The legal case for self-determination in Chechnya

The Chechens are a distinct people, not an ad hoc group seeing an opportunity and trying to make off with an unfair share of the country s wealth. Indeed, few Russians would argue that the Chechens are not ethnically, religiously and culturally distinct from the majority of the population of the Russian Federation. 

Finally, Chechnya has been a part of Russia only by right of conquest (Russia had conquered Chechnya in 1864), and the Chechens have never accepted their forcible incorporation into Russia or the Soviet Union. 

An argument can be made that Chechens do not qualify for peoplehood because of the existence of separatist movements that have been waging 

Despite Chechen attempts at true independence from Russia during the early and mid-1990s, Chechens have faced repression and a lack of support by the international community, resulting in their inability to fundamentally change any of their political circumstances. As of today, Chechnya remains firmly ruled by Moscow, and the Kosovo precedent has played little role in any discussion of the Chechen situation. It is my argument that, as in the case of East Timor and Kosovo, the great power s rule played a determinative role in 

Russia would veto any Security Council resolution authorizing the deployment of international troops to Chechnya, as it does any such resolution with respect to Kosovo. Moreover, most other great powers were unwilling to upset Russia, which could turn into a potent foe. 

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