From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 12/14/2005 1:41 AM

Memories of Chechnya

An image of Grozny after the 1994 war, depicting the scale of the ruin.

To the south of Russia, in the north of the Caucasus mountains, spread on rich fertile land is the home of two noble brotherly nations – the Chechens and the Ingush, who together call themselves the "Vainakh." How much is known about the life of these two small nations? Too often images of war and destruction are called to mind whenever we think about them. Chechens have this sad fame throughout the world.

History

The first historical reference to the Vainakh was in the 7th century. In the 11th century, the Georgian historical tome, the Krtlis Jhovreba, referred to the Vainakh as Dzurzuki. Between the 11th and the 13th century, Christianity arrived from neighboring Georgia and spread among the Vainakh, who used to be sun-worshippers. Many of our monuments and temples still portray those phases of our history.

Towards the end of the 18th century, the Chechens and Ingush became Muslims, mostly due to the efforts of the neighboring Dagestanis, who turned to Islam long before us.

Colonization

This country, with its natural beauty, fertile lands, dense forests, and mineral wealth (mainly oil), was always a temptation for various empires, which usually need access to all forms of wealth and ways to divert their people's attention from their own problems. The wealth of Chechnya and Ingushetia has been sought after for centuries. The only real problem the colonizers faced was that the people were "too proud" and refused to accept gestures of "friendship" from greedy growing empires.

The Russians called us barbarians; in their opinion we did not know how to live, and so should be directed and controlled. The so-called barbarians witnessed their own destruction at the hands of those who professed to guide them to what is better. Our historic identity was shattered. Many of our best people were murdered, as their existence stood as a silent threat to a mind-set that could tolerate no contradiction or individuality. As a nation, we were humiliated and constantly threatened, forced to live a miserable life. Any resistance was crushed without deference for heart or soul. Peace could only be attained through submission, but submission was never an option for the Vainakh. When the Russian version of "peace through submission" was wrung from the nation, it was always followed by chaos. Since the days of the Russian Tsars, the Russian Empire has refused to leave the northern Caucasus in peace.

Sheikh Mansur, one of our most famous historical leaders, fought the Russian Empire for more than twenty years. Abrek Zelimkhan, whose name inspired fear in Russian soldiers, struggled for many years until he was betrayed and killed. Many other heroes refused to submit to colonization.

In 1917, Tsar Nikolai was dethroned and later killed with his family by the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks started the bloody era of Communism, their own religion, which they forced onto everyone in their power.