A speech given by Alexei Vlasov, the head editor of the VK at the history forum of the CIS Now, February the 23rd is a memorable date not only for Chechens but also for the Kazakhs, who had become brothers to the incomers. It is no accident that after 1957, when they were allowed to go back home, many of them preferred to stay, although there is no detailed information about the number of Chechens in Kazakhstan at the moment.
The accomodation of the deported nations in Kazakhstan was very hard and contradictary. The statistics and KGB reports do not provide sufficient data. Most of those who survived during the deportations were children at that time, so there is little direct evidence of the events. Kazakh researchers admit that the deportations had been an element of Stalin's policy aimed at the elimination of national identities. One may argue the point, but it is obvious that the idea is almost the same. You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs - this can be
said not only about the individual fortunes of people but also about whole nations of the Stalin epoch.
At the same time, the people turned out to be more noble in their relations with each other than the politicians. They put universal values above all. One can agree with the thesis of Kazakh historian Narbulat Abuov, that the deported nations have helped the agricultural development of Kazakhstan. Thanks to the immigrants, new settlements appeared on the maps, a chain of scientific and cultural organizations was developed. Kazakh enterprises later grew on their foundation.
The migrants had standard problems: there was not enough food, jobs, fuel, clothes, educational opportunities etc. Most of the population of Kazakhstan accepted the migrants with understanding of their great troubles. Many of them helped the incoming nations, despite their own poverty. Children were the group of the migrants that suffered most, they were hostages of the totalitarian system. As one of the political scientists said, the words "Siberia", "Kazakhstan" and "Central Asia" among Chechens are associated with the word "deportation".
The words of those who have survived the great tragedy are an important source for historians. "In spite of our 'enemies of the people' status" - says a Chechen - "Kazakhs accepted us very well. No one reproached me for being a Chechen. The local people as well as other deported nations - Germans, Koreans, Ukrainians - helped us to survive".
A Majlis deputy Liudmila Khochiyeva notes: “Back then, the land of
milk and honey of Kazakhstan became a homeland for many deprived
people, Kazakhs themselves went through the grinder of
totalitarianism, they went through the grief of loss and humiliation,
they became the backbone for everyone who found themselves here by the will of fate. Kazakh women were warming orphans with their motherly
warmth. You can ask any Caucasian among those in exile in Kazakhstan
and he will tell you about the hospitality, tolerance and compassion
of Kazakhs”.
How did the local population and emigrees who had failed to avoid
problems and tensions in their relations find understanding, adapt to
the new reality, build mechanisms of interaction within all spheres of
life?
It is partly a result of the centuries-old traditions of the Kazakh
people, their inherent tolerance and lack of estrangement from other
peoples. It is a special mentality, with its roots in nomadism. In
such conditions, not only did people have to avoid conflicts, though
they still occurred, but also to form a new space of interaction.
Even the events prior to the 30s failed to break the common hospitable
attitude of Kazakh people towards other peoples. The deeply rooted
principles of welcoming ‘others’ may not have provided an instant
moment of rapprochement with Koreans, Balkarians, other peoples of the
North Caucasus. It was neither assimilation nor absorption, it was
co-existence in a common geographical space that turned into an
element of state policy, into an element of realization of the most
important ideological objective – the formation of a political nation
– the Kazakhs.
In conclusion, I would like to quote the words of Ramzan Kadyrov:
“Friendship between the Chechen and Kazakh people, strengthened by
years of miseries and joy, turned into brotherhood long ago. We
appreciated this in 1944, in the years of exile, when the Kazakh
people gave us a helping hand. This can never be forgotten. All our
people extend thanks to the brotherly Kazakh people for their support.
For some time, 50 thousand of our compatriots have been living in
Kazakhstan, and they feel themselves to be citizens with full rights.
Your country became a second homeland for many Chechens. This is due
to the wise policy of the present Kazakh authorities”. We can only
join in with these words.
Alexey Vlasov
