An Interview with Karl Foverskov and the Danish Support Committee for Chechnya

Introduction

This interview was conducted during one of the darkest periods of the Second Russo-Chechen War, when the Russian Federation was carrying out a large-scale military campaign in the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. At the time, independent journalists and international observers faced increasing difficulties in accessing the region, while reports of widespread human rights violations, indiscriminate bombardments, enforced disappearances, and civilian casualties continued to emerge from the war-torn republic.

Among those seeking to draw international attention to the conflict was the Danish Support Committee for Chechnya, an organization established by Danish academics, journalists, politicians, and human rights advocates. The committee played an important role in informing the Danish public about developments in Chechnya and supporting efforts to document violations of international humanitarian law.

One of its leading members was historian Karl (Carl E.) Foverskov, a specialist in Soviet and Eastern European history. Having followed developments in the Caucasus since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Foverskov visited the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in 1997, shortly after the First Russo-Chechen War. Together with his wife, Lis Foverskov, he documented the destruction caused by the conflict and collected testimonies from local residents. Upon returning to Denmark, he dedicated himself to raising awareness about the plight of the Chechen people.

The following interview was conducted with Karl and Lis Foverskov with the assistance of Usman Firzauli, Representative of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in Denmark.

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Interview

Correspondent: What impression did your visit to Chechnya leave on you at the time?

K. Foverskov: Lis and I were shocked by the scale of the destruction. But we were even more shocked and outraged by the fact that it was primarily theatres, schools, and universities that had been destroyed. We did not see destroyed military installations. What stood before our eyes was a city reduced to ruins.

Despite the post-war period, during which the media constantly spoke about kidnappings and similar issues, my wife and I encountered wonderful, friendly, and hopeful people. We lived with an ordinary Chechen family. The warmth of Chechen hospitality is unforgettable.

Correspondent: There is much discussion about your Committee. Russian media have already begun publishing material intended to discredit it.

K. Foverskov: That is understandable. We tell the truth; we do not promote any ideology. Our chairman, Thomas Bindesbøll Larsen, a highly educated historian, is the organizer of our committee. Even before the war in Chechnya, he was concerned about human rights violations wherever they occurred in the world. Today, he devotes great effort to documenting events objectively and informing the public about the real situation in Chechnya.

Correspondent: Who are the members of your Committee?

K. Foverskov: Our Committee includes prominent political figures, scientists, and journalists.

Correspondent: More specifically, what does your Committee do?

K. Foverskov: Our goal is to ensure that people in our country know the truth about what is happening in Ichkeria. To achieve this, we seek reliable information from Chechnya concerning human rights violations. This information is then disseminated through local media. Usman Firzauli, Representative of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, also assists us in this work.

Our Committee organized and carried out a protest outside the Russian Embassy, which provoked a negative reaction from Russian officials.

Correspondent: Russia is attempting to convince the international community that it is conducting what it describes as an anti-terrorist operation, a struggle against Islamic extremism. You have been to Chechnya. Did you see any Islamic extremists there?

K. Foverskov: I observed a greater presence of Islamism in Tatarstan than in Chechnya. We are trying to explain to our fellow citizens that Russia, in order to justify the crimes it is committing in Chechnya, is deliberately promoting the public stereotype of Chechens as bandits and extremists.

At our request, the Danish Parliament examined the issue of the genocide of the Chechen people and recommended that the Danish Government bring a case against Russia before the International Court of Justice for crimes committed against the Chechen people.