Resolution on Chechnya
We, organizers of the International Seminar on Chechnya ("Confrontation
of the Russian State and the Chechen People - The Role of the International
Community in the Peaceful Resolution of the Chechen Conflict", held in Helsinki
on 21 January, 2005:
- note that the Russian authorities are attempting to solve this conflict
with force only, avoiding any opportunity to open a dialogue in order to
find a peaceful political solution;
- condemn Russia for continuing the armed conflict in Chechnya
which has lead to the eradication of nearly one third of the Chechnyan people
and made human life impossible for the whole civilian population;
- conclude that the Russian authorities are spreading dangerous racism in
the Russian society by generating hate towards the whole Chechnyan population
and by severely discriminating against Chechnyan people;
- note that the isolation of Chechnya from the world is preventing humanitarian,
human-rights and international organisations and representatives of independent
mass media from gaining access to the territory, hiding the dreadful war
crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian military personnel
and various special forces;
- express at the same time our strongest criticism and frustratration about
the indifference and lack of responsibility of the governments and leaders
of Europe and the whole international community towards this aggression against
the Chechen people; this lack of responsibility is even directly feeding
terrorism in a wider region;
1. Demand that the Russian government assumes its responsibility and immediately
stops all violations of human rights and other repression of the civilian
population of Chechnya.
2. Demand from the leadership of the Russian Federation free access for Russian
and international observers, representatives of independent mass media and
medical and humanitarian organizations to the territory of the
Chechen republic;
3. Demand that the Russian authorities stop all repression of the civil society
and independent media, and intidimidation of individuals who try to defend
their legal rights. Many of those Chechens, who have sought redress with
the European Court of Human Rights have themselves become victims of ser
ious human rights violations. They have been killed, "disappeared" or tortured.
Many prominent human rights organisations, including Amnesty International,
have widely reported about these abuses. In particular, we are extremely
concerned about the raid of 20 January by the FSB to the offices of the Russian-Chechen
Friendship Society in Nizhny Novgorod, and the resulting threat to the safety
of the persons connected to this organization.
4. We unequivocally condemn all attacks of terrorism against
the civilian population and seizure and killing of hostages in Dubrovka and
Beslan. Those who committed these acts (Beslan) can never be partners for
a dialogue. No political or other cause can ever justify attacks of terrorism.
5. Demand that the EU governments finally assume their responsibility
and make the utmost pressure on the Russian government to agree to start
a peace process which will lead to real negotiations where Russia has to
accept all groups which abstain from terrorism; propose that as a first step
the EU will appoint a special envoy of Chechnya.
6. Demand that the authorities of the EU and Schengen countries must guarantee
such personalities as Ahmed Zakaev, the personal representative of President
Maskhadov, free movement within the European Union and Schengen area.
Convened today in Helsinki, we have decided to form a European network of
organizations and groups working for a peaceful solution to the conflict
of Chechnya. We are determined to raise public awareness on the acute need
to bring this bloody and cruel conflict to and end with political means.
We will in particular address all parlia mentarians,
national and European, so that they will raise the issue in their parliaments.
Helsinki, 21 January, 2005
Finnish PEN Club
Finland-Chechnya Society
Green League of Finland
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