History of Chechnya Chechnya is an independent republic located in the middle of the Caucasus Mountains. This land has always been populated by ancient Shemite people who have been invaded, throughout the centuries, by people of different races. The neighboring republics (to the north, south, east, and west) are very similar ethnically to Chechnya. These people living in the Caucasus Mountains are not the same as the Russian people. During Russia's quest for national expansion, Russia desired the lands in the Caucasus region and fought against and conquered the people in the mountainous areas. These people fought back for their independence and freedom. Unfortunately, mother Russia was too strong and she conquered and controlled these people. During World War II, the Chechens and other peoples in neighboring territories collaborated with the invading German Army AGAINST the Russians. They did this not because they favored the Germans, so much as they hated the Russians and wanted to be free of Russian dominion. As a consequence, Joseph Stalin (the head of the Russian state) dissolved the republic and sent the Chechens and people from neighboring republics to exile in deep Siberia (forced labor camps) where many were inhumanely killed. As time passes, eventually during the mid-50s, Russia restores these people back to their homelands. So great is the hatred and memories of what the Russians had done to the Chechens that when Russia and Communism finally collapsed the people of Chechnya like many other republics joyfully declared their independence from ethnic Russia. The rest of this story you know, as you have recently read (much of the news printed and broadcasted) or heard about through media sources...newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. ================================================================= OTHER REPUBLICS with predominant Muslim or Caucasus Mountain populations ------------------------------------------------------------------ Dagestan: Dagestan maintains an indigenous Caucasus Mountain population of Lazghian, Avar, Darghin and Lakh people as well as the Kumyk (a Turkish minority). Like Chechnya, she fought against the Russians. Dagestan like all other Caucasus regional areas was invaded by the Huns, Persian, Turks and Mongols. Shamyl is their popular hero, who they rallied around. Shamyl raised an army and successfully challenged the might and authority of Russian rule over the Caucasus region. Kalmyk: Populated by Mongol people in the 17th century. They too collaborated with the invading German Army (like all other Caucasus Mountain people). Kabardin: Though allied with Russia, in the 16th century, they also collaborated with the invading German Army and suffered the same fate as their neighboring cousins. Karachai-Cherkess: A republic of Turkish-Muslim population. They too collaborated with the invading German Army and, again, suffered the fate under Stalin. Adygel: A farming populated region of Circassin Mountain people. They, too, were also against the Russian people. Georgia (and Ossetian): Populated by people called Kartrelians, who are different in temperament and different ethnically from the Russian people (who are Slavs...very similar to Serbs). These Kartrelians are not Indo-European nor Turkish and the population is mostly Muslim and Orthodox. The biblical tribes of Tubal and Meshech are also of this region, though different from the Kartrelians. When Stalin came to power, he cruelly repressed all opposition to his authority. The intelligentsia and the professional class perished during the purges. Georgia, today, is independent from Russia. ================================================================= Mother RUSSIA: By the way, just a side note of little or no value, the biblical tribe of Magog settled in the regions north of the Caspian Sea and north of the Black Sea...which is now mother Russia and the Ukraine, respectively. These people are different ethnically from the people who populate the mountain regions of the Caucasus. This act of Russia's parallels the Holy Christian Bible story of Nimrod, who intruded in Shemite territory in opposition to God's laws. This, the act of Russia invading Chechnya (by universal standards of humanity), is an act of naked aggression *and not* an act of civil war nor question of territorial integrity. These people are not of the same race! The media's portrayal of the Chechen soldier as a rebel is certainly in error and it distorts and blinds us to the real truth of Chechnya and its history...a sovereign and independent nation. ================================================================= End of article