Chechnya: Aslan Maskhadov’s Call to Put an End to the War

Interview published in Le Monde, October 4, 2002, by Sophie Shihab.

Aslan Maskhadov

Tightly controlled by Moscow, a “Presidential Election” was organized on Sunday October 5 in the small Republic of Chechnya, which is still at war. The Kremlin’s favorite, Akhmed Kadyrov, was guaranteed victory after the successive withdrawal of most of the other candidates. The OSCE and Council of Europe refused to send field observers to Chechnya. In an interview with Le Monde, the Chechen Independence leader, Aslan Maskhadov, elected President in 1997, reckons the Russian “military adventure” in Chechnya to be “a total failure.” Denying any ties to al-Qaeda and “international terrorism,” he proposes a peace plan and calls out to international institutions to put an end to the war. Living clandestinely for four years, Mr. Maskhadov moreover condemns suicide bombings.

How would you describe the situation in Chechnya?

Anyone who thinks little must see and recognize that Russia’s military adventure in Chechnya is a total failure. The drama is that Putin is afraid to admit it. He is trying to win time. After four years of a terrible, degrading war, General Troshev [one of the commanding officers of the 1999 offensive] ended up declaring that the army is unable to resolve anything whatsoever in Chechnya, and that he had foreseen this end ever since the start of operations. He had opposed the plan to send Russian troops across the Terek [the river separating North from South Chechnya], persuaded as he was that this would lead to a Russian defeat once again. Glory be to Allah!, they have lost this war, and shamefully so. Today, they organize veritable shows, such as the referendum [in March] as well as this election [on October 5]. We can only smile regarding such productions, which will deliver nothing.

Putin is really in an impasse, especially if he thinks that Kadyrov, his stooge, as well as the group of drug addicts surrounding him, will arrive at anything whatsoever here. They will be able neither to frighten the Chechen people nor to force it to their knees, let alone compel the Chechen combatants to give up the resistance. Putin is fooling himself if he believes he is able to provoke a civil war here. Where a foreign invasion unfolds, there is no civil war. We will liberate our country from the occupying forces and put an end to relations between Russia and the Chechen State, no matter how difficult the task may be.

How would you respond to comments made on the links between Chechen groups and al-Qaeda?

We deny and have always denied having the slightest link with al-Qaeda. We have nothing in common with international terrorism. Here, a struggle for national liberation is taking place. We do not know bin Laden. He represents nothing for us.

Shamil Basaev (the Chechen rebel field commander) has claimed that he organized several suicide bombings in Russia. Do you consider him to be an international terrorist?

Basaev has no ties with international terrorism. Basaev has no contact with either al-Qaeda or with bin Laden. I repeat: this is an official declaration. Likewise, Basaev has no foreign bank account, and is not preparing to request a foreign visa. Basaev is a warrior. He is someone who is exercising revenge. He uses the same means as does the enemy, which is using them against the Chechens, against civilians. It’s eye-for-an-eye. In the first place, this tactic is aimed at the main structure of the Russian state, the FSD [the secret service, and former KGB]. Today, as Troshev himself said, the army decides nothing. The war is being waged by the FSB. Were it possible to subordinate Basaev and channel all of his energy against the enemy by using acceptable methods, then he would accomplish many more things. Unfortunately, there is great disagreement between us on this point. I say that we have to lead an organized combat against Russia through diplomacy, a military tactic and strategy. I condemn the methods and forms of action that result in the suffering of innocent civilians. Basaev has his methods. But he has nothing to do with international terrorism.

 Kamikazes must also be subordinated to a State discipline so that their hate may be directed against the enemy, channeled into organized combat. But this turns out to be impossible because the enemy is as follows: its methods are savage, fearsome, and cruel. Stopping all of that, putting an end to the explosions in Tushino, Mozdok, and Nazran—this is something only Putin can do. By putting an end to this senseless war. After Tushino [where two Chechen women detonated their belts packed with explosives during a July concert in Moscow, resulting in 18 deaths] I made declarations condemning such acts. Even in fighting an enemy for which nothing is sacred, I forbid methods that may inflict suffering onto innocent persons.

What plan do you propose by which to end the conflict? What would be acceptable?

The Palestinians have an administration and should be protected by international law. But they live on the territory of a foreign State, which treats in the way it chooses to, while international institutions pretend to see nothing, and the conflict continues. Innocent people are dying on both sides. This is why the principle proposed by Ruslan Khasbulatov [former chairman of the Russian Parliament, and a Chechen] according to which Chechnya could be subject to international law while preserving the territorial integrity of the Russian State, cannot satisfy us. For remaining within Russian constitutional space is dangerous for the Chechens. It would mean war again, genocide again. Russia is not a legal State. It is a State devoid of any reason, led by a group devoid of policies, especially toward the nationalities and smaller nations. Remaining within its framework is dangerous for us.

What do you expect from the Western countries?

The Chechen Foreign Minister, Ilias Akhmadov, has put forth, with my authorization, a plan foreseeing “conditional independence.” For it to have a chance it requires the will of the UN, the OSCE [the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] or the Council of Europe, which must compel Russia to take what is the only reasonable step: putting an end to this dirty war.

The drama is that the Western States keep playing with, and around, Russia. They pretend to see nothing, to not know who exploded the apartment buildings in Moscow, Volgodonsk and Buinaksk in 1999.

But Putin has dug himself into an impasse. He needs help. Only the West and its international institutions can grant him that help. First of all, they have to quit playing with him. Then, they must compel to respect international law. We have put forth the Akhmadov plan, that is, the Maskhadov plan.

Are you worried about the rise of Wahhabism in Chechnya?

The problem no longer exists in Chechnya. It has been exaggerated and utilized by the FSB and Kadyrov to provoke a civil war here. I have met with all our combatants, all our mujahidins, from west to east: this problem does not exist. The youth who had taken the Qur’an into their hands at the outbreak of the war—whom the Kadyrovtsi—Kadyrov’s men called “Wahhabits”—now ask me to accept their apologies. That is because they were persuaded that I had agreed to make concessions with Russia. But when they saw that their President was continuing the struggle, they apologized to his face. And I myself, I have asked them to accept my apologies for the fact that at one time I had a mufti on my side, a traitor to the nation: Kadyrov.

A foreign ideology cannot be introduced into Chechnya—were it through an Arab or al-Qaeda. Our experience is rich and long enough for us to be Muslims and know what jihad is. The claim according to which we are led by someone from abroad and that we have ties with bin Laden is insulting for us.

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