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Oirat-Kalmyk People's Congress
The Oirat-Kalmyk People's Congress (Russian: Конгресс ойрат-калмыцкого народа), also known as the Chuulhn (Oirat: Чуулһн, romanized: Çuulhn, Oirat pronunciation: [t͡ʃuːlˈɣən]) in Kalmyk Oirat Mongolian, is an unregistered organization claiming to represent the Kalmyk people or broadly people of Kalmykia. HistoryWhile the organization has its roots in Kalmyk nationalist organizations from the Soviet era, the first congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk people took place on 12 December 2015, in Elista, the capital city of Kalmykia, with around 200 popular delegates participating in total.[1][2] A total of 3 congresses have been convened since 2015, the latest in May 2021.[3] Russo-Ukrainian warDuring the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian war the organization came out against the war publicly. The chairman of the congress, A.B. Sandzhyiev, stated that over the past 400 years Kalmyks participated in all military conflicts on the side of Russia, but that they cannot support a war with Ukraine.[4] The People's Congress further stated that the war is harming the Kalmyk genetic pool for an "insane massacre in Ukraine", urging Kalmyks not to participate in the conflict.[5] On 27 October 2022, the Congress published a declaration of independence of Kalmykia and proclaimed the creation of an independent Kalmyk state.[6] Ideology and activityThe main stated reason for the gathering of the congress was the issue of statehood, which Kalmykia, unlike all of Russia's other republics, does not legally possess.[7] Other things that the congress sought to address were the right to Self-Determination, making the use of the Kalmyk-Oirat language obligatory in areas defined by local and federal laws, establishing a new constitution for the republic, as well as other economic, demographic, and political issues facing the Kalmyk people.[8][9] The organization has also politically campaigned against Batu Khasikov's rule of Kalmykia and Dmitry Trapeznikov position as mayor of Elista, due to perceived incompetence and corruption.[10] After large-scale protests, the Kremlin denied it was behind Trapeznikov's appointment to mayor.[11] Another change the congress has pushed for is the resolvation of the territorial disputes between Kalmykia and Astrakhan Oblast by returning the historically Kalmyk Dolbansky and Volga uluses (districts) which were transferred to Astrakhan under Stalin's leadership following the deportation of Kalmyks in 1943.[12][13][5] Following the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2022, the Oirat-Kalmyk People's Congress joined hands with other separatist groups, the Free Idel-Ural movement and Buryat Mongols to form the "Free Nations League". The stated goal of the league is to protect the rights of nations held captive by Russia. Vladimir Dovdanov, a Kalmyk representative in the league, stated that what is most important is that Kalmyks are seen as subjects of the state, rather than disposable objects.[9][14] State persecutionNumerous incidents of Oirat-Kalmyk People's Congress members being persecuted have been claimed by activists. The organizers of the congress were detained following a convocation in 2021.[15][16] An Elista court then assigned them 50 hours of compulsory work for holding an unsanctioned public event.[13] Members of the organization have also been branded as agents of Kyiv by the Russian government, being arrested after accusations of espionage.[2] References
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