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An Open Appeal to the President of the Russian Federation from Leading Russian Human Rights Activists, Moscow, 9 February 2005

Cease-Fire in Chechnya and Talks with Maskhadov are Necessary

For more than 10 years now, with a quasi three-year break, in reality Russia has been at war with Chechnya. This has been a terrible war, with tens of thousands of casualties, hundreds of thousands of crippled people, destroyed cities and a ruined economy. Recently, a new opportunity has arisen to put a stop to this vicious conflict – Aslan Maskhadov, the political leader of the Chechen resistance, has not only ordered a unilateral cease-fire, but has also publicly condemned Basayev's actions. He stressed that Basayev should be tried by an international tribunal, thereby, defiantly dissociating himself not only from Basayev, but also from the whole radical wing of insurgents. In no case, should this historical chance for peace be missed.

We understand that it is very easy to ignore this unprecedented gesture of the opponent calling it a "trick." Yet, to ignore it will only result in radical groups of insurgents placing more pressure on the moderate wing calling them traitors. And then nothing will stop the final transformation of the Chechen war into an "eternal conflict," or prevent its further proliferation across the whole of the Northern Caucasus.

Terrorists are capable of supporting the existing level of military-terrorist activities for many years, especially if Chechnya is surrounded by the same intensive terror and insurgent war support system, which has been formed around Israel or Iraq, now occupied by international coalition troops. This will be an extremely heavy blow for Russia. It is also clear that the number of Islamic radicals among the insurgents will increase year after year, for whom the Chechen war is just one of several fronts in the fight against the West, and who need "a war for war’s sake." In parallel, the radicalization of the civil population will grow. Radicals are not interested in any terms for a peace settlement, even the most favourable for the secular wing of separatists. At the same time, we will witness an even faster growth in the strength and power of ultranationalists in the Russian politics ready to use the Chechen conflict and terror to build up fascism in the country. The conclusion is obvious – the earlier a clear political dialogue between the Russian federal authorities with the moderate wing of the Chechen resistance is launched, the more chances we may have of reaching a peace settlement.

History teaches that negotiations are the only means of achieving by political methods what is difficult to achieve by force.

Mr. President, peace talks with a moderate wing of insurgents are a promising political alternative, in fact a unique way to prevent transformation of Chechnya into another confrontation line of Islamic radicalism and western civilization. Now, perhaps, Russia is faced with a key historical decision; another chance has appeared to save many thousands of lives. Should the chance be lost, the future generations of politicians will have to find a way out of the deadlock under much more difficult conditions.

Mr. President, we are calling you – as the Supreme Commander in Chief, the guarantor of the constitutional rights of the citizens of Russia, and, above all, of the right to life, to order a cease-fire in Chechnya and to form a delegation to commence talks with Maskhadov on a peaceful political settlement.