From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 5/30/2005 6:43 AM
30.05.2005
Fear degree
Are Basayev’s men behind the recent electricity blackout in Moscow and the arson of Stanislavsky’s Theater – is not even a question. The fact that the Chechen field commander assumed the responsibility for these two incident does not make us surprise – such behavior suits his concept of understanding of waging a war, including ideological war.
What causes surprise is the following: experts quickly examined the Chagino electricity substation in Kapoten and unambiguously said no signs of outside interference were revealed. The management of Stanislavky’s Theater did not refer to experts. It simply announced it did not believe in a version of a subversive act.
We are surprised not at a quick reaction to Basayev’s words, but at the fact that in both cases even a hypothetical possibility of a terrorist act was rejected right away. We see a similar categorical answer in a recent statement by the chief of the southern regional center of Russian emergency ministry on the collapse of a five-storied apartment block in Rostov-on-Don: no terrorist act took pace, the building collapsed due to its dilapidation.
The theory of an inner enemy – «Chechen terrorism» – has been cultivated in Russians’ head for a long time. The process has been too successful and it allowed an unknown KGB lieutenant colonel to become the president of a nuclear power. But his coming to power is only the beginning. On the wave of stirring up anti-Chechen hysteria, KGB’s political technologists managed to stage a de-facto coup in the country. A coup which has been taking place in the country for years without being noticed by average Russians, but which has changed Russia completely, turning it from the path of democratic reforms to habitual authoritarian tyranny. The existence of an inner enemy is a must for such form of rule. Chechens suit the role ideally. Besides, some of their leaders were glad to try the image of "bad guys."
Chechens have been charged with everything: assassinations of prominent people, explosions across Russia, in-born banditry, an international terrorist plot… However, the Chagino station and Stanislavsky’s Theater – is anyone else, not Chechens. Even Yury Luzhkov, an outstanding expert in taking the Chechen trace, has kept silence this time. The matter is that Luzhkov hates Anatoly Chubais, the chief of Russia’s electrical monopoly, more than Chechens. Putin also dislikes Chubais for a number of reasons, including his flirting with the Russian opposition.
In other words, today pressing charges against Chubais is more profitable for the policy of "managed democracy" than against Chechens. What did happen to Stanislavky’s Theater and the apartment block in Rostov-on-Don? Why is the possibility of a terrorist act rejected? Because Chechens are not usually blamed by the Kremlin for unplanned extraordinary incident. Any stupidity can be invented to stir up hatred to Chechens.
As follows: Russian mass media (in particular, Polit.Ru) has recently reported that «a Chechen slave trader was sentenced to 20 years in prison." Key words here are – «Chechen," «slave trader» and «prison." That means nationality is defined, his guilt is proved. Punishment is here. Shall we read it through? Yes. It turns out, a resident of the Astrakhan region Muratkhan Elmanbetov abducted Arkady P., 15, in the town of Neftekumsk (the Stavropol Krai) for ransom. The boy was kept in Neftekumsk, his parents failed to raise the necessary amount and the boy was released. Arkady returned to his parents who resided in Chechnya, in Urus-Martan. That’s the news. «The Chechen trace» is presented only in the name of the settlement, where the boy’s parents lived, because the name of "Elmanbetov" is not habitual to Chechens as – let’s say – «Johnson» for Russians.
This primitive lie brightly characterizes Russia’s state information policy. Its main point is that people shall not be frightened too much. The degree of fear shall be moderate most of the time. Otherwise, citizens may demand putting an end to the war in Chechnya or, what is even more terrible, to urge the president to dismiss his appointees from responsible posts. This is dangerous for the authority, because after numerous replacements of ministers the people might find out that the system is unable to offer a product of different quality. And then only Chechens – as a main enemy – won’t be enough to save «the managed democracy» itself…
The Chechen Times
http://www.chechentimes.org/en/comments/?id=29288
