THE POSITION OF THE LAST USINSK BORDER CHIEF A.H. CHAKIROV ON THE "URYANKHAI ISSUE" IN 1907-1912
A.A. Samdan
Tuvan Institute for the Humanities and Applied Social and Economic Research under the Government of the Republic of Tuva, Kyzyl, Russian Federation
Keywords: border chief, Tuva, instructions, Khaidyp, Russian guards, consultations, meetings, Uryankhai issue
Abstract
The article analyzes A.H. Chakirov’s activity (1907-1912) in the position of Usinsk border chief, who was responsible to administrate the Russian population in the Usinsk district and control Russian-Tuvan relations. The paper objective is to analyze the content and main directions of Russian-Tuvan relations during Staff Captain A.H. Chakirov’s tenure of office. The study methodology is based on the historicism principle, which allows seeing historical processes and events in their real development and interrelation. The author has used an integrated approach as well as comparative historical analysis of archival sources that provide an objective analysis and assessment of facts related to the investigation in their entirety. The source basis of the article consists of previously unpublished archival documents (reports, correspondence, etc.), which give an opportunity to rediscover main milestones in the border chief’s activities related to Tuva. It is claimed that the border chief initiated the resettlement of Usinsk old-timers to Tuva, and it was a spontaneous process. At the same time, A.H. Chakirov paid low attention to the process of rapprochement in cultural and economic terms. Rather, he was a supporter of forceful pressure, as he sought the establishing Russian guards along the Tannu-Ola ridge, setting a military garrison and expanding the Usinsk border department staff. For the first time in historiography the author described in detail the visit of Khemchik ruler M. Khaidyp to the Usinsk settlement in 1907, some important moments of consultations of Tuvan officials with A.H. Chakirov, as well as the results of the All-Tuvan meeting on Tuva self-determination. A.H. Chakirov did not consider industrial and peasant colonization as a way of peaceful annexation of Tuva to Russia. The situation’s escalation forcing the issue of the Tuva expansion led to the development of a military plan to conquer the region. The main thing for him was “a bayonet in front and a yard behind”.
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