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CHAPTER
2
IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH: CHECHNYA
The
historical span to destroy Chechnya
The abolition of the USSR Constitution in year 1991 resulted
with The Independence of The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria along
with the Baltic States and Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Declaration of independence followed the presidential elections
in Chechnya under the international observation from 42 states
and a democratic government is elected.
Dissolution of USSR brought international recognition to newly
independent states but Chechnya was exception to 'de Jure' recognition
out of political considerations. Chechnya has refused the union
with The Russian Federation on 31 March 1992 and have stayed
out of the referendum to Russian Federal Constitution and Russian
Parliamentary Elections on 12 December 1993. The hesitating
Tatarstan later had joined The Russian Federation on 13 March
1994 forming State Duma and parliamentary elections.
Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov and Russian general Alexander
Lebed signed the 31 August 1996 Khasavyurt Agreement and projected
to solve the problems between Chechnya and Russia until 31 December
2001. This Khasavyurt Agreement had avoided to recognize the
status of Chechnya. And the Russian military invasion of Chechnya
in winter 1999 has violated The Khasavyurt Agreement. Russian
official wording says that the question is not the status of
Chechnya but it is a terrorism politics of The Russian Federation.
Fact Over
The Status
Perception of Chechnya as an internal matter of The Russian
Federation leads to diminish the responsibility of those who
commits genocidal crimes against humanity in The Chechen Republic
of Ichkeria.
The Chechen side of the conflict regards the signed agreements
of year 1997 between Boris Yeltsin and Aslan Maskhadov as proof
of recognition of Chechnya as an independent state. The text
of the Agreement says 'Dogovor' (Treaty). Whereas, Russian Federation
uses 'Dogovoryonnost' (Compact) or 'Soglashenie' (Accord) in
its federal agreements. This wording has been perceived as the
Russian recognition of Chechnya as an independent state.
In practice, "compact and accord" are used in texts
of a Federal State. The international Law teacher Prof. Francis
Boyle have said that writing the word "Treaty," Russia
have recognized the status of Chechnya as an independent state
but not an internal matter. (9)
Prof. Boyle indicates that "This Agreement's wording is
'The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria' and 'Agreement on bilateral
relations' all indicates that two sovereign states have signed
this agreement. The rational is that federal structure's relations
are tuned per constitution and would not require international
treaty. In nowhere of The Agreement between Russia and Chechnya
is any reference to the Russian Federal Constitution. Russia
as a part of the international community is required to observe
the international law and can sign a treaty with only an independent
state.
Second article of The Agreement is a clear proof of independence
of Chechnya, which says, "Bilateral relations will be constructed
per principles and rules of the international law." And
this wording clearly indicates that international law is applicable
to only independent states. (10)
It
also must be remembered that Yeltsin and Maskhadov have signed
The Agreement as fully authorized representatives of their respective
countries.
Francis Boyle remarks that the signing of The Khasavyurt Agreement
have opened the way to all other states to recognize Chechnya
as an independent state.
Current Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted himself
by saying "In 1996 Russia withdrew all its military and
law enforcement forces from the territory of Chechnya. Thus
de facto, if not de jure, we granted independence to Chechnya.
So nobody can accuse us of suppressing the desire of the Chechen
people for independence. Once already we have given them such
an opportunity." (11)
Putin, by these statements not only acknowledges the independence
of Chechnya, but he also confirms that the right of independence
of the Chechens are forcefully grabbed by the Russian forces.
THE FIRST
RUSSO-CHECHEN WAR AND GENOCIDE
The First Russo-Chechen War in 1994-1996 have tolled the lives
of 120 thousand of the one million Chechen population. The Association
of Concentration Camp Victims of Chechnya have registered 25
thousand tortured Chechens in these camps and another 17 thousand
Chechens have lost their lives after being tortured in these
Russian concentration camps. (12)
Chechen People had another blow of misfortune by the Second
War with Russia by 5 September 1999. Terror perpetrations on
31 August and 9 and 13 September 1999 in Moscow and 4 September
1999 in Buynaksk-Dagestan and 16 September 1999 in Volgadonsk
are used as a pretext to invade the sovereign state of Chechnya.
Russia was never able to demonstrate the perpetrators of these
terror activities. Russian Secret Service FSB is accused as
the perpetrator of these terror activities. And Russia still
continues to court them behind the closed doors to the press
services of the media. (13)
Grozny:
The Second Stalingrad
The Russian attacks and bombardment in the First Russo-Chechen
War was a historic milestone to indicate the scale of Russian
militarism: 4,000 bomb blasts have rocked the earth of Chechnya
per hour in January 1994. When compared to Bosnia-Herzegovina
the number of blasts per hour was only 800 in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
(14)
Russian militarism have attacked on the civilian population
of Grozny and surroundings on the date 6 January 1995 and have
killed non-combatant civilian population. OSCE have reported
that the war in Grozny and surroundings is the like of Stalingrad
during the Second World
War.
SECOND CHECHEN WAR AND RUSSIAN GENOCIDAL ACTIVITIES
Material damage and Russia's undertakings
Russian engagement for reconstruction for its 1996 and 1997
undertakings were never realized and Russian active terror policy
have devastated this small republic of 16 thousand square kilometers
and have intentionally formed a vacuum of instability to continue
its criminal activities.
Russian devastation have continued with the 1999 war and more
than 50,000 Chechen houses are destroyed by the Russian bombardment.
270 out of 424 Chechen villages are completely destroyed
and unsuitable for habitation. 68 of the villages are partially
destroyed. 14 out of the 23 cities are devastated.
Land Mines
Land mines in Chechnya is not a present threat but is a future
threat as well. Russian Internal Ministry Administrator Sergei
Aranin has declared on 09 January 2001 that "We planted
more than 500 thousand land mines in Chechnya." (15)
Toy shaped land mines have killed and handicapped so many children
that it's number is dreadful to pronounce. Vaha Bancayev of
The Association of Concentration Camp Victims of Chechnya informs
that 2,300 children are handicapped by mine blasts in year 2000.
There is no definite figure available for years 2001 and 2002.
Dr. Umar Khambiev, Minister of Health in ChRI, says on this
issue: "The most brutal and immoral are disguised mines,
which have been invented for paralysis of children. In Chechen
Republic many cases of application of similar mines have been
marked. In our hospital, we nursed one child from Bachi-jurt,
who lost a hand, having picked up a mine in the form of a toy,
and other teenager from Tsatsan-Yurt has found the same sorts
of alarm clock." (16)
Excessive Use of Force and Destruction of Civilian Population
Russia has violated The European Conventional Forces Agreement
by actively invading The Sovereign State of Chechnya and has
moved huge military elements without prior notification.
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Carpet
bombardment of the elistanji village: On October 9-13, representatives
of "Memorial" interrogated Chechens in refugee
camps of Ingushetia. In the five stories written down in
four different camps, the refugees (including Gunaeva Irana,
MAGOMADOV Daud, IMURZAYEV Zayndi) spoke about the bombardment
of the Elistanji village on October 7, which resulted in
the death of more than 30 villagers.
D. MAGOMADOV was in Elistanji at the funeral of his niece
Imani MUSAEVA killed during the bombardment, 18 years old,
at the 6th month of pregnancy. According to his words, three
streets near the school were ruined in the village. (17)
The "Memorial" representative A.D. MIRONOV was
in Chechnia on October 9-12. On visiting the mountain village
of Elistanji, A.D. Mironov pointed out a zone of throughout
destructions (300x800m). According to the local inhabitants,
the destructions appeared on October 7 about 12 a.m. as
the result of a bombardment from a great height. A characteristic
feature of the destructions is the mutual overlapping of
zones of destruction by different kinds of ammunition. Thus,
the carpet bombardment has taken place.
34 of those killed are buried in the Elistanji cemetery;
according to the list made on the base of the inhabitants'
evidence, they are mainly women and children. Besides, the
bodies of refugees from other villages who had escaped to
Elistanji and had been killed there (their number has not
been determined) were taken away by the relatives to be
buried in the family cemeteries.
At the hospitals of the cities of Shali and Grozny, the
"memorial" representative interviewd the wounded
from Elistanji (about 20 people). Only one of them was an
adult man, others were women and children. (18) |
Chemical
Weapons
International agreements have prohibited the use of chemical
weapons and the Russian militarism have used many prohibited
weapons in Chechnya. These poisonous weapons have devastated
the land and made it uncultivable and intentionally have harmed
the forests by massacring the environment. Russian militarism
have aimed to annihilate The Chechen Nation by depriving them
from cultivation for food. And the remaing land is full of poison
and unsuitable for habitation.
Dr.
Umar Khambiev, Minister of Health in ChRI, states about the
bombs under pressure or airless environment vacuum bombs:
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"These
were widely applied outside of territory of Grozny, mainly
underground. Now they are used in mountain areas in South
of Chechen Republic. The damage put to organism by these
bombs has different features. The victims struck in zone
of perimeter of explosion, die within 8-10 hours from strong
intoxication. The death comes from decomposition of vital
bodies as a result of destructions at cellular level. Cells
emit toxins into the blood and thus results in general poisoning
of organism. Insufficiency of functions of the vital bodies
results in fatal outcome." (19) |
Khanbiev
further informs that, in spite of the prohibition of the Geneva
Convention, ball and needle bombs and shells have been used
in Chechnya by Russians. It was used as frequent as using a
Kalashnikoff rifle.
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"They
are conceived so that to kill slowly, and result in terrible
consequences for the person. The question is bombs and shells
which blow up in air, liberating millions smallest needles
and metal balls. Traumas are small, but quite distinct.
Happens so, that victims of such wounds with needles do
not notice the condition within several days. Many victims,
operated even at an initial stage of victims, as it is potentially
fatal creating dangerous complications, did not survive.
Percentage of death rate as a result of paralysis from such
kind of weapon in our hospitals has exceeded 30 %. Ball
bombs were applied very widely." (20) |
Grad,
Smerch, Uragan, Skelet weapons usage were:
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"These
kinds of weapon in dense populated places result in plenty
of victims. There is no such region in Chechen territory,
where these weapons were not applied. Recently "Skelet"
are more often used. We are talking about shells with a
length of more than 2 meters, which are stuck in the ground
and fire in 500-600 meters of space, spread huge amount
of splinters (in the form small metal squares extraordinary
sharp on edges) in all directions within 4-5 minutes. "The
pipe" remains on the spot as a skeleton. In its internal
surface, there appear set of apertures through which salvo
fire is conducted. The victims, who have appeared in zone
of perimeter of action, are struck with a set of wounds.
Death rate reaches practically 100 %. From 46 victims of
the "skeleton", brought to us in hospital, we
managed to rescue only one person." (21) |
These
weapons used against the civilian population namely poison gas
bombs have effected the nervous system of human beings and resulted
with paralysis.
Umar Khambiev: "At the end of July and in beginning of
August, 2000, bombs and shells filled by poison gases, were
launched in Chechen Republic on three directions: in area of
Starie Atagi, in vicinities of settlement Vedeno and in settlement
Tsentoroj, in district of Nozhaj-Yurt, in the South of Republic.
I personally examined and treated victims from Vedeno and Tsentoroj.
Wide publicity has got only one case found in area Starie Atagi."
(22)
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"July
27, 2000 in hospital Benoj, where I carried out survey at
that time, two persons were brought in unconsciousness.
The question was about two inhabitants 17 and 28 years old
of village Vedeno. According to persons accompanying them,
one of them has asked, that he should be taken to hospital,
the single medical institution working in those days in
district. When he arrived there, where there was his comrade,
there have already died 4 persons. According to descriptions
of accompanying fellow, the mouths of dead people were filled
with mix of saliva and blood, and their faces had cyanotic
shade as if they have been strangled.
In half an hour, two more persons started to suffer from
headache and to rave. Those who accompanied them, have told
us, that victims became unbalanced and lost consciousness
on road to hospital. The data of survey of patients: Inhabitant
of Vedeno, 17 years old, in unconsciousness. He is very
pale, his pupils are expanded, with muscular spasms, expressed
tachycardia, increased arterial pressure, and stains from
2 up to 6 centimetres on extremes and on trunk. His breathing
accelerated (till 50-60 respiratory movements per minute).
Plentiful salivation. Neither wounds, nor contusions were
seen on body. The same concerns patient from Vedeno, 28
years old. Three days after when our wounded still were
in unconsciousness, six more people from Tsenteroi in a
coma with identical symptoms were brought to hospital.
According to accompanied person, who have brought them directly
from fields where they worked. Three young people, who accompanied
them, have told, that they were together with them, but
we went to village to have meal. Returning after two hours,
they found them in critical condition. All of them suffered
from headache, shouted and, according to the description
of accompanied one, behaved "as lunatics". They
yelled from pains in head, roared, showed with fingers'
gestures what tormented them; were possessed by hallucinations,
cried, then laughed. And it is curious that symptoms in
accuracy are the same, as at victims from Vedeno.
It became obvious - the question was not of an infectious
disease, as some physicians could assume but poisoning without
any clear poisonous substance. Later, in conversation with
the young people, whom I found in the field, I came to the
conclusion that poisoning spread when wood thicket located
nearby was subjected to bombardment and artillery bombardment
in the morning. When I asked them that what could be the
reason after poisoning influence on them, they have answered,
what they already thought of it, however guessed.
Five more persons were brought to hospital with similar
condition. They are inhabitants Tsenteroj, at that time
they were nearby to a zone, which had undergone bombardment.
The medical personnel did not know that what is necessary
to undertake. These 8 persons behaved in an incomprehensible
manner. In any 10 or 15 minutes, extreme excitation was
replaced by condition of stupor, and at last they lost consciousness.
Then we began to apply to all patient therapy of desintoxication.
Characteristic symptoms for all patients: headaches, as
if brains are broken off on part, pain in stomach, indisposition
in all body, faintness, sensation of heat, extreme pallor,
cold sweat, quickly arising and disappearing of stain on
skin of extremities and trunk, spasms of obverse muscles,
increased secretion of saliva, expanded pupils, tachycardia,
accelerated pulse (140-150 impacts per minute), unstable
arterial pressure (from 180-160/120-100 mm up to 80-60/40-30
mm), rapidity of breath, changing breathing sounds. The
next day died two more victims, who were present near to
site of bombardment and firing. Symptoms were the same,
but less clearly expressed.
All those, who were brought to hospital, could survive.
During treatment, doctors came across with ethical problems.
All the victims were at ages of 17 to 30 year. It was much
more difficult for their relatives to bring them to hospital,
risking their own lives. The relatives refused to offer
help because they knew that army divisions are blocking
all roads. They said, that they preferred to die than to
be captured by invaders, fearing never to discover any more
bodies of their relatives. I contacted some of toxicologist
through intermediaries in Daghestan and Ingushetia but it
could help. Within two weeks we carried out intensive desintoxications,
which eventually has resulted in positive results. As soon
as there appeared improvement in situation, relatives have
taken out them from hospital, not sure in favourable outcome
as were afraid of the next sortie on part of militaries.
All were surprised with absence of movement of armoured
vehicles of the armies remaining in the former locations.
When I understood, that there was an application of bombs
and the shells filled with poison gases, the reason of three-week
respite arranged by soldiers became clear to me. Some days
before, approximately July 25, soldiers have suddenly left
places of known events, military posts were removed that
has caused hearings about withdrawal of all armies from
Chechen Republic. Constant habitual movements of tank divisions
are stopped, down to August 20.
Probably they were sent to reliable place. It means that
many officers from army divisions of the specific area were
informed on application of these kinds of weapon. Knowing
that some of us communicated with officers, I have asked,
whether admitted though somebody that actually what has
taken place in wood. One of them has told me: "On the
eve of these events, when I passed through a post(Russian
road and transport control), one of my familiar officer
warned me that my people should remain at home and let them
not come nearer to wood. That I did not pay much attention
to his words as these places were exposed to bombardments
each day, and people there anyhow were afraid to come nearer."
No doubt that many officers knew that has taken place, and
I hope that there will be even one fair officer, who will
open the truth and will give a testimony. In settlement
Starie Àtagi, appearance of poisonings have attributed to
any vests, which have been found out in cemetery, water
in which people bathed, these are only the words of propagation
much tried by Russians. To cover up traces resulted in the
most fantastic explanations. At interpretation of
the cases given by us, attempts were carried out to accuse
of indispositions of bad food in spite of the fact that
victims were delivered from different places and in different
periods.
I was and I remain firmly convinced: three incidents which
have entailed behind so disastrous consequences (in Vedeno,
it struck 6 person, 3 persons were lost, in Tsenteroi 18
victims, 2 were lost, in Starie Atagi 15 victims, 6 were
lost, that is out of 32 victims only 12 were lost), form
parts of one circuit, and that during 3 days of bombs and
shells filled with poison gases of nervous - paralytic action,
were applied in various districts. I think that international
community should not remain indifferent. It is necessary
to demand for conducting of an independent expert appraisal
on revealing the use of similar types of arms and other
kinds of weapon. On their suggestion, we, on our part, are
ready to provide patients and testimony." (23) |
Military
force of a super power has now concentrated to this small North
Caucasian Republic. Missile bombardments to Grozny on 21 November
1999 have killed 137 civilians. Maternity house and a mosque
was the target. 13 mothers and 15 babies are killed at the maternity
house and 41 civilians were dead at mosque. 400 civilians were
wounded. It was 11 December 1999 when the order was issued to
evacuate the city of Grozny. About 40 thousand people were unable
to evacuate and thousands of them were dead after the Russian
military poured bombs over them. It was 9 January 2000 at the
city of Shali when a Russian military tactical missile hit over
the elderly Chechens waiting in queue to get their pension:
more than 150 Chechens killed. What mentioned here is in coverage
of article 2 of Additional Protocol II to the Geneva Conventions,
mass violations. (24)
................................
9)
By Francis Boyle, 17 September 1997, Independent Chechnya: Treaty
of peace with Russia of 12 May 1997, http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/63/082.html
10) Ibid
11) Putin interviewed by Financial Times London 15 December
2001.
12) These figures are provided by Vaha Bancayev, Head of The
Accosiation Victims of Chechnya Filtration Camps
13) "The Russian media magnate Boris Berezovsky accused
Russian special services of a series of apartment-block bombings
in 1999 to justify a crackdown on Chechnya that led to the election
of Vladimir Putin as President.
Mr Berezovsky, speaking at a news conference in London, produced
what he said was "real proof" of the claim, and called
for the European Union to investigate the September 1999 bombings
that left 300 dead. Berezovsky said that while there was no
evidence that Putin himself had given the order for the 1999
terrorist attacks, he was guilty of failing to prevent them
or being "passive". Putin was head of the domestic
successor of the KGB, the FSB, from 1998 until August 1999,
when he became Boris Yeltsin's Prime Minister." Putin opponent
urges inquiry into bombings, By Anne Penketh and Patrick Cockburn.
06 March 2002, http://news.independent.co.uk/world/russia/story.jsp?story=271340
14) International Reactions to Massive Human Rights violations:
The case of Chechnia, Svante E. Cornell, Europe-Asia Studies
Vol.51, No:1, 1999, p. 100
15) http://www.kafkas.org.tr/ajans/chechen_refugee_question.htm
16) Consequences of application of special arms by Russian aggressors,
Dr. Umar Khambiev, Minister of Health in ChRI, Agency Caucasus,
31.03.2001, (in Turkish)
http://www.kafkas.org.tr/english/ajans/31.03.2001%20Consequences%20of%20application%20.htm
17) The non-selective use of force by the federal troops in
the course of the armed conflict in Chechnya in September -
October 1999, http://www.memo.ru/eng/memhrc/texts/bom.shtml
18) Ibid
19) Consequences of application of special arms by Russian aggressors,
Dr. Umar Khambiev, Agency Caucasus, 31.03.2001,
20) Ibid
21) Ibid
22) Ibid
23) Ibid
24) Mass Violations of Human Rights During the Armed Conflict
in the Chechen Republic, O. G. TRUSEVICH
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