Chechnya: The Dirty War
The military conflict in Chechnya has now been dragging on for more than ten years. During this war Moscow has tried every means possible to prevent it being reported in the press. And so all contacts with members of Chechen resistance are considered illegal. According to the latest report to the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, in 2004 1,700 disappeared in the republic without trace, and illegal killings became commonplace.
Reporters Mariusz Pilis and Marcin Mamon travel to neighboring Chechnya, one of the most dangerous places on earth, to report on what life is like after more than a decade of Chechen terrorism and Russian repression. Filmed over the course of nine months, the film reveals that what started as a separatist movement in 1994 has now become synonymous with terrorism.
Very sad. It presents the human rights stories well. Here is the question I have: if Chechnia wins, will it become an Islamic state like Afghanistan or Iran? I ask this because, win or lose, the plight of women and gay people in Chechnia is not good at all. This is s a very traditional Islamic region. Whether the military men win or lose, the poor people of Chechnia have already lost. Forgive the Western chauvinism, but the ideal for all societies is to become Westernized: to enjoy freedom, prosperity, democracy, peace. Wars give violent men purpose but they rob ordinary people of the right to exist peacefully. They tear families apart. I don't trust the propaganda on either side because as the saying goes, the first casualty of war is truth. I cannot respect these claims for ethnic and religious autonomy if it means imposing religious despotism on the people. Nor is it obvious that Russia cares about the ordinary people there. I suspect this is a region that will always be poor and in conflict and war-torn until a new generation of people there strives to overcome the legacy of religious and state despotism and violence and desires a more prosperous and secular life and grows tired of war. It is sad that this pattern of endless conflict in the form of jihad is being repeated in so many places. The people there are caught between warring men. It is like Algeria, Palestine, Afghanistan. It is endless, unfortunately.
@Shamil,
I do not think Russia is as innocent as you believe; a quick Google search will lend credence to this fact, but here's one to get you started: please check out Operation Lentil.
Unfortunately some people live with blinders on. I consider myself as someone who supports my country, but I am not without knowledge of the horrible things my country has done and continues to do, i.e. it's deadly relationship with Israel, for one. That doesn't make me a leftist or apologist, it makes me someone who looks for truth even when the truth is horrifically ugly. There's noting wrong or unpatriotic about wanting to know the facts or not believing everything the media spoon-feeds us.
It is a biased documentary, but I don't think it's beyond free-thinking people to consider both sides when they're told something, and decide for themselves what they do and don't agree with. No one side is innocent.
Civilians, however, are, and it's civilians who pay the price here, in the Middle East and in attacks in the West. We don't agree, but we still die for it. Same story, different context.
The troll is strong on this one. Whats with all the moronic comments on SeeUat Videos? Have you been advertising on Facebook? Where did this shower of shite come from?
Unlike some of the comments below i did not find this film as biased or cynical as they did. What became clear to me was that until Russia leaves the Chechen people to run the internal affairs of there nation on there own, and pull out ground troops immediately, the resistance, whose religion is irrelevant, will never give up or compromise.They are simply to desensitized and detatched from the idea of self preservation to ever concede defeat. The last few minutes,showing the sycophantic fawning of world politicians at Putin's feet, highlight the indifference of the international community to the Chechen cause. And that is a disgrace but also a big mistake. Good luck to the Chechen people in the fight to self determination.
You do realize that Beslan was carried out by a fundamentalist Wahhabi minority who are at odds not just with Russia but with moderate Chechens as well? Apparently not, otherwise why the reservation at the end of your post? It only makes sense if you earnestly think that the attack "served them right" (the kids, many if not most of whom were Chechen, btw.)
A liberal fascist, that's what you and most Westerners are. And stupid, too, because it doesn't occur to you stupid binary minds that if one side is bad that doesn't mean the other one are angels.
And even if they were, it should worry you that your loaylty lies with an uptight Muslim mountain tribe most of whom probably think of Westerners as pagans worthy of nothing but utter contempt and wussies who can't control their women.
wow...this is such a poorly made and obviously manipulated pro-terorrist mumbo-jumbo, a clear Western propaganda ploy in its ....thank goodness more and more people are no longer tricked by such rubbish. Look at Grozny now: a new, modern, clean, gowing city...had the Islamic radicals and the medieval mountain tribes been in power, Chechnya would have looked as bad as it did in late 1990s. I only wish such benefits to UK and USA: let us all pray that USA and UK will enjoy the benefits of such wonderful, peaceful, seperatists animated by a just cause!
Grozny lies in burning ruins due to the Russian genocide, no there is no solution to this war and it is unlikely to end due to the fear of intervention in Russia by western powers, what has to happen is the UN stopping this turning into a genocide of epic proportions. Atrocities committed by both sides need to stop but when this "short victorious war" as Yeltsin called it is still going they will continue
Putin has to go.
This is another tragedy like the conflict in Afghanistan, Palestine, Bosnia and Iraq. It seems like the most vulnerable and peaceful communites are in danger of genocide. Their population is already low around 1 million or fewer except Iraq but yet innocent civilians are bombed to death or whole families are murdered.Yet these people get labelled terrorists when they take a Klasokov or AK47 as its known in the west to defend the very little things they possess which usually a mud hut. Why cant these aggressors from the governments stop killing innocent and peaceful people.
People are hell bent on wars for greed, territory, empires, material gains and a adrenaline kick from mindless bloodshed of the human race. The sad fact is people are behaving a hell of a lot worse than the animal species wild or not. Its all down to these politicians in high power to stop these ruthless killings of these minority populations.
Beslan was a badly concived plan used instead by the russians in their advantage. The fact that Putin was avoiding peace talks makes it clear that the russians have their own plans putting in practice for Chechnia.
I enjoyed the film after I figured out that I could fold a piece of paper, prop it in the corner of the monitor and cover the annoying sign language lady up. There was NO WAY I could watch this film with that going on in the corner. I would have been driven mad! Life is too short as it is. Seek peace!
very biased and one sided opinionated doco.
did not like
Exquisit documentary! I have a question about the music in the film. About the song that is played between 32:50 and 35:30 - the lyrics go something like "schornije glasa" I assume it's Russian but all I understand is that it means something black. I really enjoy this song and I'm wondering if there's anyone who knows what the name of this song or the name of the artist is? Any help is appriciated.
'black eyes' a kavkazi song:
Black eyes, I'm remembering and dying
black eyes, it is only you I dream of...
Var,the USA shouldn't be involved.It is not their business,if Russia stopped the human rights abuses i guarantee the Chechen resistance would lose much of its support for complete independence-that would become a long term goal.People get sick of constant war and killing,give them peace and safety,free from harassment and terror and the majority will cease to see violence as part of an acceptable strategy.As long as these injustices are allowed to carry on,inocent Russians are sadly going to be targets,just as the Chechens are today.I wish this troubled people are allowed to live in peace and prosperity.
very sad documentry.... y the hell are civilians the target...russian troops should leave... and y the F**k is the US not involved ...ohh yes they only attack 3rd world countries or if they see some profit...p@##$%^
47:00: Timeless Bush, i@#$%^& to the end, he is either walking into a closed door or dropping something. The universe is playing joke on us, when men like these come to power.
Putin just looks an insecure man who is trying to look tough.
Shamil, I just have to say you make me laugh. First of all English and Yanks are completely different people. English are from England and Yanks are people who reside in the Northern United States. Second of all Russia has committed Genocide under the Articles II and III of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, by having the intentions to invade and shut down the Chechen Republic's Government and killing and causing bodily and emotional harm to civilians.
I'm not saying that Chechen Fighters are completely innocent but I see more faults with Russia then I do with Chechnya. This also wasn't in response to 9/11 and Putin made up the connection between the events in Chechnya and the idiotic actions of Bush's War on Terror and the invasion of Iraq. Putin used it as an excuse so that he wouldn't lose a fraction of Russia's land and oil. Also they only gave a memorial to the Moscow President, what happened to the other men, women and children who died in Chechnya.
This is not about religion....its about power
Chechnya will win.... Russia uses propaganda when chechnya gives them a dose of their own medicine.
The man was right what happened at the school happens every day in chechnya so who's life is worth more? Because russia has media to tell their supposed sad story all of a sudden people are supposed to support russia's genocide of chechnya?
Really? It happens everyday? Russians take over elementary schools on the first day of the school year and then proceed to blow up children to make a point to the government?
It does not happen everyday anywhere. While Chechen children die as a result of fighting, they are what is callously referred to as "collateral losses," but that is different from specifically targeting the children. We might say, "dead is dead and it is irrelevant how they died," but that is a simplistic view of things. A moment's reflection will reveal that there are always differences that account for something. In saying all of this, I do not mean to absolve the Russian army of any atrocities its soldiers may have committed. Quite the contrary. However, the attitude that the children in Beslan somehow got what they deserved because they are Russian, their town in close to the border, and their government in Moscow is waging a war in Chechnya is not only ridiculous, but is Satanic in focus. The children in Beslan and their parents should receive sympathy, just as those innocents in Chechnya should.
over 100,000 innocent people have been killed in chechnya, remember that.
I'm sure you have no idea how that feels, what resentment you would feel. not trying to justify Beslan at all but you have no idea.
Supra, you and all the previous mor**s who have bothered to share with everyone else that you are annoyed that this documentary is also available to be enjoyed by deaf people need to be put to the eternal rest for the disrespect.
Shes wearing a bright red shirt too, its pissing me off.
lessen to 5.27
when america kills our womens and sons in iraq.when america help "israel" with assault and ammo and tanks and all what she want for kills the palestiniens.we will not put never we will not put our guns in the ground .
america and russia kills the muslims and when we defend for ourselves yor tell us terroristes !!!
the actions of 11/9 they just a small gift from us the muslims
death for america for russia for sionizm for all arabic systems Treacherous
the lady in the corner is such fail; why didn't they just put subtitles, that would of it this so much better.
Good documentary, pretty biased though. I never realized the scale of the Chechnya conflict, its almost identical to the U.S. war in Iraq/Afghanistan. Hopefully one day this world will see total peace and everyone can stop killing each other. Good video though...
That guy with "Shamil" at the top of his comment is really pushing the racist line by taking a group of people, ("you yanks have to recognize that","Get you heads out of your behinds you English people...")sterotyping, then discriminating
them. His comment was VERY ignorent and the WHOLE world has known how Russian government works due to their immense rap sheet. You forget what happened in Afghanistan? o my was russia trying to be selfish and expand their borders? NAAAW, not good ol Samaritan Russia. From a humanitarian to an apparently frantic fan of russians ruthless tactics, smack your self "shamil" smack ur self HARD.
Man this is basically the English trying to portray the Russians as the mean aggressors and the Chechens as some 'freedom fighters'. Chechnya has been infiltrated by foreign head cutting swine way before the 9/11 attacks and you Yanks have to recognise that.
Those men are no worse than the baddest terrorist scum trying to establish a Muslim 'caliphate' all across the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Get your heads out of your behinds you English people...
It's not only One-Sided, but intenionaly emotional with little to no evidence. I'm afraid that without facts and Evidence what we get to see there is more or less the personal opinion of those islamic resistance fighters there. Thats simply not good enough to convince me that Russia is the big bad genocide-country.
I think that people should respect religion and views if we do not want to be consumed with killing and anger that is going to ultimately lead to WW3. Chechnya is a very small country, why cant 1 million people live in their own country and believe what ever they want to believe.Russia is the real killers not Chechnya. also to add the current (Russian) president of this country Ramzan Kadyrov is a killer and nothing more then a crook, who needs to be removed. these people should not be seen as terrorists because they used AK 47's or even bombs every army has these weaponry and they use it even worse. Russia US, even NATO. I hope Chechnya gets Independence good luck.
us watch the god damn documentry
its real good
The Russians GRU can make Chechnyan people "dissappear", but why not "the Lady in the bottom right corner"?...
Very well put together documentary, I hope to make another one in the comming years on the progress, or lack there of, pertaining to the state of Chechnya, and although the lady is highly distracting, it definitely is a must see.
I thought this film was really good once you learn to ignore the lady in the corner.
this is a very good documentary, however, the lady in the lower corner is very distracting, she will drive you nuts midway through the documentary.....you have been warned