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Terrorists, bandits, spooks and thieves: Russian demonisation of the Chechens before and since 9/11

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  • John Russell

Abstract

The Russo-Chechen conflict, arguably the bloodiest confrontation in Europe since World War II, only attracts the attention of the Western media when the Chechens stage terrorist ‘spectaculars’ such as the ‘Nord-Ost’ or Beslan school sieges. Putin's uncompromisingly tough line against the Chechens is popular among an ethnic Russian electorate traumatised since its own ‘Black September’ in 1999. Since 9/11 this conflict has been presented almost exclusively as Russia's frontline in the international ‘war on terrorism’. All Chechens who oppose Putin's policies in Chechnya are dismissed as ‘terrorists’ and ‘bandits’. Yet a satisfactory political resolution of the conflict seems far off; thousands of Chechen civilians continue to suffer and die. Russia's attempt at ‘Chechenisation’ of the conflict appears to have achieved its ‘Palestinisation’. How far has the policy of demonising the Chechens, which helped Yeltsin and Putin to launch their respective wars, become a major obstacle to peace in Chechnya?

Suggested Citation

  • John Russell, 2005. "Terrorists, bandits, spooks and thieves: Russian demonisation of the Chechens before and since 9/11," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 101-116, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:ctwqxx:v:26:y:2005:i:1:p:101-116
    DOI: 10.1080/0143659042000322937
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    Cited by:

    1. He Yin & Van Butsic & Johanna Buchner & Tobias Kuemmerle & Alexander V. Prishchepov & Matthias Baumann & Eugenia V. Bragina & Hovik Sayadyan & Volker C. Radeloff, 2019. "Agricultural abandonment and recultivation during and after the Chechen Wars in the northern Caucasus," HiCN Working Papers 294, Households in Conflict Network.
    2. Carla Martinez Machain & Leo Rosenberg, 2018. "Domestic diversion and strategic behavior by minority groups," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 35(5), pages 427-450, September.

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