David McDuff
02-24-2004, 06:56 AM
THE 1944 DEPORTATION
"In the 20th century the Chechens is the third nation, if we were to
rank them, destined to be killed after the Jews and the Gypsies."
Zbigniew Brzezinski, Washington, D.C., December 11, 2003
In the frosty morning on February 23, 1944, all adults (there were few
men, the war was still on) were summoned to the places of mass
assembly: clubs, schools, town and village squares. That was the Red
Army Day and, being still unaware, people were in a festive mood. But
the blasphemy of Soviet authorities was so jesuitical that the state
holiday was used as a pretext for the bloody crime. So, the monstrous
action began with perfidy and meanness. Across the whole territory of
Checheno-Ingushetia, against the background of machine-guns, the
decree-sentence about the deportation of Chechens and Ingushs was
announced. Then a 100,000 strong contingent of specially trained for
such actions Russian soldiers began breaking into houses of the
peaceful, unprotected and armless Chechen and Ingush population.
Victims of these barbarian actions were given only 10-15 minutes to
get ready! After that all those who were unable to quickly obey the
order, i.e. weak elderly, children and women were forced outside, the
ill were thrown down from hospital beds. Any manifestation of
resentment was punished with death! An attempt to escape - execution!
Misunderstood order - execution! All orders were given in Russian,
although many Chechens did not understand it.
After the carnage of the deceived, they hunted for the rest of
Chechnya residents. Russian soldiers, well-trained by the state,
hunted about in order to humiliate and kill civilians. After the first
days of the barbarian action most mountains and plains, towns and
villages were covered with dead bodies. They were discovered
everywhere: in deserted houses, in beds, in inner yards, along roads,
paths, in the vicinities of villages, in precipices, in forests.
Russians killed Chechens everywhere: they blew them up with mines,
impaled, beheaded, burnt, drowned, poisoned. Most food products were
poured with kerosene and burnt, instead poisoned food was scattered
about, and mostly starving children fell victims - they did not
understand why they could not eat clean and good looking food
products. More than 7,000 Chechens were killed during the action in
the Galanchozh district alone.
"The movable," according to Russian terms, part of the population was
convoyed to railway stations and then loaded into cold train carriages
for cattle. Overcrowded carriages were filled with men, women,
children, elderly, regardless of their gender, age and cultural
traditions of Chechens and Ingushs. And beginning from the evening of
February 23 overcrowded trains - filled with people destined to
inhuman sufferings - headed east: to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Western
Siberia.
The snow-covered "Road of Death," which lasted up to 20 days, was
dotted with thousands of corpses. Within the first frosty weeks of the
deportation more than 70,000 people died from starvation, cold and
diseases. The rest were out of the law. After the deportation most
prisons and concentration camps in the USSR were filled with Chechens.
In total, some 200,000 Chechens and 30,000 Ingushs died in exile.
Almost every second Chechen and Ingush died. Out of 29,000
Chechens-Akkins, who used to live in Dagestan, about 20,000 perished.
The people was exterminated not only physically. All memories about
Chechens, who lived on their land for centuries, were destroyed.
Ancient manuscripts, religious-philosophical treatises, ancient
manuscripts of Chechens and Ingushs about their origin, literature
from private libraries and archives was brought to Grozny from all
corners of Chechnya. For several days all these valuable documents
were burnt in the city center in an attempt to burn the historical
memory of the Chechen people.
Ancient ethnographic monuments in the mountains, cemeteries, hundreds
of thousands of grave steles were destroyed, mercilessly broken and
taken for construction of roads, bridges and buildings. Even steles
with antique Greek inscriptions on them were ruined. Special NKVD
squadrons were sent into the mountains to destroy national monuments
of Chechen architecture. One shall know the contents of Chechen
architecture and its origins in order to evaluate its significance,
place in the history of world culture! For example, back in Middle
Ages in difficult mountainous conditions Chechens and Ingushs built
6-7 storied guard towers, 4-5 storied dwelling stone constructions
with a developed, for that time, system of ventilation and heating,
with complex aseismic knots. A surprising for that time level of
combination of rationality, elegance and stability of national Chechen
architecture was discussed at a number of international engineering
forums. The author of the given essay, in 1990 - the chairman of the
subcommittee for culture of the Chechen-Ingush Parliament, together
with a group of experts, studied the results of the barbarian actions
to destroy these historic monuments. On the territory of the prominent
Argun gorge alone some 250 ancient and Middle Age stone towers and
castles were destroyed! A little more than 50 monuments of Chechen
history remained intact. There were three reasons which did not allow
Russians to destroy them completely 60 years ago. First - a brave
defense struggle by those Chechens who stayed in the mountains, second
- a number of historic monuments were unknown to the enemy, i.e. they
were not in historic atlases. And third - paradoxically, it was
impossible to destroy some monuments using traditional methods - they
proved too firm and solidly built.
There is another fact which characterizes Russia's policy towards
Chechens. Documents, books, materials relating about "the people's
enemies" - Chechens and Ingushs - were withdrawn from libraries and
burnt. Entire archives were destroyed. Across the whole territory of
Checheno-Ingushetia names of settlements, streets, squares and
different bodies reminding of the Chechen-Ingush people were renamed.
A civilized nation respecting its dignity will never become so mean.
For example, over its history the USA has never practiced such
renaming! All historical-geographic names of native Americans as well
as Mexican toponyms in the southern part of the USA - are respected
and remain invariable!
Crimes Never to be Forgotten
As a result of archive and field studies, questioning witnesses and
participants of the resettlement action, outrageous war crimes of 1944
and the consequent period of the deportation became known. Facts show
that mostly women, children, elderly and ill people, in other words -
"the immovable" from the Russian point of view - were exterminated on
the spot.
Dziyaudin Malsagov, born in 1913, served in NKVD from 1944 to 1957. He
testifies:
"Even at that time I found out that the order to cut off "the
immovable" was signed by Kruglov (Sergei Nikiforovich Kruglov - Second
Rank State Security Commissar of the USSR - L. U.). During the
investigation of these events in 1956 (by N. Khruschev's order - L.
U.), when it was proved that Kruglov had given the order to kill
"immovable" Chechens, Kruglov committed suicide."
Below are documented and widely publicized data about Russia's
atrocities against the civilian Chechen population. Obviously, the
discovered facts - is only a minor part of the large-scale Russian
massacre which took place 60 years ago. However, even these facts -
widely known in Chechnya and unknown in the West - provide an
exhaustive picture why Chechens cannot forgive and will never forget,
moreover, will never forgive these crimes. Anyway, that is unlikely to
happen until Russia is properly condemned at the international level
as a state responsible for these crimes!
1. Mountainous settlement of Yalkharoy.
Russian soldiers killed 86 Chechens convoyed to the assembly point for
further deportation.
2. Mountainous settlement of Khakhilge of Ahkkha community.
In February 1944 in the settlement between Zingala and Biytsy Russian
soldiers killed weak elderly, men, women and ill villagers separated
by force from their family members, who carried them on themselves
instead of food products. In total, 32 people were executed.
3. The Cheberloyevsky district. Kezenoi-Am Lake.
The "immovable" part of the population was drowned there. The exact
number of victims is not known.
4. The Itum-Kalinsky district.
In this district Russian soldiers threw grenades and Molotov cocktails
into the houses with ill people to free themselves from the
transportation issues and just for "fun." The exact number of victims
is not known.
M.A. Amirov, a resident of the settlement of Alkhazurovo testifies:
"In summer 1944 abrek Ib Alkhastov from Khildekharoy of the
Itum-Kalinsky district together with his comrades Zhabrail, Kabi Mussa
and other people crossed the mountains of Peshkhoy. Suddenly they came
across traces of crimes by Soviet troops: on the bottom of a deep
precipice they discovered 12 bodies of peaceful residents with signs
of firearm and bayonet wounds. Including a woman with a girl of 3
years old. A bayonet entered the woman's back and came out through the
back of the girl."
5. Mountainous district of Malkhista
There Russian soldiers used to force Chechens into mountain caves for
further extermination. The exact number of Russian atrocities is not
defined.
6. The Nozhai-Yurt district
In this district Russian soldiers preferred to put Chechens into corn
cribs, pour them with gasoline and burn alive. The exact number of
burnt victims is not known.
7. Mountainous settlement of Peshkha, not far from Nashkha
During frosty February days of 1944 Russian soldiers killed 80 people
- children, women and elderly - in the cave of Tsyen Avlakh Hyekh.
8. Mountainous settlement of Malkhisty
More than 300 people of the "immovable" category were executed.
9. Urus-Martan. The regional hospital. February 23, 1944
On that tragic day many patients from the nearby settlements were
taken to this central hospital of Urus-Martan. In total, 72 patients
who were thrown down the precipice some 10 meters away from the
hospital and covered with rubbish alive.
10. Community of Tierloy, the settlement of Arstakh
Russian soldiers exterminated a group of weak elderly. The exact
number of victims is not known.
11. Achkhoi-Martan district, south of settlement of Valerik
Vissita Anzorov, who went into hiding trying to find his 10-year old
son, was brutally killed there. Russian soldiers beheaded Vissita and
captured his son. Then they brought Vissita's head to the mosque in
Shalazhi and played football using the head instead of a ball. The
desperate 10 year old son attacked Russian soldiers trying to take
away the father's head, but then Russians played football using the
boy instead of a ball.
12. Galayn Chozh, not far from the settlement of Iamiye
Here, not far from the Galayan-Chozh Lake, during the deportation,
some 600 children, women and elderly were mercilessly executed and
thrown into the lake.
13. The district of Galayn Chozh, the settlement of Nashkha
From March to April cadets of the 61st training-infantry regiment
killed more than 80 people - ill and invalids, on March 22 by the
order of lieutenant Struyev and sergeant Sidorov in the settlement of
Gelichi cadet Sisnitsa killed disabled D. Zhabiyev and bayoneted
patient I. Gaisultanov and his son Umar Gaisultanov, 8. Five aged
women stayed in the settlement of Amki, they could not move. Just for
fun, members of the same regiment threw down the chimney grenades and
ammunition thereby killing the miserable people.
14. The district of Galayn Chozh. The settlement of Khaibakh
On February 27, 1944, Russian soldiers burnt alive some 700-750
people, mostly children, women and elderly. The executors were awarded
with state medals. The actions was not only cruel but also mean,
because at that time there were no adult men in the village able to
show resistance to the barbarian massacre by Russian troops. The
oldest of the victims was 110 years old, the youngest - newly born
babies!
Below is the list of 66 victims of the massacre. Among them - 44
children and teenagers, 16 women and 6 men:
Gazoyeva Zano, mother - 55 years old
Gazoyev Mokhdan, son - 17 years old
Gazoyev Berdan, son - 15 years old
Gazoyev Mahmad, son - 13 years old
Gazoyev Berdash, son - 12 years old
Gazoyeva Zharadat, daughter - 14 years old
Gazoyeva Taikhan, daughter - 3 years old
Gelagayeva Duli, mother - 48 years old
Galagayev Sosmad, son - 19 years old
Gelagayev Abuezid, son - 15 years old
Gelagayev Gimakha, son - 13 years old
Gelagayev Movladi, son - 9 years old
Gelagayeva Zainad, daughter - 14 years old
Gelagayeva Sakhara, daughter - 10 years old
Ibragimova Pakant, mother - 50 years old
Ibragimova Khaipati, daughter - 23 years old
Ibragimov Adnan, son - 20 years old
Ibragimova Petimat, daughter - 20 years old
Chibirgova Minegaz, woman - 81 years old
Chibirgova Zalimat, daughter-in-law - 35 years old
Chibirgov Abdulmazhed, her son - 8 years old
Chibirgova Laila, her daughter - 7 years old
Chibirgova Marem, her daughter - 5 years old
Gazalbekov Salambek, 16 years old. Managed to escape. However, was
killed by machine-gun fire while swimming across the river.
Gazalbekov Kavalbek - 14 years old
Dagayeva Zano, woman - 90 years old
Dagayev Zhamallail, boy - 11 years old
Amagov Kerim - 70 years old
Amagov Mussa, his son - 8 years old
Bakieyva Data, woman - 24 years old
Khabilayeva Matsyi, woman - 80 years old
Gairbekov Girikha (doctor) - 50 years old
Gairbekova Petimat, his wife - 45 years old
Gairbekov Adnan, their son - 10 years old
Gairbekova Medina, their daughter - 5 years old
Bersanukayeva Zuripat, mother - 55 years old
Bersanukayeva Khanpat, daughter - 19 years old
Bersanukayeva Bakuo, daughter - 17 years old
Bersanukayeva Baluza, daughter - 14 years old
Bersanukayev Mohmad-Khanip, son - 11 years old
Bersanukayeva Baissari, daughter - 9 years old
Bersanukayeva Bazuka, daughter - 7 years old
Batukayeva Khabi, grandmother - 60 years old
Batukayeva Pailakh, mother - 30 years old
Batukayev Abuezid, her son - 12 years old
Batukayeva Asma, her daughter - 7 years old
Batukayeva Gashta, her daughter - 5 years old
Batukayeva Satsita, her daughter - 3 years old
Batukayeva Toita, her newly born daughter
Altimirova Zaluba, girl - 16 years old
Altimirov Akhmad, boy - 14 years old
Altimirov Mohmad, boy - 12 years old
Altimirova Tovsari, girl - 16 years old
Altimirov Abdurakhman, boy - 14 years old
Altimirov Mutsyi, boy - 12 years old
Eltayev Khozh-Akhmad, boy - 15 years old
Eltayev Saidat-Akhmad, boy - 13 years old
Gayev Tuta - 110 years old
Gayeva Saryi, his wife - 100 years old
Gayev Khatu, his brother - 108 years old
Gayeva Marem, his wife - 90 years old
Gayev Alaudi - 45 years old
Gayev Khassabek - 50 years old
Gayeva Khessa, Alaudi's wife - 30 years old
Gayev Khassan and Hussein - newly born twin brothers
Dziyaudin Malsagov, born in 1913, testifies:
"In Khaibakh, people from the nearby villages were collected in the
stable named after L. Beria. A NKVD officer ordered all those who
could not walk to enter the building saying that a lot of hay was
prepared to make them warm. Elderly, women, children, ill villagers
and those who took care about them gathered there. All that happened
before my eyes. The rest of local residents were convoyed through the
settlement of Yalkhoroy to the village of Galashki and then to a
railway station. Between 10 and 11 a.m., when the healthy part of the
population was sent away, the gate of the stable was closed. I heard
the order: "Fire!"... The whole building was set on fire. It turned
out that soldiers prepared the hay beforehand and poured it with
gasoline. When the flame rose above the stable, those who stayed
inside the building rushed to the gate, broke it open and tried to
escape... However machine-gun fire stopped them. The exit was blocked
with dead bodies."
Magomed Gayev, born in 1931, living in Alma-Ata, testifies:
"Only elderly, ill and weak and also those who took care of them were
sent to the stable. I saw how the stable was set on fire. A thick
smoke rose to the sky. Even over a great distance we could understood
that something terrible happened in the village: hundreds of voices
merged and turned into a horrible, inhuman scream. The scream of the
burnt victims."
Salambek Zakriyev testifies:
"On that day me and Gamargayev Piyssar from the cave on the mount of
Yardinkor looked toward Khaibakh. We smoke rising above the village.
Near the bridge of Byati, not far from Khaibakh, four soldiers pursued
a man. Later they killed him and threw down into the river of Gekhi.
After the deportation, some 2-3 days later, we discovered a dead body:
a pregnant woman killed by soldiers. We buried her."
Alimkhodzhayev Selim, 106 years old, living in Gekhi-Chu, testifies:
"Ibi - Dovt's son, 20, was shot dead during the prayer. My brother,
Alimkhodzhayev Salambek, 35, was a teacher. He was killed while
walking on a road. His wife is still alive, her name is Besiila. She
lives in Roshni-Chu. All this time she has kept the plait of her
sister Pailakha. Pailakha was killed and burnt together with her
children in Khaibakh. Her body was identified by the plait which
remain intact. Gazoyev Ibi was shot dead while convoyed along a road.
A soldier hit him with the rifle butt and said: "Speed up!" Ibi
stopped, turned around and spat into his face. The convoy forced him
from the column and shot dead. That happened in the settlement of
Khanoin-Yukhkhe. He was buried there. Some 3-4 days after the
deportation of people from the aul of Mushe-Chu Russian soldiers
discovered lying Zaripat in a deserted house. She was executed. Later,
they dragged her outside using metal wire wound around her neck and
burnt the body. The metal noose remained on the body. Zakriyev
Salambek and Said-Khassan Ampukayev buried her together with the
noose. She was a sister of our father. Salambek Zakriyev's wife,
Satsita, 21, was killed. Saikhan's baby, tied to her back, got free
and tried to suck dead mother's breast. On that day Rukman Elkagayev's
wife, Malikat, 20, was also killed.
While burying killed and burnt people in Khaibakh, we left a guard
near the Galanchozh Lake to look for soldiers. We read a funeral
prayer for each dead person, Zhandar Gayev offered the prayer. Without
rest, although we felt sick and giddy because of putrid smell, we
buried people for two days and two nights..."
When the major stage of the Chechen expulsion was over, the hunt for
those, who were lucky to escape the doleful fate, began. The Russian
military used everything it had in its arsenals to exterminate those
who managed to escape. The practice of scattering "accidentally left"
poisoned food products in the mountains was widely applied. Poisoned
food products were also widely tested on Chechens in exile. Frankly
speaking, its is unclear why they did it. Either to carry out
experiments or to decrease the number of Chechens in certain exile
place.
This aspect of Russia's crimes was discussed at the conference
"International Law and the Chechen Republic" (Poland, Krakow, December
8-11, 1995). One of its participants, Professor Ivan Bilas, a deputy
of the Ukrainian Parliament, cited data from the Russian archive (fund
9478, case number 1375, 1949), showing that during the years of the
deportation Chechens were "fed" by poisoned products. In documents
they are called "food surprises." According to archive data, numerous
recipes for food supplies for Chechens were worked out. So, for
example, to poison 1 kilogram of flour - it was recommended to add 1
gram of white arsenic, 10 grams - per 1 kilogram of salt. Another
poison - arsenic-sodium salt - was ascribed for sugar (10 grams per 1
kilogram of sugar) and water (1 gram per 1 liter of water). This
"surprise" was recommended on the ground, in particular, when Chechens
cooked their favorite dumplings. Hexogen was "good" for oils. There
was a number of other devilish recipes and safety rules for those who
delivered such "food surprises" to Chechens. At the same Krakow
conference, another participant Richard Bochan, a deputy of the Krakow
City Council, referred to testimonies of Polish deportees who
witnessed a strange mass (in thousands) dying of "seemingly healthy
and strong Chechens." Not only Poles noted facts of strange and sudden
deaths of Chechens, but also representatives of other deported
nations. That fact that "the Chechen" death laboratory was functioning
in Moscow at least until 1949 makes us conclude that poisoning of
Chechens with chemicals was in practice for a long time.
Dziyaudin Malsagov, born in 1913, testifies:
"Troops poisoned food products they left after them - spice-cakes,
crackers, sugar, etc. Many Chechens died because of poisoning."
Makhdan Tushayev, born in 1926, testifies:
"Troops mercilessly shot at mountain dwellers, they left poisoned
crackers and other food products. Starving Chechens ate them and died.
While meeting each other we exchanged news. Most people in the
mountains knew already that found food products must not be eaten."
Deportations of Nations ?
A traditional Instrument of National Russian policy
Djabrail Gakayev, a prominent expert in Chechnya's political history,
who cannot be accused of being biased, writes:
"During 450 years of the relations between Chechnya and Russia the
Chechen people has been subjected to partial and - in 1944 - full
deportation 16 times." (Djabrail Gakayev, "Essays of Chechnya's
political history." Moscow, ChKTs printing house, 1997, pages 37,
48-50).
Besides, judging by B. Yeltsin's secret orders, which later became
public, and also on the basis of real political actions, Gakayev
believes that in 1994 Moscow adopted a new form - of
"voluntarily-forced" deportation. As we know, it turned a failure for
aggressors.
According to different reference estimations given by Professor
Gakayev in his monograph, as a result of Russia's policy only in the
19th century alone the total number of Chechens decreased at least 4
fold, some expert estimations refer to a 10 fold reduction.
Gakayev emphasizes that falsifying and juggling with facts a number of
authors deliberately try to belittle Chechen losses as a result of
Russian crimes. (See ibid. Page 46). By the beginning of the 19th
century the Chechen population, according to objective experts,
totaled 1.5 million people (See ibid., Page 47). And by the end of the
19 century, according to sources of the Imperial Russia, "few Chechens
remained in Chechnya."
The anatomy of Russia's lie for falsifying and juggling with facts of
historic reality has seen no changes - judging both by the outcomes of
the genocide of 1944-1957 and the new turn of genocide started in
1994. Let's give bright examples. In 1998, when national-fascist moods
became widely popular in Russia, the Moscow-base publishing house
Insan published a book by N.F. Bugai and A.M. Gonov under a seemingly
pretentious title: "The Caucasus: Nations in special trains
(20-60's)." Being not ashamed of their position, the authors of this
pasquinade try to justify the barbarian deportation of 1944. These
pseudo-chronologists - read these lines attentively! - write: "The
USSR government, making right accents, was based on the right to put
the country's rear in order!" That's it! Nothing else. Brave and
outstanding heroes of the Chechen Resistance who struggled without
fear against that beast-like tyrannical system which formed in the
USSR in 30's are called by the authors as "bandits" and "terrorists."
Besides, in their references they mostly appeal to falsified reports
of the-then "Kadyrovs." Such falsified data can easily mislead a
historian who is unaware of real facts about the historic crimes.
However, the main thing is that these Russian historians try to
justify deportations as a necessary component of the policy of their
state! We can only thank them for being frank! Strange enough, the
so-called "study" is spread in many countries thereby misleading
readers and public. Meanwhile, the authors' position runs counter even
to Russia's law denouncing the deportation.
And now it is time to show how all possible "substantiations" for the
deportation of declared nations-victims. Here is a quote from one of
the documents giving a clear understanding of such "kitchen." On
November 10, 1941 prominent member of the leadership of the
Chechen-Ingush NKVD Albogachiyev wrote to his agent, certain Terloyev,
whose task, as we can see, was to organize and to provoke anti-Soviet
disturbances from the side of Chechens:
"Dear Terloyev! My greetings to you! I am sad that your mountaineers
began the rebellion too early. I am afraid that if you do not follow
my recommendations, we, employees of the republic, will be
disclosed... For the Allah sake, be faithful to your oath. Do not name
us." And then: "You shall write a hostile letter to me, threatening
with possible consequences, and I will also begin persecuting you. I
will burn your house, arrest someone of your relatives and will speak
out against you. Thus we must show that we are irreconcilable enemies
and we harass each other... You shall destroy this message before the
eyes of my messenger. The time is dangerous, I am afraid." (GARF. F.R.
- 9478, Op1. D.55 L1-9).
We can easily compare - what Putin does today against Chechens is
almost the same what Stalin's people did 60 years ago. The same
methods, although today's actions seem even more outrageous, mean and
barbarian. Unlike Putin did in 1999, Stalin could hardly blow up
apartment blocks in Moscow with ethnic Russian. And about Terloyev.
Experts are well aware of this name, because as a symbol of "Chechen
brigandage" it was as popular in the press of 40's as the name of
Barayev which became a justifying, so to say, brand of "Chechen
terrorism" shortly before the current war.
But let's go back to the essay of Bugai and Gonov. Guess, to how many
victims among Chechens do these authors refer? It is impossible to
believe because in line with their "reference" data the number of the
victims of these actions TOTALED (!!!) 50 people. (See ibid. Page
148). These doctors of science even deny the official, recognized at
the state level, scale of Russian atrocities in Chechnya. For example,
there is a document of August 24, 1993, from the prosecutor's office
of the North Caucasian Military District which clearly recognizes the
fact of burning 700 civilians in the village of Khaibakh. But why
speaking about the district! The fact of that action of genocide is
noted in the widely known document signed by L. Beria when he
congratulates and decorates the leaders and the executors of the
monstrous action with state awards for their "decisiveness!"
Falsification traditions have remained until today. It is known that
even by the most pro-Russian estimations a great number of people died
in Chechnya - tens, several hundreds of thousands of civilian
population, the environment of the Chechen people as destroyed, not to
speak about thousands of refugees who fled the zone of the
humanitarian catastrophe. And against the background of such obvious
tragic reality, Putin organizes "a national census" in Chechnya and on
the basis of its "results" it is announced that the number of Chechens
has not dropped, on the contrary, it has plummeted!!! And then, taking
into account the non-existent additional population, the so-called
referendum about "overall Chechen love to Russia" is carried out as
well as "the election" of the so called "first Chechen president!"
Such blatant impudence and political tricks against the background of
the endless war, cleaning up operations, disappearances! Impossible to
believe!
The only reason why the genocide of Chechens has never been denounced
is the fact that Russians - according to V. Novodvorskaya - "have not
appear to be the lost side." The Russian evil, the evil of their
predatory state traditions, never denounced, hampers the progress of
peace and prosperity, still exerts its destructive influence upon the
neighboring nations and their own development.
When analyzing Russia's senseless and boundless cruelty, one and the
same questions arises. What is the reason for such barbarism? Reading
through chronicles written by Russians in the 19th century, materials
about the 1944 deportation, today's bloody chronicles from Chechnya,
we always see elements of boundless cruelty and all possible attempts
to humiliate the victim. It is unclear why people must be tortured,
drowned, burnt, cut into pieces, buried alive? They might have applied
more "human" methods for the dirty business, shooting them, for
example. Why do they behave like that? What do Russians need? May be
they need land? What is the point of their cruelty and such impudent,
blatant and endless lie!? Why making everything possible for people to
hate you? That's senseless. That's stupid from the practical point of
view. Is the answer to this question in the mystery of the Russian
soul? Aren't there hopes for a progress of the Russian national
humanism? Why is humanism in Russia only a concern of dissidents?
Mahdan Tushayev, born in 1926. An interview of 1992, in which he
testifies:
"I must say that Russians instilled cruelty in me. While in prison, I
behaved in the manner to be executed as soon as possible. I expected
death there. I had nothing to lose. I didn't believe I would survive,
because I saw how Chechens were exterminated in prisons, in camps, at
large, just for one reason - being Chechens."
Gayeva Zama, born in 1940, living in Grozny, testifies:
"When we were resettled from Zerkh, out father, Yassu Gayev,
shepherded a flock in the forest, our mother left for the mill. And
we, four girls, stayed at home on our own. The oldest - Arubika, was
10, me, Zama - 4-5, Sovdat - 3, and Satsita - 1. Someone wrapped us
into blankets and put into a yoked sledge. I remember that I was alone
in the sledge. When it went down from the mount of Khordoyn-lam and
approached the cemetery of the settlement of Beza-Yurt, I woke up.
There was no one around. It was cold. It was night, a clear, bright
sky. I couldn't see the oxen. No people around me. First I tried to
rise but then, frightened, wrapped myself into the blanket and hid. At
dawn I raise myself again. Then I heard Russian speech, voices and
clatter of horses' hoofs. When they approached I heard: "This is a
child!" - a Russian said. And they wrangled for some time. However,
one of them took me up, put me on his back and covered with the
greatcoat. The quarrel happened because some Russians wanted to kill
me and my defender did not allow them to do it. And all of them swore
at him. I was sitting under his greatcoat on his back, I was afraid
and began sobbing. The soldier mounted his horse. He tried to console
me and offered a cracker. But I continued sobbing. Then he put me
down, offered his quilted jacket and put me on the saddle in front of
him. so we reached Arsh-aliye. There were many people standing in the
mud. Many corn stems in the mud and women and children were standing
on them. "Whose child is this?" - the soldier asked. My mother's
brother approached. The Russian did not let me go and asked about my
mother. "Her mother is at the mill," my uncle replied. The soldier
kept me on his arms all through the night. The next morning, at dawn,
I recognized the dress of my mother. I shouted wildly: "Nana!" My
mother, sobbing, rushed to me. I stretched my hands towards her. The
Russian soldier looked and me and began crying bitterly..."
Lyoma Usmanov
Assistant Professor
Global War on Terrorism-Task Force
Defense Language Institute
US Department of Defense
Note:
To prepare this article the following materials were used - studies by
ethnographer A. Suleimanov, historians D. Khozhayev, Dj. Gakayev, M.
Vachagayev, A. Nekrich, journalists T. Chagayeva, M. Khadissov, S.
Gayev and personal studies of the author
"In the 20th century the Chechens is the third nation, if we were to
rank them, destined to be killed after the Jews and the Gypsies."
Zbigniew Brzezinski, Washington, D.C., December 11, 2003
In the frosty morning on February 23, 1944, all adults (there were few
men, the war was still on) were summoned to the places of mass
assembly: clubs, schools, town and village squares. That was the Red
Army Day and, being still unaware, people were in a festive mood. But
the blasphemy of Soviet authorities was so jesuitical that the state
holiday was used as a pretext for the bloody crime. So, the monstrous
action began with perfidy and meanness. Across the whole territory of
Checheno-Ingushetia, against the background of machine-guns, the
decree-sentence about the deportation of Chechens and Ingushs was
announced. Then a 100,000 strong contingent of specially trained for
such actions Russian soldiers began breaking into houses of the
peaceful, unprotected and armless Chechen and Ingush population.
Victims of these barbarian actions were given only 10-15 minutes to
get ready! After that all those who were unable to quickly obey the
order, i.e. weak elderly, children and women were forced outside, the
ill were thrown down from hospital beds. Any manifestation of
resentment was punished with death! An attempt to escape - execution!
Misunderstood order - execution! All orders were given in Russian,
although many Chechens did not understand it.
After the carnage of the deceived, they hunted for the rest of
Chechnya residents. Russian soldiers, well-trained by the state,
hunted about in order to humiliate and kill civilians. After the first
days of the barbarian action most mountains and plains, towns and
villages were covered with dead bodies. They were discovered
everywhere: in deserted houses, in beds, in inner yards, along roads,
paths, in the vicinities of villages, in precipices, in forests.
Russians killed Chechens everywhere: they blew them up with mines,
impaled, beheaded, burnt, drowned, poisoned. Most food products were
poured with kerosene and burnt, instead poisoned food was scattered
about, and mostly starving children fell victims - they did not
understand why they could not eat clean and good looking food
products. More than 7,000 Chechens were killed during the action in
the Galanchozh district alone.
"The movable," according to Russian terms, part of the population was
convoyed to railway stations and then loaded into cold train carriages
for cattle. Overcrowded carriages were filled with men, women,
children, elderly, regardless of their gender, age and cultural
traditions of Chechens and Ingushs. And beginning from the evening of
February 23 overcrowded trains - filled with people destined to
inhuman sufferings - headed east: to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Western
Siberia.
The snow-covered "Road of Death," which lasted up to 20 days, was
dotted with thousands of corpses. Within the first frosty weeks of the
deportation more than 70,000 people died from starvation, cold and
diseases. The rest were out of the law. After the deportation most
prisons and concentration camps in the USSR were filled with Chechens.
In total, some 200,000 Chechens and 30,000 Ingushs died in exile.
Almost every second Chechen and Ingush died. Out of 29,000
Chechens-Akkins, who used to live in Dagestan, about 20,000 perished.
The people was exterminated not only physically. All memories about
Chechens, who lived on their land for centuries, were destroyed.
Ancient manuscripts, religious-philosophical treatises, ancient
manuscripts of Chechens and Ingushs about their origin, literature
from private libraries and archives was brought to Grozny from all
corners of Chechnya. For several days all these valuable documents
were burnt in the city center in an attempt to burn the historical
memory of the Chechen people.
Ancient ethnographic monuments in the mountains, cemeteries, hundreds
of thousands of grave steles were destroyed, mercilessly broken and
taken for construction of roads, bridges and buildings. Even steles
with antique Greek inscriptions on them were ruined. Special NKVD
squadrons were sent into the mountains to destroy national monuments
of Chechen architecture. One shall know the contents of Chechen
architecture and its origins in order to evaluate its significance,
place in the history of world culture! For example, back in Middle
Ages in difficult mountainous conditions Chechens and Ingushs built
6-7 storied guard towers, 4-5 storied dwelling stone constructions
with a developed, for that time, system of ventilation and heating,
with complex aseismic knots. A surprising for that time level of
combination of rationality, elegance and stability of national Chechen
architecture was discussed at a number of international engineering
forums. The author of the given essay, in 1990 - the chairman of the
subcommittee for culture of the Chechen-Ingush Parliament, together
with a group of experts, studied the results of the barbarian actions
to destroy these historic monuments. On the territory of the prominent
Argun gorge alone some 250 ancient and Middle Age stone towers and
castles were destroyed! A little more than 50 monuments of Chechen
history remained intact. There were three reasons which did not allow
Russians to destroy them completely 60 years ago. First - a brave
defense struggle by those Chechens who stayed in the mountains, second
- a number of historic monuments were unknown to the enemy, i.e. they
were not in historic atlases. And third - paradoxically, it was
impossible to destroy some monuments using traditional methods - they
proved too firm and solidly built.
There is another fact which characterizes Russia's policy towards
Chechens. Documents, books, materials relating about "the people's
enemies" - Chechens and Ingushs - were withdrawn from libraries and
burnt. Entire archives were destroyed. Across the whole territory of
Checheno-Ingushetia names of settlements, streets, squares and
different bodies reminding of the Chechen-Ingush people were renamed.
A civilized nation respecting its dignity will never become so mean.
For example, over its history the USA has never practiced such
renaming! All historical-geographic names of native Americans as well
as Mexican toponyms in the southern part of the USA - are respected
and remain invariable!
Crimes Never to be Forgotten
As a result of archive and field studies, questioning witnesses and
participants of the resettlement action, outrageous war crimes of 1944
and the consequent period of the deportation became known. Facts show
that mostly women, children, elderly and ill people, in other words -
"the immovable" from the Russian point of view - were exterminated on
the spot.
Dziyaudin Malsagov, born in 1913, served in NKVD from 1944 to 1957. He
testifies:
"Even at that time I found out that the order to cut off "the
immovable" was signed by Kruglov (Sergei Nikiforovich Kruglov - Second
Rank State Security Commissar of the USSR - L. U.). During the
investigation of these events in 1956 (by N. Khruschev's order - L.
U.), when it was proved that Kruglov had given the order to kill
"immovable" Chechens, Kruglov committed suicide."
Below are documented and widely publicized data about Russia's
atrocities against the civilian Chechen population. Obviously, the
discovered facts - is only a minor part of the large-scale Russian
massacre which took place 60 years ago. However, even these facts -
widely known in Chechnya and unknown in the West - provide an
exhaustive picture why Chechens cannot forgive and will never forget,
moreover, will never forgive these crimes. Anyway, that is unlikely to
happen until Russia is properly condemned at the international level
as a state responsible for these crimes!
1. Mountainous settlement of Yalkharoy.
Russian soldiers killed 86 Chechens convoyed to the assembly point for
further deportation.
2. Mountainous settlement of Khakhilge of Ahkkha community.
In February 1944 in the settlement between Zingala and Biytsy Russian
soldiers killed weak elderly, men, women and ill villagers separated
by force from their family members, who carried them on themselves
instead of food products. In total, 32 people were executed.
3. The Cheberloyevsky district. Kezenoi-Am Lake.
The "immovable" part of the population was drowned there. The exact
number of victims is not known.
4. The Itum-Kalinsky district.
In this district Russian soldiers threw grenades and Molotov cocktails
into the houses with ill people to free themselves from the
transportation issues and just for "fun." The exact number of victims
is not known.
M.A. Amirov, a resident of the settlement of Alkhazurovo testifies:
"In summer 1944 abrek Ib Alkhastov from Khildekharoy of the
Itum-Kalinsky district together with his comrades Zhabrail, Kabi Mussa
and other people crossed the mountains of Peshkhoy. Suddenly they came
across traces of crimes by Soviet troops: on the bottom of a deep
precipice they discovered 12 bodies of peaceful residents with signs
of firearm and bayonet wounds. Including a woman with a girl of 3
years old. A bayonet entered the woman's back and came out through the
back of the girl."
5. Mountainous district of Malkhista
There Russian soldiers used to force Chechens into mountain caves for
further extermination. The exact number of Russian atrocities is not
defined.
6. The Nozhai-Yurt district
In this district Russian soldiers preferred to put Chechens into corn
cribs, pour them with gasoline and burn alive. The exact number of
burnt victims is not known.
7. Mountainous settlement of Peshkha, not far from Nashkha
During frosty February days of 1944 Russian soldiers killed 80 people
- children, women and elderly - in the cave of Tsyen Avlakh Hyekh.
8. Mountainous settlement of Malkhisty
More than 300 people of the "immovable" category were executed.
9. Urus-Martan. The regional hospital. February 23, 1944
On that tragic day many patients from the nearby settlements were
taken to this central hospital of Urus-Martan. In total, 72 patients
who were thrown down the precipice some 10 meters away from the
hospital and covered with rubbish alive.
10. Community of Tierloy, the settlement of Arstakh
Russian soldiers exterminated a group of weak elderly. The exact
number of victims is not known.
11. Achkhoi-Martan district, south of settlement of Valerik
Vissita Anzorov, who went into hiding trying to find his 10-year old
son, was brutally killed there. Russian soldiers beheaded Vissita and
captured his son. Then they brought Vissita's head to the mosque in
Shalazhi and played football using the head instead of a ball. The
desperate 10 year old son attacked Russian soldiers trying to take
away the father's head, but then Russians played football using the
boy instead of a ball.
12. Galayn Chozh, not far from the settlement of Iamiye
Here, not far from the Galayan-Chozh Lake, during the deportation,
some 600 children, women and elderly were mercilessly executed and
thrown into the lake.
13. The district of Galayn Chozh, the settlement of Nashkha
From March to April cadets of the 61st training-infantry regiment
killed more than 80 people - ill and invalids, on March 22 by the
order of lieutenant Struyev and sergeant Sidorov in the settlement of
Gelichi cadet Sisnitsa killed disabled D. Zhabiyev and bayoneted
patient I. Gaisultanov and his son Umar Gaisultanov, 8. Five aged
women stayed in the settlement of Amki, they could not move. Just for
fun, members of the same regiment threw down the chimney grenades and
ammunition thereby killing the miserable people.
14. The district of Galayn Chozh. The settlement of Khaibakh
On February 27, 1944, Russian soldiers burnt alive some 700-750
people, mostly children, women and elderly. The executors were awarded
with state medals. The actions was not only cruel but also mean,
because at that time there were no adult men in the village able to
show resistance to the barbarian massacre by Russian troops. The
oldest of the victims was 110 years old, the youngest - newly born
babies!
Below is the list of 66 victims of the massacre. Among them - 44
children and teenagers, 16 women and 6 men:
Gazoyeva Zano, mother - 55 years old
Gazoyev Mokhdan, son - 17 years old
Gazoyev Berdan, son - 15 years old
Gazoyev Mahmad, son - 13 years old
Gazoyev Berdash, son - 12 years old
Gazoyeva Zharadat, daughter - 14 years old
Gazoyeva Taikhan, daughter - 3 years old
Gelagayeva Duli, mother - 48 years old
Galagayev Sosmad, son - 19 years old
Gelagayev Abuezid, son - 15 years old
Gelagayev Gimakha, son - 13 years old
Gelagayev Movladi, son - 9 years old
Gelagayeva Zainad, daughter - 14 years old
Gelagayeva Sakhara, daughter - 10 years old
Ibragimova Pakant, mother - 50 years old
Ibragimova Khaipati, daughter - 23 years old
Ibragimov Adnan, son - 20 years old
Ibragimova Petimat, daughter - 20 years old
Chibirgova Minegaz, woman - 81 years old
Chibirgova Zalimat, daughter-in-law - 35 years old
Chibirgov Abdulmazhed, her son - 8 years old
Chibirgova Laila, her daughter - 7 years old
Chibirgova Marem, her daughter - 5 years old
Gazalbekov Salambek, 16 years old. Managed to escape. However, was
killed by machine-gun fire while swimming across the river.
Gazalbekov Kavalbek - 14 years old
Dagayeva Zano, woman - 90 years old
Dagayev Zhamallail, boy - 11 years old
Amagov Kerim - 70 years old
Amagov Mussa, his son - 8 years old
Bakieyva Data, woman - 24 years old
Khabilayeva Matsyi, woman - 80 years old
Gairbekov Girikha (doctor) - 50 years old
Gairbekova Petimat, his wife - 45 years old
Gairbekov Adnan, their son - 10 years old
Gairbekova Medina, their daughter - 5 years old
Bersanukayeva Zuripat, mother - 55 years old
Bersanukayeva Khanpat, daughter - 19 years old
Bersanukayeva Bakuo, daughter - 17 years old
Bersanukayeva Baluza, daughter - 14 years old
Bersanukayev Mohmad-Khanip, son - 11 years old
Bersanukayeva Baissari, daughter - 9 years old
Bersanukayeva Bazuka, daughter - 7 years old
Batukayeva Khabi, grandmother - 60 years old
Batukayeva Pailakh, mother - 30 years old
Batukayev Abuezid, her son - 12 years old
Batukayeva Asma, her daughter - 7 years old
Batukayeva Gashta, her daughter - 5 years old
Batukayeva Satsita, her daughter - 3 years old
Batukayeva Toita, her newly born daughter
Altimirova Zaluba, girl - 16 years old
Altimirov Akhmad, boy - 14 years old
Altimirov Mohmad, boy - 12 years old
Altimirova Tovsari, girl - 16 years old
Altimirov Abdurakhman, boy - 14 years old
Altimirov Mutsyi, boy - 12 years old
Eltayev Khozh-Akhmad, boy - 15 years old
Eltayev Saidat-Akhmad, boy - 13 years old
Gayev Tuta - 110 years old
Gayeva Saryi, his wife - 100 years old
Gayev Khatu, his brother - 108 years old
Gayeva Marem, his wife - 90 years old
Gayev Alaudi - 45 years old
Gayev Khassabek - 50 years old
Gayeva Khessa, Alaudi's wife - 30 years old
Gayev Khassan and Hussein - newly born twin brothers
Dziyaudin Malsagov, born in 1913, testifies:
"In Khaibakh, people from the nearby villages were collected in the
stable named after L. Beria. A NKVD officer ordered all those who
could not walk to enter the building saying that a lot of hay was
prepared to make them warm. Elderly, women, children, ill villagers
and those who took care about them gathered there. All that happened
before my eyes. The rest of local residents were convoyed through the
settlement of Yalkhoroy to the village of Galashki and then to a
railway station. Between 10 and 11 a.m., when the healthy part of the
population was sent away, the gate of the stable was closed. I heard
the order: "Fire!"... The whole building was set on fire. It turned
out that soldiers prepared the hay beforehand and poured it with
gasoline. When the flame rose above the stable, those who stayed
inside the building rushed to the gate, broke it open and tried to
escape... However machine-gun fire stopped them. The exit was blocked
with dead bodies."
Magomed Gayev, born in 1931, living in Alma-Ata, testifies:
"Only elderly, ill and weak and also those who took care of them were
sent to the stable. I saw how the stable was set on fire. A thick
smoke rose to the sky. Even over a great distance we could understood
that something terrible happened in the village: hundreds of voices
merged and turned into a horrible, inhuman scream. The scream of the
burnt victims."
Salambek Zakriyev testifies:
"On that day me and Gamargayev Piyssar from the cave on the mount of
Yardinkor looked toward Khaibakh. We smoke rising above the village.
Near the bridge of Byati, not far from Khaibakh, four soldiers pursued
a man. Later they killed him and threw down into the river of Gekhi.
After the deportation, some 2-3 days later, we discovered a dead body:
a pregnant woman killed by soldiers. We buried her."
Alimkhodzhayev Selim, 106 years old, living in Gekhi-Chu, testifies:
"Ibi - Dovt's son, 20, was shot dead during the prayer. My brother,
Alimkhodzhayev Salambek, 35, was a teacher. He was killed while
walking on a road. His wife is still alive, her name is Besiila. She
lives in Roshni-Chu. All this time she has kept the plait of her
sister Pailakha. Pailakha was killed and burnt together with her
children in Khaibakh. Her body was identified by the plait which
remain intact. Gazoyev Ibi was shot dead while convoyed along a road.
A soldier hit him with the rifle butt and said: "Speed up!" Ibi
stopped, turned around and spat into his face. The convoy forced him
from the column and shot dead. That happened in the settlement of
Khanoin-Yukhkhe. He was buried there. Some 3-4 days after the
deportation of people from the aul of Mushe-Chu Russian soldiers
discovered lying Zaripat in a deserted house. She was executed. Later,
they dragged her outside using metal wire wound around her neck and
burnt the body. The metal noose remained on the body. Zakriyev
Salambek and Said-Khassan Ampukayev buried her together with the
noose. She was a sister of our father. Salambek Zakriyev's wife,
Satsita, 21, was killed. Saikhan's baby, tied to her back, got free
and tried to suck dead mother's breast. On that day Rukman Elkagayev's
wife, Malikat, 20, was also killed.
While burying killed and burnt people in Khaibakh, we left a guard
near the Galanchozh Lake to look for soldiers. We read a funeral
prayer for each dead person, Zhandar Gayev offered the prayer. Without
rest, although we felt sick and giddy because of putrid smell, we
buried people for two days and two nights..."
When the major stage of the Chechen expulsion was over, the hunt for
those, who were lucky to escape the doleful fate, began. The Russian
military used everything it had in its arsenals to exterminate those
who managed to escape. The practice of scattering "accidentally left"
poisoned food products in the mountains was widely applied. Poisoned
food products were also widely tested on Chechens in exile. Frankly
speaking, its is unclear why they did it. Either to carry out
experiments or to decrease the number of Chechens in certain exile
place.
This aspect of Russia's crimes was discussed at the conference
"International Law and the Chechen Republic" (Poland, Krakow, December
8-11, 1995). One of its participants, Professor Ivan Bilas, a deputy
of the Ukrainian Parliament, cited data from the Russian archive (fund
9478, case number 1375, 1949), showing that during the years of the
deportation Chechens were "fed" by poisoned products. In documents
they are called "food surprises." According to archive data, numerous
recipes for food supplies for Chechens were worked out. So, for
example, to poison 1 kilogram of flour - it was recommended to add 1
gram of white arsenic, 10 grams - per 1 kilogram of salt. Another
poison - arsenic-sodium salt - was ascribed for sugar (10 grams per 1
kilogram of sugar) and water (1 gram per 1 liter of water). This
"surprise" was recommended on the ground, in particular, when Chechens
cooked their favorite dumplings. Hexogen was "good" for oils. There
was a number of other devilish recipes and safety rules for those who
delivered such "food surprises" to Chechens. At the same Krakow
conference, another participant Richard Bochan, a deputy of the Krakow
City Council, referred to testimonies of Polish deportees who
witnessed a strange mass (in thousands) dying of "seemingly healthy
and strong Chechens." Not only Poles noted facts of strange and sudden
deaths of Chechens, but also representatives of other deported
nations. That fact that "the Chechen" death laboratory was functioning
in Moscow at least until 1949 makes us conclude that poisoning of
Chechens with chemicals was in practice for a long time.
Dziyaudin Malsagov, born in 1913, testifies:
"Troops poisoned food products they left after them - spice-cakes,
crackers, sugar, etc. Many Chechens died because of poisoning."
Makhdan Tushayev, born in 1926, testifies:
"Troops mercilessly shot at mountain dwellers, they left poisoned
crackers and other food products. Starving Chechens ate them and died.
While meeting each other we exchanged news. Most people in the
mountains knew already that found food products must not be eaten."
Deportations of Nations ?
A traditional Instrument of National Russian policy
Djabrail Gakayev, a prominent expert in Chechnya's political history,
who cannot be accused of being biased, writes:
"During 450 years of the relations between Chechnya and Russia the
Chechen people has been subjected to partial and - in 1944 - full
deportation 16 times." (Djabrail Gakayev, "Essays of Chechnya's
political history." Moscow, ChKTs printing house, 1997, pages 37,
48-50).
Besides, judging by B. Yeltsin's secret orders, which later became
public, and also on the basis of real political actions, Gakayev
believes that in 1994 Moscow adopted a new form - of
"voluntarily-forced" deportation. As we know, it turned a failure for
aggressors.
According to different reference estimations given by Professor
Gakayev in his monograph, as a result of Russia's policy only in the
19th century alone the total number of Chechens decreased at least 4
fold, some expert estimations refer to a 10 fold reduction.
Gakayev emphasizes that falsifying and juggling with facts a number of
authors deliberately try to belittle Chechen losses as a result of
Russian crimes. (See ibid. Page 46). By the beginning of the 19th
century the Chechen population, according to objective experts,
totaled 1.5 million people (See ibid., Page 47). And by the end of the
19 century, according to sources of the Imperial Russia, "few Chechens
remained in Chechnya."
The anatomy of Russia's lie for falsifying and juggling with facts of
historic reality has seen no changes - judging both by the outcomes of
the genocide of 1944-1957 and the new turn of genocide started in
1994. Let's give bright examples. In 1998, when national-fascist moods
became widely popular in Russia, the Moscow-base publishing house
Insan published a book by N.F. Bugai and A.M. Gonov under a seemingly
pretentious title: "The Caucasus: Nations in special trains
(20-60's)." Being not ashamed of their position, the authors of this
pasquinade try to justify the barbarian deportation of 1944. These
pseudo-chronologists - read these lines attentively! - write: "The
USSR government, making right accents, was based on the right to put
the country's rear in order!" That's it! Nothing else. Brave and
outstanding heroes of the Chechen Resistance who struggled without
fear against that beast-like tyrannical system which formed in the
USSR in 30's are called by the authors as "bandits" and "terrorists."
Besides, in their references they mostly appeal to falsified reports
of the-then "Kadyrovs." Such falsified data can easily mislead a
historian who is unaware of real facts about the historic crimes.
However, the main thing is that these Russian historians try to
justify deportations as a necessary component of the policy of their
state! We can only thank them for being frank! Strange enough, the
so-called "study" is spread in many countries thereby misleading
readers and public. Meanwhile, the authors' position runs counter even
to Russia's law denouncing the deportation.
And now it is time to show how all possible "substantiations" for the
deportation of declared nations-victims. Here is a quote from one of
the documents giving a clear understanding of such "kitchen." On
November 10, 1941 prominent member of the leadership of the
Chechen-Ingush NKVD Albogachiyev wrote to his agent, certain Terloyev,
whose task, as we can see, was to organize and to provoke anti-Soviet
disturbances from the side of Chechens:
"Dear Terloyev! My greetings to you! I am sad that your mountaineers
began the rebellion too early. I am afraid that if you do not follow
my recommendations, we, employees of the republic, will be
disclosed... For the Allah sake, be faithful to your oath. Do not name
us." And then: "You shall write a hostile letter to me, threatening
with possible consequences, and I will also begin persecuting you. I
will burn your house, arrest someone of your relatives and will speak
out against you. Thus we must show that we are irreconcilable enemies
and we harass each other... You shall destroy this message before the
eyes of my messenger. The time is dangerous, I am afraid." (GARF. F.R.
- 9478, Op1. D.55 L1-9).
We can easily compare - what Putin does today against Chechens is
almost the same what Stalin's people did 60 years ago. The same
methods, although today's actions seem even more outrageous, mean and
barbarian. Unlike Putin did in 1999, Stalin could hardly blow up
apartment blocks in Moscow with ethnic Russian. And about Terloyev.
Experts are well aware of this name, because as a symbol of "Chechen
brigandage" it was as popular in the press of 40's as the name of
Barayev which became a justifying, so to say, brand of "Chechen
terrorism" shortly before the current war.
But let's go back to the essay of Bugai and Gonov. Guess, to how many
victims among Chechens do these authors refer? It is impossible to
believe because in line with their "reference" data the number of the
victims of these actions TOTALED (!!!) 50 people. (See ibid. Page
148). These doctors of science even deny the official, recognized at
the state level, scale of Russian atrocities in Chechnya. For example,
there is a document of August 24, 1993, from the prosecutor's office
of the North Caucasian Military District which clearly recognizes the
fact of burning 700 civilians in the village of Khaibakh. But why
speaking about the district! The fact of that action of genocide is
noted in the widely known document signed by L. Beria when he
congratulates and decorates the leaders and the executors of the
monstrous action with state awards for their "decisiveness!"
Falsification traditions have remained until today. It is known that
even by the most pro-Russian estimations a great number of people died
in Chechnya - tens, several hundreds of thousands of civilian
population, the environment of the Chechen people as destroyed, not to
speak about thousands of refugees who fled the zone of the
humanitarian catastrophe. And against the background of such obvious
tragic reality, Putin organizes "a national census" in Chechnya and on
the basis of its "results" it is announced that the number of Chechens
has not dropped, on the contrary, it has plummeted!!! And then, taking
into account the non-existent additional population, the so-called
referendum about "overall Chechen love to Russia" is carried out as
well as "the election" of the so called "first Chechen president!"
Such blatant impudence and political tricks against the background of
the endless war, cleaning up operations, disappearances! Impossible to
believe!
The only reason why the genocide of Chechens has never been denounced
is the fact that Russians - according to V. Novodvorskaya - "have not
appear to be the lost side." The Russian evil, the evil of their
predatory state traditions, never denounced, hampers the progress of
peace and prosperity, still exerts its destructive influence upon the
neighboring nations and their own development.
When analyzing Russia's senseless and boundless cruelty, one and the
same questions arises. What is the reason for such barbarism? Reading
through chronicles written by Russians in the 19th century, materials
about the 1944 deportation, today's bloody chronicles from Chechnya,
we always see elements of boundless cruelty and all possible attempts
to humiliate the victim. It is unclear why people must be tortured,
drowned, burnt, cut into pieces, buried alive? They might have applied
more "human" methods for the dirty business, shooting them, for
example. Why do they behave like that? What do Russians need? May be
they need land? What is the point of their cruelty and such impudent,
blatant and endless lie!? Why making everything possible for people to
hate you? That's senseless. That's stupid from the practical point of
view. Is the answer to this question in the mystery of the Russian
soul? Aren't there hopes for a progress of the Russian national
humanism? Why is humanism in Russia only a concern of dissidents?
Mahdan Tushayev, born in 1926. An interview of 1992, in which he
testifies:
"I must say that Russians instilled cruelty in me. While in prison, I
behaved in the manner to be executed as soon as possible. I expected
death there. I had nothing to lose. I didn't believe I would survive,
because I saw how Chechens were exterminated in prisons, in camps, at
large, just for one reason - being Chechens."
Gayeva Zama, born in 1940, living in Grozny, testifies:
"When we were resettled from Zerkh, out father, Yassu Gayev,
shepherded a flock in the forest, our mother left for the mill. And
we, four girls, stayed at home on our own. The oldest - Arubika, was
10, me, Zama - 4-5, Sovdat - 3, and Satsita - 1. Someone wrapped us
into blankets and put into a yoked sledge. I remember that I was alone
in the sledge. When it went down from the mount of Khordoyn-lam and
approached the cemetery of the settlement of Beza-Yurt, I woke up.
There was no one around. It was cold. It was night, a clear, bright
sky. I couldn't see the oxen. No people around me. First I tried to
rise but then, frightened, wrapped myself into the blanket and hid. At
dawn I raise myself again. Then I heard Russian speech, voices and
clatter of horses' hoofs. When they approached I heard: "This is a
child!" - a Russian said. And they wrangled for some time. However,
one of them took me up, put me on his back and covered with the
greatcoat. The quarrel happened because some Russians wanted to kill
me and my defender did not allow them to do it. And all of them swore
at him. I was sitting under his greatcoat on his back, I was afraid
and began sobbing. The soldier mounted his horse. He tried to console
me and offered a cracker. But I continued sobbing. Then he put me
down, offered his quilted jacket and put me on the saddle in front of
him. so we reached Arsh-aliye. There were many people standing in the
mud. Many corn stems in the mud and women and children were standing
on them. "Whose child is this?" - the soldier asked. My mother's
brother approached. The Russian did not let me go and asked about my
mother. "Her mother is at the mill," my uncle replied. The soldier
kept me on his arms all through the night. The next morning, at dawn,
I recognized the dress of my mother. I shouted wildly: "Nana!" My
mother, sobbing, rushed to me. I stretched my hands towards her. The
Russian soldier looked and me and began crying bitterly..."
Lyoma Usmanov
Assistant Professor
Global War on Terrorism-Task Force
Defense Language Institute
US Department of Defense
Note:
To prepare this article the following materials were used - studies by
ethnographer A. Suleimanov, historians D. Khozhayev, Dj. Gakayev, M.
Vachagayev, A. Nekrich, journalists T. Chagayeva, M. Khadissov, S.
Gayev and personal studies of the author