The second Chechen war has been continuing for over half a decade. The tenth anniversary of the start of the first Chechen war has come and gone. Even before the Russian intervention in December 1994, latent post-Soviet ethno-social conflict in Chechnya had been articulated as a separatist Russo- Chechen confrontation. Russian society has now become used to regular despatches from this ‘hot spot’ about battles and terrorist acts. The Chechen war has become part of everyday reality, and has affected the lives of all Russians. It has made an indelible impact upon the lives and destinies of hundreds of thousands of people – the inhabitants of the republic, refugees and servicemen. During this time, international perceptions of Russia have been significantly influenced by the interminable war in the North Caucasus. In this chapter, we will first look at some of the ways the conflict is perceived at home and abroad, and will then examine the role of human rights organizations in the settlement of the armed conflict in Chechnya.

The International Context of the Chechen Wars

Both Chechen wars were accompanied by a massive violation of human rights by the warring sides, by military crimes and crimes against humanity. In both cases the federal side sought to place these actions outside the context of law, both national and international. In both wars, as in all developments in Chechnya over the last ten years, the trend has been from ‘bad to worse’.