103009 Moscow tel.(095)291-62-33
M.Kislovsky per. tel/fax (095)202-22-24
building 7, corpus 1, office 21, e-mail: zpch@online.ru

To Federal Chancellor of Germany
Mr. Gerhard Schroeder

To Prime Minister of Canada
Mr. Jean Chretien

To Prime Minister of Italy
Cavaliere Silvio Berlusconi

To President of France
Mr. Jacques Chirac

To Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Right Honorable Tony Blair

To President of the United States of America
Mr. George Bush

To Prime Minister of Japan
Mr. Junichiro Koizumi

We appeal to you and the leaders of all nations participating in the Genoa summit of July 21-22, 2001 to address the following issue.

As citizens of the Russian Federation, our conscience and sense of responsibility compel us to draw your attention to the tragic events currently taking place in the North Caucasus, where violations of the basic human rights to life, health, and security occur daily. Already for the 20-month military actions have been taking place in Chechnya and nearby regions, bringing death and suffering to hundreds of thousands of people. This is a serious threat to the future of the North Caucasian Region, as well as to democracy in Russia.

Both sides in the military conflict are committing grave violations of human rights as well as international humanitarian law. However, the casualties among the civil population and the material damage perpetrated by the Russian troops are by far the greater. What is being done in Chechnya is against Russian constitutional law and international treaties cosigned by Russia.

Under the guise of what is officially called “the struggle with terrorism” wide-scale military actions have been initiated in Chechnya that are aimed at the whole population of the Republic. This is a cynical policy that turns a military campaign into genocide and inflicts the mass destruction of life and property. In response to the actions of Chechen armed troops the Russian forces respond by terrorizing the peaceful population by shelling and bombarding settlements and subsequent violence and plundering during “zachistky” (mopping-up operations). Hundreds of corpses have been found showing signs of torture and execution after being detained by the Russian military.

If we are to struggle with terrorism and establish peace and stability in the region, all of this leads us to exactly the opposite.

In the refugee camps on the territory of Ingushetia the situation is absolutely desperate. Russian authorities trying to force the refugees to return to Chechnya stop food supplies from the federal budget and cut off the flow of humanitarian help from foreign and international organizations. High-ranking Russian military officers threaten military actions in Ingushetia.

As representatives of Russian society and members of the Anti-War Committee for a Peaceful Resolution in Chechnya, we realize that it is primarily the task of Russian citizens themselves to influence the Russian authorities. However, we also believe that the world community should not indifferently observe such a tragedy or limit itself to empty declarations.

Given the situation it is absolutely necessary to demand from the Russian Federation an immediate end to the violence in the Chechen Republic. This conflict can be resolved only by political measures, which are not possible without peace talks between the legitimate leadership of the Chechen Republic and the Russian Federation.

This year at the end of March the members of the Anti-War Committee for a Peaceful Resolution in Chechnya appealed to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria Aslan Maskhadov to begin peace talks immediately and without preconditions. In May we received a positive response from Maskhadov, but as yet have not received any reply from Putin.

We appeal to you to most resolutely raise the question of the gross violations of human rights in the Chechen Republic at the Genoa summit.

We appeal to you to put before President Putin the question of the necessity of an immediate start of peace talks between Russia and Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov.

We appeal to you to insist on the immediate access of international observers to the conflict zone and the restoration of legitimate humanitarian aid to the refugees.

S. A. Kovalyov, deputy, Russian State Duma
Y. A. Rybakov, deputy, Russian State Duma
S. N. Yushenkov, deputy, Russian State Duma
G. Bitov, writer
I. Vaksberg, writer
F. G. Svetov, writer
P. Tkachenko, writer
E. G. Bonner, chair, Andrei Sakharov Foundation
Zuleikhan Bagalova, people’s artist of Chechnya-Ingushetia, merited artist of the Russian Federation, director of LAM/Center for Complex Research and Popularization of Chechen Culture
R. N. Badalov, chair, Chechen National Salvation Committee
V. V. Borschev, Moscow Helsinki Group
S. A. Gannushkina, Civic Assistance Committee
O. P. Orlov, Memorial Human Rights Center
L. A. Ponomaryov, executive director, Russian National Movement for Human Rights
Y. V. Samodurov, director, Andrei Sakharov Museum and Cultural Center
L. D. Gydkov, Ph.D., sociologist
I. G. Yakovenko, Ph.D., historian

1. Copy of the appeal by the Committee for Termination of War and Establishing Peace in Chechen Republic to President of the Russian Federation V. Putin and Chechen President Maskhadov.

2. Copy of the appeal by President A. Maskhadov to the Committee for Termination of War and Establishing Peace in Chechen Republic.

3. Information about the Committee for Termination of War and Establishing Peace in Chechen Republic.