ABSTRACT
The Caucasus is not only the bridge between Europe and Asia, it can also be the battleground between them. It is no wonder that the region has been and still is plagued by wars and conflicts. The large number of ethnicities and religions means that there is great potential for inter-ethnic strife, especially where national and ethnic identities are strongest. Interestingly enough, though, most of the Caucasian people acquired their ethnic identity only after the Russians conquered the region in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Before that they would consider themselves as, for example, a mountain people or a Muslim people. Many ethnic groups desire to avail themselves of their right to self-determination, which is in conflict with preserving the territorial integrity of the state in which they live. The nationalist and ethnocentric rhetoric of certain leaders – which serves mainly to enhance their own political power – adds even more fuel to the fire. However, ethnic backgrounds are not the only cause of conflict. Experience has shown that different nations can live together peacefully as long as the economic situation is favourable: Switzerland provides a good example. But the economic decline and chronic socio-economic problems of the past two decades have seriously aggravated the potential for conflict in the Caucasus. Finally, one should not forget the influence (or the perception) of history on the current wars and conflict potential. Many are the heritage of the Russian and Soviet divide and rule policy. While some ethnic groups were split, others received a high degree of autonomy, and yet others were deported by the Stalinist regime. After the collapse of the Soviet system each ethnic group struggled for their autonomy. For example, those who had been deported wanted to repossess the regions they had lost during their period of exile (e.g. the conflict between the Ingush and Ossetians over the Prigorodnyy Rayon, the Cherkess against the Karachay, and both of these against the Cossacks, and the AkkinChechens versus the Laks). Others – for example in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh – wanted to establish independence. Only four conflicts (those in Chechnya, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh) have received wide international attention, but many more clashes have occurred. However, these conflicts were nothing new, as there had been a lot of violence – mainly unreported – during the Soviet era.
