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Chechen society has traditionally been organized around many autonomous local clans, called teips. Even today, many Chechens consider themselves loyal to their teip above all, this is one reason why it has been difficult to forge a united political front against Russia.
From the 7th century through the 16th century Chechens and Ingushes were Christians, but then the influence of Islam spread until Sunnites became the majority.
Russian influence started as early as the 16th century when Ivan the Terrible founded Tarki in 1559 where the first Cossack army was stationed. The Russian Terek Cossack Host was established in lowland Chechnya in 1577 by free Cossacks resettled from Volga to Terek River. In 1783 Russia and the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti (which was devastated by Turkish and Persian invasions ) signed the Treaty of Georgievsk, according to which Kartl-Kakheti received protection by Russia. In order to secure communications with Georgia and other regions of the Transcaucasia the Russian Empire began spreading her influence into mountains of Caucasus, met with fierce resistance by the mountain tribes. In 1785 they started waging a holy war against the Russians under Sheikh Mansur who was captured in 1791 and died a few years later.
Imperial Russian forces began moving into highland Chechnya in 1830 to secure Russia's borders with the Ottoman Empire. The Chechens, along with many peoples of the Eastern Caucasus, resisted fiercely, led by the Dagestani hero Imam Shamil, but Chechnya was finally incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1859 after Shamil's capture.
Russian occupation caused a prolonged wave of emigration until the end of the 19th century. Thousands of Caucasians moved to Turkey and other countries of the Middle East, while Cossacks and Armenians settled in Chechnya.
During the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78 the Caucasians rose against Russia once more, but were defeated again.
The Chechnya-Ingushetia region received status of an autonomous republic within the Soviet Union in 1936. During World War II, despite the fact that about 40 thousand Chechens and Ingushes fought in the Red Army (fifty of them received the highest recognition of the Hero of the Soviet Union), the Soviet government accused them of cooperating with the Nazi invaders, who had controlled the western parts of Chechnya-Ingushetia for several months of the 1942/1943 winter. On orders from Stalin the entire population of the republic was exiled to Kazakhstan. Over a quarter died. The Chechens were allowed to return only in 1957, four years after Stalin's death in 1953. In 1949 Soviet authorities erected a statue of 19th century Russian general Aleksey Yermolov in Grozny. The inscription read, "There is no people under the sun more vile and deceitful than this one." Yermolov had also persecuted the Chechens.
“Grozneftegaz” in the economy of Chechnya
CHECHNYA FREE.RU | Chechen News, History, Traditions, Economics - SK Strategia analyses results of amnesty in Chechnya -
From the 7th century through the 16th century Chechens and Ingushes were Christians, but then the influence of Islam spread until Sunnites became the majority.
Russian influence started as early as the 16th century when Ivan the Terrible founded Tarki in 1559 where the first Cossack army was stationed. The Russian Terek Cossack Host was established in lowland Chechnya in 1577 by free Cossacks resettled from Volga to Terek River. In 1783 Russia and the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti (which was devastated by Turkish and Persian invasions ) signed the Treaty of Georgievsk, according to which Kartl-Kakheti received protection by Russia. In order to secure communications with Georgia and other regions of the Transcaucasia the Russian Empire began spreading her influence into mountains of Caucasus, met with fierce resistance by the mountain tribes. In 1785 they started waging a holy war against the Russians under Sheikh Mansur who was captured in 1791 and died a few years later.
Imperial Russian forces began moving into highland Chechnya in 1830 to secure Russia's borders with the Ottoman Empire. The Chechens, along with many peoples of the Eastern Caucasus, resisted fiercely, led by the Dagestani hero Imam Shamil, but Chechnya was finally incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1859 after Shamil's capture.
Russian occupation caused a prolonged wave of emigration until the end of the 19th century. Thousands of Caucasians moved to Turkey and other countries of the Middle East, while Cossacks and Armenians settled in Chechnya.
During the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78 the Caucasians rose against Russia once more, but were defeated again.
The Chechnya-Ingushetia region received status of an autonomous republic within the Soviet Union in 1936. During World War II, despite the fact that about 40 thousand Chechens and Ingushes fought in the Red Army (fifty of them received the highest recognition of the Hero of the Soviet Union), the Soviet government accused them of cooperating with the Nazi invaders, who had controlled the western parts of Chechnya-Ingushetia for several months of the 1942/1943 winter. On orders from Stalin the entire population of the republic was exiled to Kazakhstan. Over a quarter died. The Chechens were allowed to return only in 1957, four years after Stalin's death in 1953. In 1949 Soviet authorities erected a statue of 19th century Russian general Aleksey Yermolov in Grozny. The inscription read, "There is no people under the sun more vile and deceitful than this one." Yermolov had also persecuted the Chechens.
“SK Strategia” analyses results of amnesty in Chechnya
The center for strategic studies and development of civil society in the North Caucasus - SK Strategia – was officially registered in March 2004. It helps the Federal and Republican authorities to revive legal standards in Chechnya . The Center has on its staff experienced politicians and human rights activists, who carry out independent analysis of political and economic situations in the North Caucasus for the Council in the Russian President’s office that, in its turn, help to develop institute of civil society and human rights. Ella Pamfilova, a well-known public figure, heads the Council. Officials of the Center have examined results of the recent amnesty, interviewing between 80 and 100 pardoned former members of illegal armed group to find out why they had voluntarily surrendered to the authorities. The questions that were asked the amnestied people concerned the motivation for accepting the amnesty: was it a desire to return to a peaceful way of life and or trust in both the federal and republican leaders; was it due to material incentive or fear for the lives of close relatives? Or indeed, was it due to lack of future prospect? The material incentive means the chance to earn a living peacefully to be able to feed the family. 70 per cent of interviewees said it was due to a desire to live peacefully and their trust in the Russian and Chechen leaders. Two gave material incentive as the motive; no one cited fear for the lives of their close relatives as reason for surrendering to the authorities. 10 per cent of those interviewed named lack of future prospect as the reason for surrendering. Experts of
“SK Strategia” compared results of the survey with the one of 2003 when 78 per cent of respondents said they surrendered because of fear for the lives of their relatives, but now they trust the authorities. Answering the question as to whether the amnesty would lead to an improvement in the situation in Chechnya, 90 per cent of respondents gave positive answer. In 2003, 9 out of 10 interviewees wanted to enlist in the law enforcement bodies for personal security reasons, but today most of the pardoned former militants want to become state employees or to go into business. Nobody wants to emigrate
“Grozneftegaz” in the economy of Chechnya
There are no open or burning wells in Chechnya now. An average 3,800 tons of oil a day is produced there. Compared to 2001, production has grown by more than 12 times. These are the initial results of operation of the open share-holding company “Grozneftegaz”, created for the management of the companies in the republic’s oil and gas complex six months ago.
According to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, all crude produced in Chechnya is exported, and the earnings are directed to help develop the oil and gas complex of the republic. Last year, when total production amounted to 705, 000 tons, the earnings from its export exceeded 2 billion roubles. 640 million roubles were paid in taxes to the Chechen budget. 232 million roubles were transferred to a special account in the Federal Treasury for the restoration of economy and the social sphere of the Chechen Republic. This year “Grozneftegaz” plans to produce up to 1.4 million tons, nearly twice as much as was produced last year.
Despite the measures taken, stealing of oil continues. Still, the progress is evident: an average of 200 tons a day is being currently stolen compared to 3,000 tons a day last year. According to “Grozneftegaz” General Director Baudin Khamidov, the payroll of the 1,200 guards his company hires is 160 million roubles a year, an amount exceeding its own wages fund. Federal law enforcement agencies also help protect the oil production facilities.
There are currently 10 oilfields in exploitation in the Chechen Republic. Production in 3 more oil deposits will soon begin, too. Due to the growth of production volumes, 300 new jobs will be created in “Grozneftegaz” before the end of this year, bringing the number of the company staff to 2.5 thousand. And a total of more than 5 thousand residents of the Chechen Republic are involved in the operations of its oil and gas complex.
CHECHNYA FREE.RU | Chechen News, History, Traditions, Economics - SK Strategia analyses results of amnesty in Chechnya -