Following a certain provocation


Some time ago Russian mass media released the information that Chief of External Subcommittee of the Informational Council (of State Defense Council – «Majlis al-Shura» of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria) Movladi Udugov allegedly spoke with threats towards Georgia regarding Tbilisi’s decision to extradite three Chechen Mujahideen to Moscow, the ones who voluntarily turned themselves in to the Georgian authorities. To somehow confirm those claims, quotes from Mr. Udugov’s interview were brought up. The interview was published in the Tribuna newspaper on December 6 in Georgian language.

Some Georgian mass media, mainly TV channels, have also duplicated those quotes taken out of context, for some reason referring not to the original but to the distorted translation of Mr. Udugov’s interview into Russian. Some Georgian analysts and journalists did not find anything better to do but to refer to provocative publications in the Russian press in order to explain the mass anti-Chechen action involving the capture of entire Chechen families including families with babies, which was carried out by Georgian authorities on December 7, using «Udugov’s threats» as a pretext.

The most low-level propaganda and blatant lies were launched. For instance, Russian mass media were claiming that Udugov threatened with «Gelayev's invasion of Tbilisi in response to the extradition of Chechens», and analyst from Georgian newspaper «Resonansi», Rusiko Mumladze, even stated that during combat operations in Abkhazia in the early '90s Chechen volunteers, who were fighting on the Abkhaz side, «were cutting off the heads of Georgian old men and women and played soccer with them».

However, all these provocative efforts did not reach their goals. Georgian public had a strong negative reaction to the actions of the authorities. Even the information leak that anti-Chechen sally was organized on the recommendation from the US government. Georgian human rights activists and Georgian public demanded investigation of the tyranny against Chechen refugees organized by Georgian power structures. Georgian public defender Nana Devdariani forwarded an address to the country's parliament, where she demanded a legal evaluation of the actions committed by Georgian police and security service. According to Nana Devdariani, she is demanding that hearing must be conducted on that particular issue in the Judicial Committee and Committee of Human Rights in the country's parliament. The ombudsman also demands to raise the issue of responsibility of ministers of internal affairs and state security of Georgia concerning the illegal power operation.

Movladi Udugov also made a statement where he refuted the provocation organized by pro-Russian forces. During his interview live on the air of Rustavi-2 TV channel in the evening on December 7, Mr. Udugov made a statement that exposed the allegations imposed from the outside concerning the threats that he allegedly made. In his statement Mr. Udugov called on Georgian journalists not to quote Russian mass media thoughtlessly, since they are conducting the informational warfare against Georgia, as well as against Ichkeria and he particularly stressed that such large-scale actions are not prepared in two or three hours, but it takes months to plan them.

Kavkaz Center news agency would like to offer our readers the full text of the interview that Movladi Udugov gave to Georgian newspaper «Tribuna» on December 6. The interview was originally in Russian, and then it was translated into Georgian.

«Georgia may lose its national core…»

«Tribuna»: First of all, how would you define the place and the role of Georgia in the Caucasus area (what in its behavior can be explained logically, what is worrying, which sides are strong or weak, how does Shevardnadze feel in the conditions of pressure all around him, and how would you evaluate his personal actions)?

Movladi Udugov: The role of Georgia in the history of Caucasus has always been important both geographically and politically. All you have to do is recall that after Georgia was integrated into the Russian empire, the pressure from Russia on highlanders increased many times, which in final analysis led to the invasion of this entire territory.

In this regard I remember the speech of Zurab Zhvania in the assembly hall of the Chechen-Ingush University in 1990, when he was visiting our Republic as the leader of the Green Movement of Georgia. I was participating in that meeting with the Georgian guests. Then Zurab Zhvania made the following statement: «In the past, during the Caucasus war, Georgia stabbed fighting Chechens in the back by supporting Moscow’s colonial tendencies. Today it is not going to happen. Georgia is for united and independent Caucasus».

Zhvania’s words were partly confirmed. Georgia no longer wants to be Russia’s colony. You can’t compare Georgia’s actions of our present time to what was happening back in 18-19th centuries, when it was a base for the attacks of Russian colonizers on the highlanders of Northern Caucasus. It seems to me that Georgia’s historical experience played its role in it as well. Along with that, some individual actions of Georgian authorities towards Chechens can’t help causing anxiety.

I would like to remind that Chechens received the first President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia with honor. The hidden political motive of intra-Georgian relations of that time, because of which Gamsakhurdia ended up in Chechnya, was not of fundamental importance. What was important was that Gamsakhurdia was the first President of truly independent Georgia, getting free from Russian colonialism. And through Dzhokhar Dudayev the Chechen people showed great respect and honored the first Georgian independent leader with dignity. And it means that they showed respect and honored the entire Georgian nation in front of the forces that were trying to seize control of Georgia again.

No doubt, Shevardnadze has many weak sides and his actions sometimes cause outrage even though he is subjected to the pressure from Moscow and Washington. You can’t sell human lives for political benefit. Especially when it can only bring a temporary benefit, but strategically it will certainly lead to a deplorable result.

Chechens have a proverb – «Every man sets his own price». The price of Georgian leaders, which means the price of Georgia, may turn out to be very low, if they keep renouncing human dignity and honor in the future, while conniving at cannibalistic instincts of Moscow.

T: Chechen-Georgian relations are currently undergoing one of the hardest crises of all the time of their existence. And now, on the eve of the predicted extradition of another group of Chechens to Moscow the same question arises on both sides – the prospect of mutual relations of the two neighboring nations, who have to live side by side for quite a while. But we are more interested in a possible reaction to the actions of the Georgian leadership. Are possible outcomes predictable from the Chechen side, like the worst outcome, i.e. the extradition of the detainees?

M.U.: That’s exactly what I am talking about. The relations between Georgia and Ichkeria are going through very tough times. After the quite pragmatic decision made by Shevardnadze not to let Russian troops into the rears of the Chechen Army and on the territory of Pankisi, Shevardnadze decided to «calm down» the offended bear. Actually, the wish is quite explainable and understandable. The only thing that is unclear is that in order to calm the predator down, Georgian President decided to hand over several young Chechens to Moscow to satisfy its appetite, even though the young men believed the word of Georgia’s leader and voluntarily turned themselves into the hands of Georgian justice. Justice had not happened. What happened was mere treachery and betrayal. And no explanations of political expediency of betrayal and treachery will change the situation. No one forgets moves like that. Especially Chechens.

Trying to make it easier for Georgia and its leadership, Chechen Mujahideen did all they could and even more than that so that the Kremlin could have no pretext left to conduct a military aggression against Georgia. The Pankisi Gorge was no longer a problem for Tbilisi, regardless of Moscow’s inconceivable provocations. These efforts from the Chechen side should have been appreciated much higher than it was done by the Georgian leadership.

As far as the Chechen side’s possible reaction to the extradition of the Mujahideen held in Tbilisi jail goes (as well as the ones already extradited), it is quite difficult to make any predictions in this case. Believe me, had there been a decision made to take retaliatory actions, quite possible that there would have been the most unexpected and unpleasant consequences for Tbilisi, which the Chechen side is avoiding at any cost. Chechens have always shown patience. Let’s hope that the patience of Chechen Mujahideen will not run out this time as well. Along with that, I can state with full responsibility that sooner or later the moment will come when someone will have to answer for the lives of these Chechen guys.

T: How would the Chechen side explain the pliability in Shevardnadze’s behavior? Is it the American factor that is involved here, or is it the internal governmental crisis, or is it economic crisis, like let’s say Georgia’s dependence on Russia’s energy resources, etc.? (Is it the pliability that threatens to be chronic or is it temporary?)

M.U.: I will express my own opinion. As I am convinced, the main reason for Georgia’s pliability is its leadership. To be more exact, the load of the past and the way Shevardnadze was raised. It is still persisting inferiority complex and exaggerated fears before the decaying empire. Uncertainty in a hundred percent protection from the new empire, which is the United States. It is also evident that today Georgian policies are being made in Washington on many occasions. And in the majority of cases Tbilisi’s actions are nothing but a derivative of political preferences of the US.

The entire complex of objective and subjective reasons is affecting Tbilisi’s policies. Serious danger is hiding behind the fact that Georgia may lose its national core and turn into a third-rate appendage of new subjects of the international power, which will undoubtedly lead to the fall of that niche that Georgia may occupy because of its natural position and its historical tradition.

T: Now it is already obvious that America will never surrender Georgia, but will Chechnya’s place change in the future or in the present sharing of the Caucasus pie, which has already taken place? Here it would be very interesting to know whether America’s or Russia’s turfs in this particular island of Caucasus have already been determined.

M.U.: The principle of Western political morals says: «there are no steady friends or enemies, but there are only constantly changing political interests».

There is no such word as «never» in politics. Everything depends on the arising circumstances and the distribution of forces. It would not be very wise for the Georgian leadership to rule out that one fine day the US will «surrender» Georgia. Along with that, in the life of a certain individual, as well as in the lives of nations, there are certain principles that make a man a man, and that make a nation a nation. Justice is that main principle. An unjust person or an unjust state is not viable in principle. Their lives are limited and their end is inevitable.

Some sort of doom is implied in your question too. A priori you have acknowledged the right of Russia and the US to divide Caucasus into turfs. And what about the people of Caucasus? Is it fair to divide what does not belong to the US or Russia?

T: What kind of mistakes Georgia should be barred from today? What potential possibilities does it have? Can Georgia make it on its own if it keeps treating its neighbors like that?

M.U.: The greatest danger for any nation is to think that the goal, however good it may be, justifies the means to attain this very goal. And here is more. It is very dangerous to forget that sooner or later one must pay for everything.

The «Tribuna» newspaper, Tbilisi.
Kavkaz-Center