Paul
Goble
Staunton, June 25 – Yunus-Bek Yevkurov
may have left office because of the protests against him, Moscow commentator Konstantin
Kalachev says. But it was because of his approach over more than a decade that “a
unique North Caucasian civil society” emerged there, one that both his
successor and Moscow will have to take into consideration.
Ingush “went to meetings which no
one dispersed by force,” the head of the Political Expert Group says; and consequently,
that has created expectations which it will be very difficult for Yevkurov’s
successor to ignore. “The meetings which became the end of his career will
continue” even though he has left (theins.ru/news/163071).
The most interesting question now,
Kalachev says, is “how will the residents of Ingushetia, who have felt
themselves to be free, construct relations with the federal authorities because
they understand perfectly well that the problem [that they face] is not Yevkurov”
but the Putin system.
“Yevkurov’s successor must show that
he can be not only the driver of development [which is what the Kremlin wants]
but also a lobbyist who will defend the interests of Ingushetia. And in
relations with North Ossetia and Chechnya he must show himself to be the
defender of the people which he has been assigned to head.”
Kalachev’s observation is confirmed
by the 500-word declaration the Ingush Committee for National Unity, which has
been the leader of the protests against Yevkurov and his border accord with
Chechnya’s Ramzan Kadyrov, issued in reaction to Yevkurov’s resignation (fortanga.org/2019/06/obrashhenie-ikne-v-svyazi-s-otstavkoj-glavy-ingushetii-yu-b-evkurova/):
“Ingush society views with
satisfaction the news about the retirement of the head of the Republic,
Yunus-Bek Yevkurov,” it begins, and “assesses this as being the result of the
attention to the problems of the region at the level of the highest leadership
of the country, President of Russia V.V. Putin.
“We consider that such an important decision
by itself speaks to the readiness of the federal center, albeit not quickly to listen
to the aspirations of its citizens, in this case of an entire people in a
particular subject of the country.
“The Ingush people in its most
recent history has passed through serious tests. In the course of the last ten
months, the actions of the leadership of the republic have gone beyond its
accustomed levels of corruption and finally manifested its clearly anti-popular
character which was shown in the singing of the criminal Agreement with the Chechen
Republic about the transfer to ti of a significant part of the territory of
Ingushetia bypassing the opinion of the people and violating all the
constitutional norms and laws of the Russian Federation and also in the attempt
to introduce a bill which would allow without referendum the adoption of any decision
on basic principles without consulting the people.
“In response too the attempts of
society to get to the bottom of what as happening, the republic government used
all administrative resources, drew into this political game the force
structures, and widely unleashed a propaganda wave in the media under its
control. Those who were brave enough to call the authorities of Ingushetia to
account for these illegal actions were subjected to repression.
“The reaction of the residents of
the republic did not take long to manifest itself -- in October-November 2018
and then in March 2019, thousands’ strong meetings of protest occurred during
which the people of Ingushetia gave their harsh assessment of the actions of Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and the members of his command.
From the mouths of the protesters, ever larger sounded demands for his immediate
retirement.
“In response to such a turn of
events, the powers that be not only did
not try to begin dialogue with the people but unleashed against the leaders of
the protest in the full sense of this word state terror which resulted in the
lodging of dozens of criminal cases, hundreds of fines, searches, firings from
jobs, mass detentions of opposition figures, and in particular cases threats
toward the families of civic activists.
“Many offices of civic organizations
were closed, and at the demand of the justice ministry the activities of such a
representative organ as the Union of Teips of the Ingush People were stopped. Strong
pressure was put on religious leaders and business who were suspected of sympathy
for those taking part in the protests.
“Today, about 30 of the most active
participants of the protest are under arrest and on trumped up charges continue
to be held in the detention centers of neighboring regions. Among them are as well -respected representatives
of the elders of the republic. We categorically condemn this arbitrary action
of the authorities and demand the immediate, objective and public review of
their cases.
“Given Yunus-Bek Yevkurov’s retirement,
their continued illegal detention does not have any sense. Such a step by the Kremlin
to a significant degree would allow the situation in the republic to become
less tense by showing a readiness for constructive dialogue and a way out of the
dead end of the clash between the powers and the people to which Ingushetia was
driven by the actions of the no former head of Ingushetia.
“We hope that in addition the demands of
the people of Ingushetia that its right to independently select its leaders to
state organs of power via open popular election will be heard.
“We are counting on the idea that the new
head of the republic will be able to correctly assess the existing situation
and together with his people begin to resolve the social-political and social-economic
problems left by his predecessor.”
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