Terrorism in Ingushetia: background and ways of tackling it

The ministry for public relations and interethnic relations of Ingushetia held a roundtable conference on the problems of terrorism, as well as globalization and the role of the Caucasus in geopolitical processes. The meeting was conducted by the professor of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Fatima Albakova. Various scientists, cultural workers, social activists and journalists took part in the discussion.

It was admitted that terrorism had spread on the territory of the North Caucasus republics. The participants recalled the times of the
Soviet Union, especially of the Brezhnev administration, when the region was a paradise for tourists. The empire developed. The region,
rich in resources and geographically beneficially located, became a zone of vital interest to many world powers, and some of them tried to
sustain instability here. Ingushetia, situated in the very geographical centre of the North Caucasus, found itself at the centre
of events as they developed. The participants of the roundtable conference are sure that terrorism in Ingushetia is sustained by a lot
of money that is coming from power centres. However, internal sources exist for the rearmament of gangs, which are corrupt officials who are
striving for power. The Ingush are bound up with each other by kin relations, which influences the current processes in the republic.
Nevertheless, separatism is a completely unfamiliar phenomenon for Ingushetia. Despite the situation in other republics of the region,
Ingushetia has no nationalistic organizations. The republic doesn't support the idea of separation from Russia.

Envoys of terrorist centres manipulate the many problems of the republic: the repressions of 1944, the consequences of the
Ingush-Ossetian conflict, unemployment, corruption, refugees, unreasonable actions by the Special Forces, education problems etc.

Concerning ways of tackling terrorism, the participants share the view that it is necessary to follow the letter of the law in all things.
Moreover, Ingushetia needs real large-scale production, which will involve several thousands of people and indeed fill the local budget.
In Soviet times there was a plant, exporting products to 33 countries of the world. It was stated that the Federal centre should improve
work in respect of the rights of ethnic Ingush citizens and their integration into the all-Russian sphere. In this case, strict
maintaining of traditions and customs will prevent radicalization of Ingush society.