In several places in the country it has been reported that children and young people with Russian parents or Russian originexperiencing agitation due to the war in Ukraine. The same is the case for the Chechens in Norway.
– Unfortunately, it is the case that some children experience agitation at school. I was contacted by a Chechen woman who told me that her child was being harassed as a result of the war in Ukraine, says Mikael Dudayev (36) who is a political activist and a member of the Chechenians in the European Union.
The mother does not dare to appear in the media, as she is afraid that the child may be further harassed if she appears and tells her story. Adults have also been tried for exclusion from workplaces and communities.
False propaganda
Mikael believes they are being subjected to propaganda from the Russian authorities and the Chechen dictator and Vladimir Putin’s close ally, Ramzan Kadyrov.
– He spreads false propaganda. We are not talking about a Chechen army attacking Ukraine, we do not have our own army. The military is Russian both legally and in practice. It is the Minister of Defense in Moscow who decides – not Kadyrov, says Mikael Dudayev.
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Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov has posted videos on social media in which he boasts that Chechen forces in Ukraine have so far suffered no losses, and that Russian forces can easily take large Ukrainian cities.
Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation and has the status of a republic. The troops belong to the Chechen part of the National Guard, which is directly under the command of President Putin.
It could be that up to 12,000 Chechens have been sent or are ready to be sent to fight on the Russian side in Ukraine. Kadyrov claims that he too is in Ukraine, according to The Guardian.
Did not want anything to do with him
– A truck driver in Drammen that I know was told that they did not want to have anything more to do with him because they thought Chechnya was attacking Ukraine. He had to explain that this is propaganda, that we actually come from an occupied state. Fortunately, they apologized when they understood that he had nothing to do with the war, Mikael says.
Highly pregnant woman died after attack
A special responsibility
Mariette Lobo, Director of the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud, believes that all adults have a particularly great responsibility for how to talk to children.
– The media, teachers, parents and other adults must be aware of how we talk about the ongoing war. That we hold those responsible accountable and do not blame people in any country, or refer to groups affected by the war in prejudiced or stereotypical ways, says Mariette Lobo to Dagbladet.
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The situation is very difficult
– It is important to say it as it is, that war is terrible, but that it is those in power who are responsible for the horrors and who are also responsible for stopping the war, Lobo says.
She believes that all school leaders must ensure that the staff catches the provocation among students, that they take it seriously if someone says that they are being provoked and knows how to handle it.
It is not only those who have backgrounds from Ukraine, but also from Russia and Chechnya who may find the situation very difficult now.
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Perceived discrimination
– We have received a few inquiries about perceived discrimination due to the war, where some are denied goods or services. We are looking at these now, she says.
The anti-discrimination ombudsman has so far not received any cases of incitement related to the war, but they have heard that this is happening and are concerned about this.
“Unfortunately, this is a new example of how troubled and confusing situations abroad also affect many innocent individuals here at home,” says Lobo.
Past wars, as well as the ongoing pandemic, have shown that some groups are particularly vulnerable to incitement under extraordinary circumstances.
Must prevent
– It is important that we are able to prevent and react to unacceptable behavior this time as well, not least when children are exposed to stigma and agitation, Lobo says.
Mikael Dudayev fled to Norway as a 23-year-old in 2009. At that time he had been a guerrilla warrior and fought against the Russians for several years, but eventually had to escape Chechnya.
FREE CHESSENIA: The photo shows Mikael with a soldier from the guerrilla group who fought against the Russians in Chechnya. PHOTO: Private.
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Had to flee Chechnya
– I was number five on the list of wanted persons by the Russian authorities. Then the pressure was too great and I had to get away from Chechnya. It was difficult and a big risk for me to cross the border on a trip out of the country, but it went well, says Dudayev.
– The bloodbath in Chechnya again
– I have experienced war and know what it means to flee. At the time, I felt that the world was sacrificing us for the beast Putin. Nobody cared about us.
Afterwards, they were called terrorists to fight for their own country. One third of the population – 150,000 people – was killed in Chechnya.
– That some claim Chechens are participating in the war against Ukraine today, makes me hurt in the margin, says Mikael Dudayev to Dagbladet.
Must have traveled to Ukraine
He is aware that the Russians are their worst enemies.
– They plunder, kill and rape our women. It is like being spat in the face to suggest that we are in some way involved in this war, says Mikael.
Helps Ukraine
Now he and other Chechen friends in Drammen have collected first aid equipment, duvets and other medical equipment that they have sent to Ukraine.
– Before the weekend, we sent this equipment as well as some uniforms and combat vests to the Ukrainian Civil Defense. We know very well what they are missing. We have experienced war, and we see that much of the same thing that happened in Grozny in the 1990s is now happening again in Ukraine, says Mikael Dudayev.
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