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By Sirajin Sattayev for the "Kavkaz-Center" News Agency
Jokhar (Grozny), Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (C.R.I.), January 8, 2004
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One Arab journalist, who had to make often trips throughout the Middle East,
was telling about what he saw. Any changes in the relations between the
countries in the region, sometimes defined with only a few phrases in the
official documents and in the press, reflect on the behavior of border
guards right away.
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For example, if someone like Assad or Ghadafi says a couple of phrases about
each other during interviews, then a traveler will encounter a strange
phenomenon while crossing the border (even if the traveler was somewhere in
the desert during the historic interview). If the leaders attested to
brotherly friendship between the two nations, and you happen to be crossing
the border of one domain and have a passport of the other leader's domain,
you will be surprised by the cordial welcome you receive from border guards
and customs officers. And if one leader frowned the other day while speaking
of the other leader, or God forbid, if he accused him of having ties with
the worldwide imperialism, for example, then beware. A strict border guard
will look at your passport with the same _expression that the leader had on
his face, like you are a messenger of imperialism, and like he was just
talking to the Great One, who told him to show strict vigilance towards you.
Sure, the East is a delicate issue. But today's regimes in the former Soviet
republics apparently don't forget that there was a time when they all were
members of the Eastern Bloc. At least this tradition took deep roots on the
territories of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, former Soviet
Union).
It's all clear with Russian border guards. Their historical traditions have
the political roots so deep that they can't be shaken with any winds,
because they are unchanged just like the looks on the faces of lackeys at
the front door of a Moscow hotel. Although, stupid border guards are still
far behind retired colonels standing in front of the hotels. A suitcase that
an African-American tourist throws under the porter's feet (even though the
porter is a member of Barkashov's Russian National Unity) will not make the
porter embarrassed - sure thing, the black guy has an American passport on
him.
But what happened to Ukrainian border guards? Looks like they decided not to
lag behind their Russian colleagues. The bruises after a brawl in the
country's parliament (which supporters of Russia won with the score 1:0) are
not gone yet, and the power structures at the borders have already felt the
need to switch priorities. They decided to show the initiative locally and
banned the holders of Chechen passports from entering the territory of
Ukraine.
Even though you can't call these passports 'Chechen passports', since these
are passports of the Russian Federation, which Chechens get in accordance to
the Russian laws. These passports mention no ethnic background, just the
place of birth. And it doesn't make the situation different at all.
It must be admitted that the way the Ukrainian authorities decided to cringe
before Moscow is pretty graphic and pretty safe. On the territory of the
entire former Soviet Union it is hard to find any more legally defenseless
people than Chechens. Unlike even citizens of Nigeria, they can't go to
their embassy and complain about tyranny. It would be naive for them to
appeal to the embassy or to law enforcement agencies of the country (Russia)
whose authorities sanctioned the genocide of their people. Therefore they
can be easily detrained in the winter with their children and thereby
solidarity with Russian murderers in the genocide can be shown. There are no
other reasons for such actions.
It is no secret that Chechens travel through the Ukrainian territories to
the European countries, while fleeing from the criminal regime of the
invaders. They do no harm to the interests of Ukraine, they are not asking
for anything, they only spend money on Ukraine's territories and keep moving
on. Maybe some of the Chechens would stay in Ukraine, but the attitude of
the authorities is virtually no different than what Chechens experience in
Russia.
Even though it is not a part of the rules of the highlanders' etiquette, I
would still like to go astray a little and remind Ukraine about some
historical fact in order to make the authorities of that independent state
ashamed and remind the Ukrainians of such a human concept as thankfulness.
Ukrainians! Chechens saved you from death of starvation in the 1930s, when
hundreds of thousands of you were fleeing from your Homeland away from the
horrible famine organized by Moscow. Many and many thousands of your fellow
countrymen, who were losing their minds, had come to Chechnya to survive and
to save their children. Only one little village of Mahkety (which Russians
have turned into a ghetto, just like the rest of Chechnya) saved several
hundred Ukrainian women, children, men and the elderly from death.
Let me tell you how it happened. Each day Chechens were slaughtering their
cattle, setting up fires and used large bowls to boil meat for people dying
from starvation. It was all done regardless of the orders of Soviet
authorities not to let starving crowds into the villages. Chechens were
putting up these people in their homes, - lice-ridden and sick refugees in
ragged clothes. Chechens were sharing their clothes and their belongings
with them. Thus, the entire Chechnya was feeding you, the Ukrainians. Tens
of thousands of your fellow countrymen owe their lives to the Chechen
people. I'm sure some of the famine survivors, their children or other
relatives are still alive today. Ask them how it was happening.!
But the actions of your authorities towards Chechen refugees today, who are
being driven out of their Homeland by a Russian gang of maniacs, are showing
that Moscow (which started the famine in Ukraine) is a lot more honored by
you than a natural law of thankfulness and national honor. You are
fulfilling the will of the Kremlin (which starved 9 million Ukrainians to
death) just as obligingly as a Russian slave, who is far away from the
feeling of nobility just like an animal is far away from the feeling of
shame.
So, there probably are grounds for the expectations of Russian politicians
that 'Ukraine will turn to Russia'. According to Russian standards, loving
Russia means participation in extermination of Chechens. Ukrainian
authorities have already made their first contribution.
Sirajin Sattayev, for Kavkaz-Center
http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/article.php?id=2253
FOR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC USE ONLY
TYRANNY BY UKRAINIAN BORDER GUARDS
AGAINST CHECHENS
"Kavkaz-Center" News Agency
Jokhar (Grozny), Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (C.R.I.), January 2, 2004
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Chechen forced settlers ('muhajirs') contacted Kavkaz Center news and
information agency over the phone. They reported that they were heading to
visit their relatives in Ukraine. Several families, a total of 21 people
including little children, were detrained at the Ukrainian border station of
Chervona Mohila ('Red Grave') late at night on January 1.
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The refugees reported that the Baku-Kiev train was inspected by the military
who identified themselves as being Ukrainian border guards. All citizens
with Chechen registration were ordered to step out of the train. A total of
23 people got out, including a Russian family from Chechnya. After checking
the passports the Russian family (a couple) was allowed to get back on the
train, and all Chechens were forced into the station building. The
authorities were asked what the reason for such unlawful actions was, and
the senior military officer said that Russia demanded that Chechens are not
let into Ukraine.
Chechen forced settlers reported that they were walked (with their little
children and their luggage) to a building of another train station (most
likely on the Russian side), which was right next to Red Grave. The people
were left to the mercy of fate - with no money, no food and virtually like
hostages.
Since yesterday the relatives of Chechen forced settlers living in Ukraine
have been appealing to the authorities to admit these people into the
country. But Ukrainian authorities have been totally silent.
It must be mentioned that this was not the first case of this kind. While
trying to please the Kremlin, Ukrainian authorities were detraining Chechen
families at the border and not letting them into Ukraine in the past as
well. The tyranny against Chechens is now continuing.
http://kavkazcenter.com/eng/article.php?id=2247
FOR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC USE ONLY
About Kavkaz-Center (The Caucasus Center)
Kavkaz-Center (www.kavkazcenter.com) - is Chechen independent international
Islamic Internet agency. Our agency was founded in March of 1999 in the city
of Jokhar (Grozny). The founder is the National Center for Strategic
Research and Political Technologies, which was in turn registered, with the
Ministry of Justice of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in October of 1998
(N 1377/A-17).
The Kavkaz-Center Internet Agency is oriented to cover events in the Islamic
world, Caucasus and Russia. One of the main tasks of Kavkaz-Center is to
cover the events in the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (the C.R.I. for short)
concerning the Russian military invasion against the C.R.I.
Kavkaz-Center is a private independent agency. It does not reflect
viewpoints of any states, governmental structures or the Chechen government.
Along with that, the Kavkaz-Center Agency has set the goal to cover the real
events in Ichkeria under the conditions of total informational blockade, and
bring to the world community the truthful information about the war, war
crimes, the facts of genocide of the whole nation by the invading state and
the position of the defending side - the Chechen Mujahideen.
Our Agency is planning to further expand its activities in order to form an
informational corporation and organize additional informational structures.
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