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Maskhadov's Assassination

Will it solve the Chechen problem?

The Russian troops may have killed Aslan Maskhadov. But it will not be so easy for the FSB to wipe him out from the very heart of the Chechens. In August 29, 2004 Chechens voted for the Moscow backed Alu Alkhanov Vladimir Putin wants to solve the social and economical problems of Chechnya with Alu Alkhanov. It may be a good idea. But was Aslan Maskhadov really worse than Alu Alkhanov?

Dr. Muhammad Rafiqul Islam Riad
MANY moderate politicians in the Russian Federation will not accept Aslan Maskhadov's brutal assassination by the Russian troops on March 8 easily, although Russia is a military super power even in the postCold War era. After President Yeltsin, many Russian politicians, writers and scientists backed President Vladimir Putin to reestablish a strong Russia. Today Vladimir Putin has become successful in regaining Russia's past glory in many spheres. But what Vladimir Putin needs to reconsider is the long historical problem of Chechnya.
Only application of force to retaliate against the Chechen fighters is not the best solution (a normal solution) for Vladimir Putin. Particularly, it was not very wise for him to pay heed to only the FSB (former KGB) prescription to neutralise the Chechen fighters. Some young Chechens became bound to take up arms. They were under tremendous pressure from the different warlords to join the fight against Russia after 1997.
From 1994 to 96 Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov led a 20 month long first Chechen War. This was a 'different period'. President Boris Yeltsin signed a Peace Treaty with Aslan Maskhadov, Chechnya became de facto independent and thus the first war of Chechnya came to an end. In 1997 Aslan Maskhadov became the President of Chechnya by a 'free and fair' election participated by almost all Chechens. The international community recognised that election. Aslan Maskhadov was then trying his heart and soul to establish a democratic Chechnya in line with politics of moderate Russian politicians like Anatoly Sobchak of St. Petersburg (Vladimir Putin's Leader), Gregori Yavlinski of party Yabloko, Boris Nemtsov Anatoly Chubais and Irina
Khakamada of party of the Union of Right Forces and others. In real sense, President Boris Yeltsin himself backed Present Aslan Maskhadov to be a moderate Chechen leader. It was perhaps not so wise to term Aslan Maskhadov a terrorist in the post- Yeltsin time. After 1998 terrorist Shamil Basaev did not carry out the orders of the Chechen President Aslan Maskhadove. In fact, terrorists like Basaev, Khattab, Shamil Beno and others very often bypassed Aslan Maskhadov.
Other mini Chechen commanders with the backing of these terrorists created a state of anarchy inside Chechnya. So, the FSB propaganda against Aslan Maskhadov increased. As the President of all the Russians including the Chechens, Vladimir Putin was surely misguided by the FSB after 1999. After Russia's victory in the second Chechen war in 2000. Aslan Maskhadov was not associated with any of the terrorist attacks against Russia. On the other hand, he himself was in great trouble
with his people. Then President of Ingushetia, Ruslan Aushev helped the suffering Chechens to survive day to day for his cordial request. At the same time, Aslan Maskhadov once again sent green signals to Moscow that he wanted to negotiate with Vladimir Putin on his people's future and also the status and future of Chechnya even within the constitution of the Russian Federation. After 9/11 President Vladimir Putin expressed his strong support to George W. Bush's worldwide fight
against terrorism and it became easier for FSB to term Aslan Maskhadov as a terrorist. Russia announced a 10 billion-dollar bounty on his head when it was in deep economic turmoil! However, unfortunately Muslim countries failed to back Aslan Maskhadov (Turkey helped the Chechen refugees). However, Denmark, particularly, tried to find out a way for Aslan Maskhadov who sent his moderate negotiator Akhmed Zakaev (2002) to Denmark which caused the Russia-Denmark diplomatic relations to suffer badly as Denmark refused to extradite Akhmed Zakaev to Russia in compliance with Russia's request. However, after a tough legal battle Akhmed Zakaev got political asylum in Denmark.
The Strasbourg based European Human rights commission chief Lord Frank Jud of France (2002) and its Human rights commissioner Alvaro Gil Robel (he visited Moscow in February 18, 2003) had tried to press Vladimir Putin to resolve the Chechnya problem. Once a vocal critic of Chechnya President Jacques Chirac of France also changed his attitude towards Chechnya. Even the Amnesty International failed to press Russia towards a satisfactory solution because of its mild criticism of Russia's Chechnya policy and despite the Moscow visit by its Secretary General.
The Russian troops may have killed Aslan Maskhadov. But it will not be so easy for the FSB to wipe him out from the very heart of the Chechens. In August 29, 2004 Chechens voted for the Moscow backed Alu Alkhanov Vladimir Putin wants to solve the social and economical problems of Chechnya with Alu Alkhanov. It may be a good idea. But was Aslan Maskhadov really worse than Alu Alkhanov? The author is a Ph Din foreign policy studies.