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The Fractured Caucasus Source: National geographics - feb 1996 - By Mike Edwards (assitant editor) To glimpse the landscape of the region called the Caucasus, on Russia's southern flank, is to imagine Eden. Beneath the icy summits of its mountain range, grapevines and pomegranate trees hang gravid with fruit. But here too are rubbled cities and phalanxes of roadblocks, manned by militias and Russian troops bristling with arms Territorial disputes, a thirst for independence, and exploding nationalism afflict the Caucasus's new nations, and ethnic enclaves. The Chechen war that began at the end of 1994 when Russian sent an army to quell that region's secessionist goverment, was the latest of numerous conflicts that erupted after the Sovet Union collapsed in 1991. Tens of thousands of people have died, perhaps 45,000 in Chechnya alone, and almost two million more hace fled as refugees. Caucasia (as it is also known) is volatile in part because it is dauntingly complex, with at least 50 ethnic groups and nationalities spread like a crazy guilt across California-size territory. These peoples range from the six million Turkic Azerbaijanis, the predominant inhabitants of Azerbaijan (newly independent, along with Georgia and Armenia) down to groups like the Ginukh, numbering 200. The Ginukh are members of a complex family of indigenous Caucasians- some 40 groups, including other little-known peoples such as the Akhwakh and Lak, many of them crowded into the mountainous Russian republic of Dagastan. They evolved a babel of languages in their isolated valleys and cling to these tongues today. Many, like The Chechens, are Muslim and, worrisome to Moscow, look favorably toward the Middle-East Ivan the Terrible started Russia's southeastward expansion in the 1500s. Over time Russia gained warmwater ports on the Black Sea and farmlands yielding great bounty; Caucasia's cherries and apricots gladdened the citizens of Moscow and St. Petersburg at the end of the long nothern winter. There was oil too from Azerbeaijan and the Chtmlian Sea. But the price was steep: multiple wars with Persia and the Ottoman Empire, which claimed parts of the Caucasus region, as well as the determined resistance of many of the Caucasian peoples. Resistance was particularly stubborn in the 19th century among the mountaineers - the Chechens, Circassians, Avars, and others. For a quarter of that century a Muslim imam, Shamil, led a holy war aginst the Russian "e;infidels "e;. The tsar's troops fell by the thousands. Even after Shamil surrendered in 1859, the Chechens often rebelled. They were, and are, Caucasia's most obstinate freedom seekers. Besides fighting the Russians, the inhabitants of Caucasia war among themselves. Though they have often lived in peace, the end of ironfisted Soviet control unleased old grievances. Armenia and Azerbaijan have battled for the region of Nagorno_Karabakh - within Azerbaijan but populated by Armenians. Georgia has failed to impose its will on the Abkhaz, who also seek freedom. In another conflict Georgia tried to supress the Ossetians , apeople descended from nomads from north of the Black Sea; their territory arcs across the Caucasus Mountains into central georgia. The Ossetians also clashed in the north with the Ingush, in still another fight for land. The seeds of this confrontation were sown in 1943-44, when Joseph Stalin exiled the Ingush and three other Caucasus peoples to Central Asia and Siberia. They were accused - with no foundation with Germany during Worls War II. When allowed to return in 1957, the Ingush found Ossetians in possession of much of their territory. Other exiled groups were similarly deprived. Not suprisingly a hatred of Moscow lingers among thes 'punished people', as they have been called. Russia clearly intends to keep a grip upon turbulent southern border, especially to shore this flank against regionally powerful Turkey and Iran. Also, Russia wants a slice of the profits form the oil and gas of the Chtmlian Sea basin. But to control the Caucasus this powder keg clothed in orchard and vineyard, will not be easy.     THIS IS A NEW WINDOW --> CLOSE WHEN FINISHED Or: incase you did enter this page not via the ICKERIA home page, please link to: Home page of ICHKERIA By this you will have full access to all items concerning Chechnya