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«They understand that the war is lost…»

Journalists that pretended to be a Chechen woman told about war crimes on Caucasus, about cowardice of western journalists and about weak hope for peace outcome. 

Chechnya is place of ruins and chaos, Ann Niva, a French journalist writes.  However, Russian band army continues to carry as she calls “antiterrorist operation”-tries to destroy Chechen mujahideen that are striving for independence form Russia. Although, Putin still insists that his aim is t0 fight with "terrorists". His army exposes to beating, tortures and kills thousands of peace dwellers that are innocent of any crimes. Many of those, who survived escaped to neighbor region, Ingushetia to search refuge. In 1999, French woman Ann Niva, correspondent of Liberation newspaper left France daily newspaper and started to work as military journalist in Chechnya. 

Russian authorities prohibited her to work. However, Niva speaks Russian fluently could move about the country disguised as Chechen woman. With help of Chechen guide she got excess to Chechen president, Chechen mujahideen and Russian soldiers. Her new book, "Chienne de Guerre: Woman reporter across the line of Chechen war" elucidates terrible details form lives of Chechen peace dwellers-people that generously shared with her food and shelter, which were left after Russian bombardments and poverty. Ann Niva was one of the few journalists, which were enlisted into herd of misinformers controlled by Russia. During six month Niva shared with Chechens live full of terror and hopelessness. 

She was in children home that saved its photos and documents-testimonies of its existence under mattress of owner. She became eyewitness of how only one Russian rocket destroyed 5 houses and families that lived in them. In one of the saddest story of her book Niva writes about young woman, who with her sister placed kiosk on side of the road. Soon after that, Russian BTR stopped near it and opened disorder fire upon the kiosk. When young woman tried to escape Russians just shot her at place. In her book the journalist tell that side by side with feeling of confusion, anger and despair Chechens demonstrate staunch resolution. Ann Niva describes their behavior is this way, "Everything around is destroyed, however, Chechens hold together, one by one, strong as glue. Pending for worse" Salon took an interview form Niva in Moscow, where she continues to work for Liberation.

This is what the journalists tells:

 “I was deported form Russia on February of 2000 however; it didn't set me thinking that I cannot return. Of course, what I write didn't suit for them (FSB). At the same time I suddenly understood that they wouldn’t be abler to impede me. It was easiest for them to deprive me of Russian visa but after 2-3 month after my deportation I restored it and they were forced to give me visa for next year! They make sojourn of journalists in Chechnya unbearable. But there are no journalists not only because of FSB. They are not there they don't want to be there. They consider that is too difficult, too complicated and too dangerous. Yes it is true! So what? Are we journalists or not? 

If in any war decided to not go on place of events and to give one-sided information instead of that, I don't think that we are deserve title of journalists. Although, I also ask question to myself. I don't know, may be what I did was not journalism. May be they are journalists and I am not. In September in 1999 I decided to go to Chechnya, as independent journalist because I had presentiment that something should happen. In August, just one month before Shamil and Hattab entered Dagestan. Bat is was not new then yet. I went to Dagestan and there were absolutely no journalists at that time, when saw what happened in these two villages I decided to see more. 

I sat on a bus going to Chechnya, crossed the border without any problems, because the war didn't start yet at that time. When I arrived to place I understood that I am alone there, that I am the only journalist, I understood that some thing large scale is about to happen. I pretended to be local by chance. After t2-3 days of wearing pants and T-shirt I saw that I am the only woman dressing in such a way. I realized that if I will dress like any other women I would walk without attracting attention. That was exactly what I needed. I considered that Russian officers, evidently received order to arrest journalists. However, it was in early beginning, when Russians didn't decide yet what to do with foreign correspondents. Now, they organize for them 100% controlled official journeys form Moscow to Chechnya. 

They started to do this on September of 1999 and still continue to do, however no one cares about that now. There is no Chechnya in news because there are no heavy artillery shootings. However, violence against peace dwellers still continues. The full large-scale war is going there. Still artillery shootings are continuing but not so full large scale to which we used in Grozny. There is just nothing to bomb! Grozny is completely destroyed it. It is not town any more. It is ruins. The war is going on for two year already. No one from so-called "terrorists" was arrested. They are all alive. By the way, I will not pretend to behave as if I understand the situation, it is too difficult. And this is one of the reasons from which the conflict is deprived of attention. 

Everyone is confused. Don't know where are bad and where are good. Chechens have no choice. They are forced to "terrorists". According to Russian propaganda every Chechen is terrorist. This is lie. Poor Chechen nation is not terrorist they are peace dwellers that want to stop this war and return to peace live. Do Russians believe to this propaganda? Of course, they do. That's why I have to fight every time, when Russian sources of mass information invite me. I am known very well in community of journalists. I had a chance to go to radio and television but was exposed to c3nsorship. I lead only live interviews for that time on. One month ago, during interview listeners asked me questions. 

How of these questions were insulting, " What are doing here? You, foreigner gets back to your country." Of course there were people that said," Thank for opening our eyes, we don't understand that propaganda. We are not informed about events going on. If the situation is like you describe it, then what is army doing there? After all Russian dying there every day!" Moscow tells that approximately 3000 soldiers died but in reality, of course this number is much bigger. No one believes to these numbers. This is the war without count. All I can tell is that I saw many and many peace dwellers that  died around me during heavy artillery shooting of Russian military. This is evident that they are aimed not on so-called "combatants" as they insist. I could become one of them.

That, what is happening in Chechnya shows that Putin wants to destroy all Chechens. This is not exaggeration. Last time I was in Chechnya on April. The situation didn't get better at all from that time. It is getting only worse and worse with everyday. This is complete chaos. Absolute chaos. Everything is possible there, what by the way is one of the reasons why Russian army is still there pretending as it is fighting with mujahideen. Small group of people makes big money on that. Enormous sums of money. Who? Anyone, who can suborn Russian officers. Russian soldiers long ago gave up with their illusions. 

Absolutely. They completely got free of them. I didn't come across any soldier that would not say, "We are here vainly and we know about that." And Chechen combatants-their aim is as always independence. Of course, now, after Russians killed thousands and thousands of people it is in greater degree of revenge that anything else.  After all that I saw there I don’t blame hem.  And this is what makes me very pessimistic in relation to future.  Now, I don’t know how this terror can be stopped, especially when I see as Putin continues to insist that the war is almost finished.  This is complete nonsense. No one believes him any more.  He still refuses to carry out negotiations with Chechen side.  He will never achieve something good for his country in this way.

West, in many relations ignores the events continuing in Chechnya.  One of the reasons for that is lack of journalists.  No CNN, no war.  BBC worked not badly; at least it tied to.  But CNN worked only with Russian military headquarters and during 2 or 3 weeks reported about military events according to Russian orders and then stopped at all.  They didn’t manage to do anything good.  New-York Times also holds of Russian policy.  Moscow correspondent Michel Gordan even doesn’t hide that.  When was my friend he told me that is would be difficult for him to act differently?  

Den Williams, Moscow correspondent of “Washington Post”, from my point of view is the only American that is doing all he can.  But fact is fact-no one helps him.  He couldn’t do, what I did.  The fact that I am a woman helped me very much in this war.  No one pays attention on women.  But if you are man you can be arrested at any moment.  In addition, den doesn’t speak Russian.  Three elements, which helped me are: first, knowledge of the language; second, the fact that I am woman; and third, the circumstance that I am working for press and don’t need microphones.  And fourth element is luck.  

Many ask me about participation of west in events on Caucasus and what makes the situation in Chechnya to be different form other regions, also devastated by wars as Balkans or Near East?  I am not a specialist on Balkans or Near East, but I was in Balkans.  I was in Serbia, when NATO was bombing Belgrade and I can tell you that NATO bombardments are nothing in comparison with bombardments of Chechnya by Russians.  Clear reason because of which no one on West wants to know more about the conflict is that this conflict is taking place in Russia.  

And Russia is not Serbia.  Russia is still nuclear power.  Russia is lead by new president about whom no one knows anything in reality, except the fact that he is from KGB. Putin was elected because he convinced Russians, (that was not difficult to do), that Russia lost its pride after Yeltsin and that he will revive it. Europe and United States don’t know what to think about Russia.  West is still afraid of any changes in relationships with Russia. But Chechens are not fools they at once realized that west doesn’t cares about them.

I am afraid that now, on such level of confrontation, West won’t be able to do much, except of letting Putin to know that he is not only not wrong but also must stop now.  But no leader tells him that.  Bush’s administration seems to act, as it shouldn’t touch our relations with Putin at all.  True and this is absolutely not right.  It is too complicated for me.  I arrived here as independent journalist, because I wanted to be here.  My work in this conflict is part of my wish to understand Russia.  

Unfortunately, to understand Russia you must take into account this war and not to act as it finished.  Nothing human is left on that tiny territory on South frontier of Russia.  It seems that know one controls nothing in Chechnya and in any way not Russian army, that’s for sure.  Everyone, who was in Chechnya know that.  The case is that there are no winners in this war.  It is only disaster.  Now, we have only to stop hostility.  Nothing normal is happening in Chechnya now.

After that, what peace dwellers of Chechnya passed threw during winter in 1999, they can go through everything.  I lived with people that shared with me everything they had.  They didn’t guarantee me that we will not die at night form bomb that will fall on us, but they gave me everything they had.  These people don’t have any money; they lost everything, of course except minority of those that derive benefits form war.  Majority doesn’t have any job, no future, and this is what seems to me gloomiest.

Amazingly, but no country accepts them.  No country.  Hundred thousands refugees escaped to neighbor republic Ingushetia, however it is still Russia.  Before disintegration of the Union, Chechnya and Ingushetia were administratively together, so it is not gig thing for Chechens to go to Ingushetia-they have relatives there.  The problem is that Ingushetia is three times smaller than Chechnya itself and it is very poor region.  These people cannot live without anything.  They are living in camps, have no money and get aid from international nongovernmental organizations in Ingushetia very seldom.  

This is inhuman life.  I went threw is.  Believe me, it is very difficult form me to leave these people and return to Moscow.  When I was with them, there were no differences between us. What differences can be between people that are under heavy artillery shootings?  It doesn’t matter who you are, you are in danger.  But at the end have privilege to arrive and to go away, I can leave.  

They are driven to snare there.  Will Russian army realize that there is no such “victory”, which can be gained in Chechnya?  They already know about that.  They continue to fight, evidently because they think that if they will withdraw troops the situation will get more uncontrolled than now.  I don’t think that.  If that is true, then they are not able to capture partisans it means that is time to admit that they lost the war.  I think Putin himself doesn’t know what to do.  Those Russian soldiers, who are there are becoming completely mad, they are no humans any more.  On January they played a scene of withdrawing troops but withdrew only 5000 soldiers…

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