Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 2, 1995 TAG: 9501030018
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KIMBERLY N. MARTIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It's a reminder of his country's war-torn history.
"My ancestors used that sword to fight the Russians in 1857," he said.
More than a century later, the 24-year-old Virginia Tech engineering student needs no reminder: His family and friends are fighting that war again.
The issue today is what it was then: Chechnya's freedom. Only the weapons have changed.
"Chechnya was invaded and literally colonized [by Russia] like the U.S. was colonized by England," he said. "Four times we have fought for freedom."
And four times they have failed.
The war for power began in the 18th century, with the two countries fighting for 75 years. Again in 1857, in 1919 and during World War II, the Chechen people rose up. Each time, they were outmanned and outgunned by their Russian neighbors.
Even in defeat, Chechen pride and the people's quest for self-rule never were squelched.
"I am not Slavic. I am Chechen. ... I don't speak Russian; I speak Chechen," said Daghestani, with obvious pride.
But to Western ears, the difference has little meaning. In fact, before the Russian offensive began Dec. 11, most people had no idea where the tiny Muslim country was.
To Daghestani, however, the difference is worth the bloodshed in his native land.
It's a battle he says Chechens have been anticipating since 1991, when they declared their independence from the crumbling Soviet Union.
"Russia waited three years because they had internal problems to take care of, but every Chechen realized this day would come," said Daghestani, who was born in the United States and raised in Jordan.
In the last two weeks, 1,000 of the 1.3 million Chechen citizens were reported dead.
"Because the Chechen population is so small, it's like a whole state in the United States was wiped out," Daghestani said, shaking his head.
And the killing isn't over.
"More will die," he said, because "we're still going to fight for independence. ... We will fight to the last man."
And if they lose again, they will fight again, he said.
"We were subdued. We did not sign a treaty. We were slaughtered and considered the property of Russia. When something like that happens, no one forgets," he said. "If not now, freedom is going to happen eventually because our children will have the same thoughts of freedom in their minds."
The Russians appear as unrelenting. They had promised for days last week that they would stop their aggression. Yet the bombing continues. Chechnya's capital, Grozny, has been reduced to rubble. Even orphanages have been leveled.
"No way [will the Russians give up]. Chechnya has too much oil and diamonds in it," Daghestani said.
It is for those resources and the country's fragile democracy - Chechnya's second election is scheduled next year - that Daghestani says he is willing to fight.
His cousins already are fighting, and he and his 14-year-old brother both want to join.
"My passion says no [to his brother joining the fight], but in my heart, I think he should go if he wants to. ... I don't think he'll sit around doing nothing much longer."
His parents share his mixed emotions. "My father is a very strong nationalist, but my mother says my brother is too young."
Although Daghestani has only visited Chechnya, the desire to do something burns in him as well. But he wants to finish his schooling first.
In the meantime, he felt he had to do something. He got a guide to human-rights groups and started calling. He wanted them to intervene on his people's behalf or petition the U.S. government to do so.
``Some of them said `We're not in that particular business anymore.' Others said `Don't call us; we'll call you,''' Daghestani said. Frustrated, he stopped calling.
He has called 30 organizations since the fighting began. None responded on Chechnya's behalf, but Muslims in the New River Valley did.
They're planning to write letters to members of Congress and organize seminars on the Tech campus.
Now he's just biding his time until his May graduation. Before the fighting began, he had applied to the master's degree program at Tech. He wanted to get that degree and possibly a doctorate before returning to Chechnya "sooner or later."
Regardless of what happens, he will return to his land - to help rebuild if peace talks work, or to fight and possibly die if they don't.
It's a fate he accepts.
"They call us suicidal, but no Chechen has interest in his life if his land is not free," he said.
by CNB