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The Republic of Ingushetia in the Russian North Caucasus borders on Georgia to the south. Its neighbours within Russia are Chechnya and North Ossetia. The overwhelming majority of the population is Muslim and clan links are an integral part of society.
Overview
The Ingush and Chechen peoples have close historical, cultural and linguistic ties, although the Ingush have not shared in the fierceness of the resistance to Moscow put up by the Chechens over the past 200 years. Part of the Russian empire since the early 19th century, Ingushetia was formally joined to Chechnya under Soviet rule in 1936 when it formed around one-fifth of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Republic within Russia. Like the Chechens, the Ingush, despite their history of relative loyalty to Moscow, were deported to Central Asia towards the end of World War II by Stalin who accused them of collaborating with the Nazis. They were allowed to return only in 1957 when Khrushchev was Soviet leader. There was tension after Dzhokhar Dudayev came to power as Chechen leader in 1991. When he declared Chechen sovereignty the Ingush resisted. There was some fighting along the border between the two regions and Russian troops were sent in to establish order. The Ingush subsequently voted in a referendum to form the Republic of Ingushetia within Russia. Although firmly tied to Moscow, the republic has its own anthem and state symbols. The Ingush and North Ossetians have a history of rivalry. Ingushetia lays claim to the neighbouring Prigorodny district which was included in the Russian Republic of North Ossetia when Stalin deported the Ingush in 1944. For many years after their return, the district had a substantial Ingush population. Post-Soviet period In late 1992 violence erupted in Prigorodny district. The two sides have fundamental differences as to the reasons. The North Ossetians assert that it was sparked by Ingush radicals seeking to include Prigorodny in the newly formed Republic of Ingushetia. The Ingush assert that the North Ossetians attacked first and that they acted in self defence. The fighting left many dead. Moscow sent troops to establish order. The Ingush population was expelled from the district and Ingushetia faced its first post-independence refugee crisis. Tensions persist and there are differences as to how many refugees have returned home.
Ingushetia has hosted thousands of refugees fleeing violence in Chechnya
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Another refugee crisis presented itself when thousands of Chechens fled across the border into Ingushetia when Russian troops returned to Chechnya in 1999. The last refugee camp was reported to have been closed five years later. Russia rejected concerns voiced by human rights groups that many of the former residents had been forcibly repatriated in Moscow's zeal to expunge indications of continuing conflict in the area. Ingushetia lives in the shadow of the violence and lawlessness of its Chechen neighbour and poverty is widespread. From time to time, the violence has spilled over the border and Russian forces are regularly targeted by attackers. There was a major escalation in June 2004 when several dozen people, including the Ingush acting interior minister, were killed in attacks reported to have involved hundreds of gunmen armed with grenades and rockets. There have been regular clashes between the rebels and the security forces ever since, and in October the Kremlin ordered a change of leadership in a bid to reduce the level of violence.
Facts
- Territory: Ingushetia
- Status: Republic within Russian Federation
- Population: 300,000
- Religion: Islam
- Capital: Magas (previous capital was nearby Nazran)
- Languages: Ingush, Russian
- Currency: Rouble
Leaders
President: Yunus-Bek Yevkurov Ingush President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov was severely wounded in an assassination attempt in June 2009. Two of his bodyguards were killed when Mr Yevkurov's convoy was hit by a car driven by a suicide bomber. He was flown to Moscow for further medical treatment. A highly-decorated career soldier, Mr Yevkurov was appointed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to replace Murat Zyazikov as president of Ingushetia in October 2008.
Yunus-Bek Yevkurov was brought in to stem the violence
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Mr Zyazikov had come in for sustained criticism from opposition groups over his perceived failure to combat corruption, solve disputes with North Ossetia over refugees or reduce attacks on the security forces by Islamists. The brutal methods used by the security forces to crush a small group of separatists fighting for an independent Muslim state in the region helped to win over many of the population to the Islamist cause, and Mr Yevkurov faces a tough challenge in trying to regain the confidence of the Ingush people. Born in 1963, Mr Yevkurov came to prominence as commander of the Russian troops who took control of Pristina airport in Kosovo ahead of advancing NATO troops in 1999. This secured Russia's presence in the disputed region. He was made a Hero of Russia, the country's highest honorary title, for his actions in bringing his troops out of encirclement during fighting with separatists in Chechnya in 2000.
Media
The authorities stand accused of stifling media freedom and of silencing opposition. The meagre local media scene consists almost entirely of official outlets. Ingushetia is "a lawless zone where enemies of the press can attack journalists with impunity", says the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Russia's main national radio and TV networks are available. The sole, local terrestrial TV service is an opt-out of the national state-owned TV channel Rossiya. Television is the main source of news and information, with Russian national networks commanding the lion's share of the audience. Russia's national state-run Radio Russia and Mayak networks and the private entertainment-based network Serebryanyy Dozhd (Silver Rain) operate transmitters in Nazran. A news website, Ingushetiya.ru - which moved to Ingushetia.org following its suspension by a Russian court for "extremist" content - has been the most active forum for Ingush dissent in recent years. Its former owner Magomed Yevloyev died from gunshot wounds after being detained by police in August 2008. The press - Serdalo - thrice-weekly, owned by local government
- Ingushetiya - weekly, owned by local government
Television - GTRK Ingushetiya - local opt-out of national state-owned TV channel Rossiya
Radio - GTRK Ingushetiya - local opt-out of state-run Radio Russia
Websites
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