CONFLICT IN CHECHNYA

March 2003
		The struggle for independence in Chechnya, now more than ten years old, has claimed thousands of lives and stunted economic growth in the small republic. What drives the conflict? Thomas de Waal, a journalist who has written extensively on Russia and the Caucasus, answers your questions on the complex situation. Mr. de Waal is editor of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting's weekly Caucasus Reporting Service, which carries regular reports from Chechnya and can be found at www.iwpr.net.

Online NewsHour Special Report: Conflict in Chechnya Forum Introduction Why is Russia not letting Chechnya go? Is Russia's main interest in Chechnya has been the oil line that runs through the territory? Why does the American Press so play up the angle that "the Chechens are (supposedly) freedom fighters, and the Russians are oppressors"? Are there any lessons to be learned from the struggle in Chechnya in terms of urban warfare? Do you see any chance for a future potential political settlement?	Years of armed conflict between militant Chechen separatists and the federal Russian military have reduced much of Chechnya -- particularly the capital city of Grozny -- to ruins. Recent acts attributed to militant separatists, such as the Moscow theatre hostage crisis in October and a recent suicide bombing at a Russian government building in Grozny, have brought new attention to the ongoing struggle in Chechnya and raised old questions on the roots of the complicated conflict. What is the history of war in Chechnya? What are the possibilities of peace in this battle-scarred region? How does this conflict affect the stability of the Russian Federation? Journalist Thomas de Waal has written extensively on Russia and the Caucasus for the Moscow Times, the BBC and the Economist. With Carlotta Gall, he co-authored the 1998 book Chechnya: Calamity in the Caucasus, considered the first book-length account of the complex situation in Chechnya during the mid-1990s. Mr. de Waal is editor of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting's weekly Caucasus Reporting Service, which carries regular reports from Chechnya and can be found at www.iwpr.net. Mr. de Waal responds to your questions on the Chechnya conflict.