By Vestnik Kavkaza
Heads of Chechnya and Ingushetia got in top of the political survival rate once again. Ramzan Kadyrov and Yunus-Bek Yevkurov gained high scores; the higher scores one gets, the bigger chance to be re-elected it has. It is interesting that heads of two Caucasian republics were leaders of the summer rating of Russian regional leaders on the number of publications and comments in Live Journal.
However, rivalry between Chechnya and Ingushetia is sometimes very severe. The reason is an old land dispute between two republics – disputable parts are Sunzhensky and Malgobeksky regions. In August 2012 Ramzan Kadyrov accused the Ingush side of occupation of “historical Chechen lands, conducting demarcation at discretion.” Ingushetia stated that they demarcated municipal districts and villages according to the law on self-administration and didn’t do it on the territory of Chechnya.
Experts discussed options of who can benefit from the dispute between Chechen and Ingush leaders. For example, some bold experts suggested that the land dispute was initiated ahead of the Sochi Olympics, as “in case of a small conflict in the North Caucasus, one of the most corrupted projects in the modern history of Russia could be closed – the Olympic construction.” However, the Olympic construction is almost over, and the suggestion wasn’t confirmed. According to the other view, the dispute is an element of preparation for uniting of Chechnya and Ingushetia and restoration of Chechen-Ingushetia.
Vestnik Kavkaza discussed the topic with one of the most respectful politicians in Chechnya, speaker of the parliament, Dukuvakha Abdurakhmanov.
“We have questions which touch on administrative borders with the Chechen Republic. But Chechens and Ingushs are brotherly people. Heads of the republics make decisions in interests of their nations, in interests of their republics, including decisions on demarcation. It is required by our federal laws. It is required by the Constitution of Russia. But 81 constituents have clearly defined borders, while our republics don’t. It is nonsense, an absolutely unclear situation. The federal center should solve the problem, not we.”
Commenting on disputes between heads of the regions, Abdurakhmanov said: “We don’t talk about it in recent times. We are brotherly peoples. There are no other disputes between Kadyrov and Yevkurov; they are heads of brotherly nations, or Nakh people who are divided into two constituents. It is a matter of time. The federal center, our elders, our common history will put it in order. The land problem will be settled after the Olympics. If it is not settled after the Olympic Games, some forces will speculate on the topic and say in mass media: “See, Kadyrov and Yevkurov have a quarrel; it means Moscow needs it.” Neither Kadyrov nor Chechens need it. I am the chairman of the demarcation commission. He [Ramzan Kadyrov] gave me recommendations, people could watch it on TV: “They [Ingush people] are our brothers, and the problem should be treated calmly and respectfully… Express your proposals and consider their proposals. Work on it; the problem must be solved, but only within Russian laws; respect to Ingush people like you respect Chechens.”
