CHECHNYA is a tiny Caucasian land-locked enclave, predominantly inhabited by the Muslims. It has been in continuous confrontation with Russia since the 18th century.
It all started when the Czar’s expansionist policies gradually brought many parts of Central Asia and Caucasia under the influence of Russia. However, the Caucasians did not accept foreign domination and put up severe resistance.
The struggle for maintaining sovereignty reached its peak when the ‘Murid Movement’ under the leadership of Imam Shamil, a man of extraordinary charisma and master of guerrilla tactics, began resisting the Russian expansion into Chechen and Daghestan borders far more than 25 years.
Imam Shamil was born in a village called Gimrah. He was a natural leader and did not have any extremist tendencies. He turned many tribes into a cohesive unit and developed such a power base that proved good for outmanoeuvring the Russians.
He first became a trusted lieutenant of Ghazi Muhammad, the first Imam of Daghistan, who had declared Jihad against the Russians. It was in a fierce battle against the Russians that the first Imam was surrounded and got killed along with his companions in their stronghold at Gimrah. Only Shamil and one of his men survived. Shamil continued putting up severe resistance to Russian advancement under the leadership of another Imam. However, when the second Imam was also killed, Shamil was unanimously chosen as the leader and the third Imam of Daghistan.
Owing to his extraordinary military talent and despite the Russian influence, he managed to control Daghistan. The Russian commander who failed to capture the territories he wanted, was able to recognize Imam Shamil’s extraordinary military talents and on several occasions had to ask for peace. As a result, Imam Shamil’s reputation as a leader spread all over the place, making him ‘enemy number one’ to the Russian military administration. Realizing Imam Shamil’s growing influence on the tribes of nearby Chechnya, the Russians launched a massive military attack against his headquarters.
After a series of bloody engagements that ensued, the Russians were finally able to surround the brave Imam and his men in their mountain fortress. When he refused to surrender after several weeks of fierce fighting, the Russians ruthlessly cut his garrison into pieces. Miraculously, Imam Shamil again made an almost incredible escape under the enemy’s very nose. His spirit was far from broken. This time, however, he found new powerful allies among the Chechans, who were disgusted at the continued Russian encroachment on their independence. After regaining strength with new powerful allies Imam Shamil expanded his power and delivered several shattering blows to the invading forces of the Czar in Chechnya and Avaristan.
Exasperated by these reversals, Czar Nicholas I ordered a determined campaign to crush the resistance. In 1844, a force organized and led by Prince Vorontsove with 10,000 men was dispatched — but it also proved disasterous. From 1846 to 1849 they prepared all out strategies, erected fortifications in and cut roads through the impenetrable forests of Chechnya. At the same time, they pacified the population of fertile plains, chasing those who refused to submit to the Russians’ will. In the meantime, another Russian force attempted to eradicate Imam Shamil’s stronghold in central Daghistan, a goal for which they paid an enormous price.
Their successes, nonetheless, proved short-lived. Once the Russian troops had withdrawn, the Imam quickly built his fortification and invaded southern Daghistan, whose free communities had asked for his assistance against the oppressive Russian rule.
During 1851-53, the battles in which Imam Shamil personally took part were centred around Chechnya with results generally favourable to the Russians. But throughout this period, faced with the prospect of going to war with the Ottomans, the Russians were unable to capitalize on their earlier successes and diverted their attention to the Ottomans front, giving Imam Shamil a much-needed respite. He also sought help from Britain, but the British refused to oblige.
After getting a bit of relief from the Ottoman forces, the Russians paid undivided attention to the Caucasus. In a relentless advance, Imam Shamil made his last move on the top of mount Ghunib, surrounded by his family members and 400 loyal men. In the face of inevitable destruction due to overwhelming might of the Russian empire, he surrendered unconditionally to the Russians in 1859. He was given abode in Kaluga, a town about 120 miles southwest of Moscow, where he lived along with his family. In 1869 he was allowed to move to Kiev (now capital of Ukraine) and was subsequently given permission to leave to Makkah for performing Haj where ho found his final resting place.
In 1920, after the communist revolution, a Chechen autonomous oblast (province) was created. Later on it was merged with Ingush and was subsequently given the status of a republic. In World War II, Chechan and Ingush people were accused of collaborating with the Germans and were awarded severe punishment by extraditing them to Central Asia.
In 1957, Under Nikita Khrushchev’s government, Russia rescinded its earlier decision and the province was restored and exiled were also allowed to return home. However, the freedom movement which gained momentum during Imam Shamil’s time continued and did not die down. Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, the movement even gained more impetus. In 1992 Checheno-Ingushetiva was divided into two separate republics, Chechnya and Ingushetia.
The torch of freedom struggle lit up by Imam Shamil still continues to glow.
