized Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan under the Taliban government on January 16, 2000. This recognition ceased with the fall of the Taliban in 2001.^[4] However, despite Taliban recognition, there were no friendly relations between the Taliban and Ichkeria—Maskhadov rejected their recognition, stating that the Taliban were illegitimate.^[5] Ichkeria also received vocal support from the Baltic countries, a group of Ukrainian nationalists and Poland; Estonia once voted to recognize, but the act never was consummated due to pressure applied by both Russia and the pro-Russian elements within the EU.^[5]^[6]^[7]

History

1991–1994

In November 1990, Dzhokhar Dudayev was elected head of the Executive Committee of the unofficial opposition All-National Congress of the Chechen People, which advocated sovereignty for Chechnya as a separate republic within the Soviet Union. In October 1991, he won the presidential election.

Dudayev, in his new position as president of Ichkeria, unilaterally declared the republic's sovereignty and its secession from the Soviet Union and Russia. Not recognized by any government except Georgia under Zviad Gamsakhurdia, the country has maintained an unstable existence, due in part to constant threats of invasions from the Russian Federation.

Dudayev's government had created the constitution of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, which was introduced on March 1992.^[8] In the same month, the opposition attempted a coup d'état, but their attempt was crushed by force. A month later, Dudayev introduced direct presidential rule, and in June 1993, dissolved the parliament. Federal forces dispatched to the Ossetian-Ingush conflict were ordered to move to the Chechen border in late October 1992, and Dudayev, who perceived this as "an act of aggression against the Chechen Republic," declared a state of emergency and threatened general mobilization if the Russian troops did not withdraw from the Chechen border. After staging another coup attempt in December 1993, the opposition organized a Provisional Council as a potential alternative government for Chechnya, calling on Moscow for assistance.

However, the issue of contention was not independence from Russia: even the opposition stated there was no alternative to an international boundary separating Chechnya from Russia. In 1992, Russian newspaper Moscow News made note that, just like the most other seceding republics except for Tatarstan, ethnic Chechens universally supported the establishment of an independent Chechen state.^[9] Again, in 1995, during the heat of the First Chechen War, Khalid Delmayev, an anti-Dudayev belonging to an Ichkerian liberal coalition, stated that "Chechnya's statehood may be postponed... but cannot be avoided".^[10] Opposition to Dudayev came mainly due to his domestic policy, as well as his personality: on one of the most notorious incidents being a declaration, referencing earthquakes experienced by Armenia and Azerbaijan, that Russia intended to destabilize his nation by "artificially creating earthquakes". This did not go off well with most Chechens, who came to view him as a national embarrassment at times (if still a patriot at others), but it did not, by any means, dismantle the determination for independence, as most Western commentators note.^[11]

1994–1996

Main article: First Chechen War

Some events of the First Chechen War include:

Kizlyar-Pervomayskoye hostage crisis

Shatoy ambush

Battle of Grozny (August 1996)

Khasavyurt Accord

1996–1999

After the war, parliamentary and presidential elections took place in January 1997 in Chechnya and brought to power Aslan Maskhadov, chief of staff and prime minister in the Chechen coalition government, for a five-year term. Maskhadov sought to maintain Chechen sovereignty while pressing Moscow to help rebuild the republic, whose formal economy and infrastructure were virtually destroyed.^[12] Russia continued to send money for the rehabilitation of the republic; it also provided pensions and funds for schools and hospitals. Most of these transfers were stolen by Chechen authorities and divided between favoured warlords.^[13] Nearly half a million people (40% of Chechnya's prewar population) have been internally displaced and lived in refugee camps or overcrowded villages.^[14] The economy was destroyed. Two Russian brigades were stationed in Chechnya and did not leave^[14] He took effort to rebuild the country and its devastated capital Grozny by trading oil in countries such as the United Kingdom.^[15]

Chechnya had been badly damaged by the war and the economy was in a shambles.^[16] Aslan Maskhadov tried to concentrate power in his hands to establish authority, but had trouble creating an effective state or a functioning economy.

The war ravages and lack of economic opportunities left numbers of armed former guerrillas with no occupation but further violence. Kidnappings, robberies, and killings of fellow Chechens and outsiders, most notably the killings of four employees of British Granger Telecom in 1998, weakened the possibilities of outside investment and Maskhadov's efforts to gain international recognition of its independence effort. Kidnappings became common in Chechnya, procuring over $200 million during the three year independence of the chaotic fledgling state,^[17] but victims were rarely killed.^[18] In 1998, 176 people had been kidnapped, and 90 of them had been released during the same year according to official accounts. There were several public executions of criminals.^[19]^[20]

Conceding to an armed and vocal minority movement in the opposition led by Movladi Udugov, in February 1999, Maskhadov declared The Islamic Republic of Ichkeria, and the Sharia system of justice was introduced. Maskhadov hoped that this would discredit the opposition, putting stability before his own ideological affinities. However, according to former Foreign Minister Ilyas Akhmadov, the public primarily supported Maskhadov, his Independence Party, and their secularism. This was exemplified by the much greater numbers in political rallies supporting the government than those supporting the Islamist opposition.^[21] Akhmadov notes that the parliament, which was dominated by Maskhadov's own Independence Party, issued a public stating that President Maskhadov didn't have the constitutional authority to proclaim sharia law, and also condemning the opposition for "undermining the foundations of the state".^[22]

President Maskhadov started a major campaign against hostage-takers, and on October 25, 1998, Shadid Bargishev, Chechnya's top anti-kidnapping official, was killed in a remote controlled car bombing. Bargishev's colleagues then insisted they would not be intimidated by the attack and would go ahead with their offensive. Other anti-kidnapping officials blamed the attack on Bargishev's recent success in securing the release of several hostages, including 24 Russian soldiers and an English couple.^[23] Maskhadov blamed the rash of abductions in Chechnya on unidentified "outside forces" and their Chechen henchmen, allegedly those who joined Pro-Moscow forces during the second war.^[24]

Some of the kidnapped (most of whom were non-Chechens) were sold into indentured servitude to Chechen families. They were openly called slaves and had to endure starvation, beating, and often maiming.^[13]^[25]^[26]^[27]

The years of independence had some political violence as well. On December 10 Mansur Tagirov, Chechnya's top prosecutor, disappeared while returning to Grozny. On June 21 the Chechen security chief and a guerrilla commander fatally shot each other in an argument. The internal violence in Chechnya peaked on July 16, 1998, when fighting broke out between Maskhadov's National Guard force led by Sulim Yamadayev (who joined pro-Moscow forces in the second war) and militants in the town of Gudermes; over 50 people were reported killed and the state of emergency was declared in Chechnya.^[28]

Maskhadov proved unable to guarantee the security of the oil pipeline running across Chechnya from the Caspian Sea, and illegal oil tapping and acts of sabotage deprived his regime of crucial revenues and agitated his allies in Moscow. In 1998 and 1999 Maskhadov survived several assassination attempts, blamed on the Russian intelligence services.^[29]

Politics

The first three Presidents of Ichkeria Yandarbiyev, Dudayev and Maskhadov praying together in 1994.

Since the declaration of independence in 1991, there has been an ongoing battle between secessionist officials and federally appointed officials. Both claim authority over the same territory.

Since the fall of Grozny in 2000 some of the Ichkerian government was based in exile, including in Poland and the United Kingdom. On 23 January 2000 a diplomatic representation of Ichkeria was based in Kabul during the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

On October 31, 2007, the separatist news agency Chechenpress reported that Dokka Umarov had announced the Caucasus Emirate and declared himself its Emir. He integrated the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria as Vilayat Nokhchicho. This change of status was rejected by some Chechen politicians and military leaders who continue to support the existence of the republic. Since November 2007, Akhmed Zakayev says he is now the Prime Minister of Ichkeria's government in exile.

References

1 2 "The Constitution of Chechen Republic Ichkeria". Waynakh Online. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
↑ http://zhaina.com/history/261-konstitucija-chechenskojj-respubliki.html
↑ in 1993, ex-President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia recognized Chechnya ` s independence..,
↑ Are Chechens in Afghanistan? – By Nabi Abdullaev, Dec 14, 2001 Moscow Times Archived August 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
1 2 Kullberg, Anssi. "The Background of Chechen Independence Movement III: The Secular Movement". The Eurasian politician. 1 October 2003
↑ Kari Takamaa and Martti Koskenneimi. The Finnish Yearbook of International Law. p147
↑ Kuzio, Taras. "The Chechen crisis and the 'near abroad'". Central Asian Survey, Volume 14, Issue 4 1995, pages 553–572
↑ Chechen Leadership In Exile Seeks To Salvage Legitimacy
↑ Moscow News. November 22–29, 1992
↑ Moscow News. September 1–7, 1995
↑ For example, see Wood, Tony. Chechnya: the Case for Independence. Page 61, or alternatively, works by Anatol Lieven on the issue.
↑ Freedomhouse.org
1 2 Leon Aron. Chechnya, New Dimensions of the Old Crisis. AEI, 01.02.2003 Archived March 12, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
1 2 Alex Goldfarb and Marina Litvinenko. "Death of a Dissident: The Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and the Return of the KGB." Free Press, New York, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4165-5165-2.
↑ London Sunday Times on Mashkadov visit
↑ The International Spectator 3/2003, The Afghanisation of Chechnya, Peter Brownfeld Archived September 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ Tishkov, Valery. Chechnya: Life in a War-Torn Society. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004. Page 114.
↑ Four Western hostages beheaded in Chechnya Archived December 3, 2002, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ Document Information | Amnesty International Archived November 21, 2004, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ "Latest News - MFA of Latvia". Retrieved 6 February 2015.
↑ Akhmadov, Ilyas. The Chechen Struggle: Independence Won and Lost. Page 144. "The size of the rallies indicated that the public was behind Maskhadov and the secular state... and, in autumn, that they [the opposition] could not summon public support either on the street or in the parliament."
↑ Akhmadov, Ilyas. The Chechen Struggle: Independence Won and Lost. Page 143.
↑ The Michigan Daily Online Archived June 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ Police tried to silence GfbV – Critical banner against Putin´s Chechnya policies wars Archived November 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ RF Ministry of Justice information. Chechnya violates basic legal norms, 08.12.1999
↑ RFERL, Russia: RFE/RL Interviews Chechen Field Commander Umarov, 27.07.2005; Doku Umarov who was the head of the Security Council of Ichkeria in 1997–1999 accused Movladi Baisarov and one of Yamadayev brothers of engaging in slave trade in the inter-war period
↑ Соколов-Митрич, Дмитрий (2007). Нетаджикские девочки, нечеченские маьлчики (in Russian). Moscow: Яуза-Пресс. ISBN 978-5-903339-45-7.
↑ Further emergency measures in Chechnya Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ The Jamestown Foundation

External links

Waynakh Online
10 years ago Russian special forces killed Chechnya's self-proclaimed president, Dzhokhar Dudayev, Moscow News.
EP:The Background of Chechen Independence Movement V: The Dagestan Provocation
FMSO: A Tale of Two Theaters: Russian Actions in Chechnya in 1994 and 1999
Text of the Peace Treaty
ASF, Edvard Kline, Chechen History
The North Caucasus Conflict and its Implications for Russia, Mikhail Aleseev, Kennan Institute.
The Chechen fight for independence by David Storobin, Globalpolitician.com.

Leaders of Chechnya since 1991

Chechen Republic	Salambek Khadzhiyev Doku Zavgayev Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev Akhmad Kadyrov Sergey Abramov Alu Alkhanov Ramzan Kadyrov

Chechen Republic of Ichkeria	Dzhokhar Dudayev Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev Aslan Maskhadov Abdul-Halim Sadulayev Dokka Umarov Akhmed Zakayev

Caucasus Emirate	Dokka Umarov Aslambek Vadalov (disputed) Khuseyn Gakayev (disputed) Aliaskhab Kebekov Magomed Suleymanov

Acting officeholders shown in italics.

Chechen–Russian conflict

Key events	Conflict	Federalists	Separatists	Mujahideen

Wars First Chechen War War of Dagestan Second Chechen War War in Ingushetia First Chechen War (1994–96) 1994 Grozny battle 1994 Khankala battle 1994–95 Grozny battle 1996 Shatoy ambush 1996 Grozny battle 1996 Khasavyurt accord Second Chechen War (1999–2009) 1999 Chechnya bombing 1999–2000 Grozny battle 2000 Height 776 battle 2000 Komsomolskoye battle 2000 Zhani ambush 2002 Khankala Mi-26 crash 2004 Nazran raid 2004 Grozny raid 2005 Nalchik raid Counter-insurgency operations Guerrilla phase Insurgency (2009–present) Insurgency in the North Caucasus	Major attacks 1995 Budyonnovsk hostage crisis 1996 Black Sea hostage crisis 1996 Kizlyar hostage crisis 1999 Apartment bombings 2002 Moscow hostage crisis 2002 Grozny truck bombing 2004 Aircraft bombings 2004 Beslan school siege Related topics Censorship of Chechnya coverage Crimes and terrorism Mass graves Suicide attacks Assassinations Casualties (Second Chechen War) Aircraft losses International response Politics of Chechnya Chechenpress Kavkaz Center In culture Alexandra Angel of Grozny Ant in a Glass Jar Polina Zherebtsova's Journal The 3 Rooms of Melancholia The Pathologies The Search War	Combatants Russian Federation Armed Forces Ground Forces Ministry of Internal Affairs OMON ODON Internal Troops Federal Security Service Main Intelligence Directorate Special Forces (Spetsnaz) Republic of Chechnya Militia (Kadyrovtsy) Leaders Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin Dmitry Medvedev Vladimir Putin Chechnya † Akhmad Kadyrov Alu Alkhanov Ramzan Kadyrov † Dzhabrail Yamadayev † Ruslan Yamadayev † Sulim Yamadayev	Combatants Ichkeria Caucasian Front Leaders † Dzhokhar Dudayev † Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev † Aslan Maskhadov † Abdul-Halim Sadulayev † Ruslan Gelayev † Shamil Basayev † Arbi Barayev † Salman Raduyev Akhmed Zakayev † Turpal-Ali Atgeriyev † Vakha Arsanov Ilyas Akhmadov † Movsar Barayev † Muslim Atayev † Rasul Makasharipov † Ilias Gorchkhanov † Rappani Khalilov	Combatants Caucasus Emirate Arab Mujahideen Islamic International Brigade Riyad-us Saliheen Wilayah al-Qawqaz Leaders † Magomed Suleimanov † Aliaskhab Kebekov † Dokka Umarov Aslambek Vadalov (POW) Ali Taziev † Anzor Astemirov † Supyan Abdullayev Aslan Byutukayev Movladi Udugov † Khuseyn Gakayev Tarkhan Gaziyev † Said Buryatsky † Magomed Vagabov Rustam Asildarov † Asker Dzhappuyev † Arthur Getagazhev † Ibn al-Khattab † Abu al-Walid † Abu Hafs al-Urduni † Muhannad † Abdulla Kurd

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