STABILITY
FOR CAUCASUS; BUT HOW ?
War
still continues in The Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. Abkhazia is under
the threat of Georgia-supported armed groups and suffers from the
embargo imposed since six years. Tiflis-South Ossetia dispute is temporarily
in icebox. Refugee problems between Ingushetia and Ossetia continues
with small scale local clashes. And all of the Caucasian Republics
are thirsty for stability.
The war that continues in Chechnya since September 1999 have taken
thousands of lives and have forced more than the half of the population
of Chechnya to leave their homeland.
Paris Club's credits have financed Russian war machinery in Chechnya
and The Club have kept its silence and have concentrated on how to
recollect the lent money.
Limitations in economies of North Caucasus, burdensome industrial
structure of the Soviet period and its resulting unemployment and
lack of investment, the spirit of Politburo and KGB in state organization,
non transparent structure of state administration, and lack of secure
medium for private enterprise all have fed the lawlessness. Increase
in abductions and ransom trade, the climb of terror and why the organized
crime got stronger are not mere coincidences.
URGENT ACTION
PLAN FOR CHECHNYA
The war that continues in Chechnya since September 1999 have targeted
complete extinction of the Chechen People. The war must be stopped
immediately and political solutions must be searched.
---An immediate cease-fire must be declared and Russia must pull out
its military from Chechnya.
---Damage of 1994-1996 war has followed another, in year 1999 and
a lasting peace is the only alternative. Steps to meet the two Presidents
must be taken. Mr Putin and Mr Maskhadov should meet at negotiation
table. NATO, United Nations, OSCE and The European Union must mediate.
---It must be remembered that Russia have not been loyal to its commitments
of 1996 and 1997 in the Agreements reached with the Chechen Republic
of Ichkeria and have acted to take revenge of its defeat in year 1996.
For this very reason, it is necessary that international mediators
or observers assist the meeting of Russia and Chechnya. An international
overseer mechanism should follow up the conformity of the sides.
---An international commission must investigate the war crimes and
human rights violations in Chechnya. Concentration camp victims, torture
victims, victims of all material damage must be registered as evidences
of History. All victims must be compensated.
---Criminals must be found and brought in front of justice.
---International help organizations must have free access into Chechnya.
---Independent media must have access and have freedom of travel in
Chechnya.
The People of Chechnya are the victims of international community
whom thinks of Chechnya as an internal matter of Russia. This kind
of approach have only made it easy for Russia to view Chechnya as
its backyard. This approach must be questioned as a covered consent
to the crimes committed by the aggressor.
TO AVOID ANOTHER
ABKHAZIA GEORGIA WAR
An armed terrorist group of 500 men were stationed in Georgia for
the last 3-4 months and started aggression against Abkhazia since
2 October 2001. Georgia have denied the presence of this armed group
but the responsibility of controlling this group is still with Georgia.
The Abkhazian side believes that the said group is supported by the
Georgian intelligence.
This armed group have stepped into the Kodor region of Abkhazia and
have attacked to some villages and have downed a helicopter of United
Nations Observers on 09 October 2001. The next provocation have been
the bombardment of Kodor region by SU-25 aircraft. Georgia claimed
them as Russian aircraft. Tiflis and Sohum took war positions and
Russia fortified its borders.
Abkhazia is now surrounded by Georgian and Russian armies. Common
sense is expected from Georgia. Any Georgian adventure will provoke
all of the North Caucasus (Abkhazians have not forgotton the Georgian
invasion in 1992 when everything seemed peaceful and there were plenty
of federation talk. Abkhazian Parliament were reviewing the proposals
of federal structures with Tiflis.There the unexpected Georgian invasion
came.)
There is confidence crisis between the sides. International community
must take necessary steps to prevent the start of a new conflict.
11 SEPTEMBER
OPPORTUNISM
Caucasian diaspora is anxious of the sensitive developments taking
place after the 11 September terror in USA: is anxious of exploitation
by Russia and Georgia, is anxious of its transformation into subversion
by the belligerents at Caucasus.
It must be remembered that the Peoples of the Caucasus are victims
of State Terrorizm for the past 400 years. Caucasian Peoples are looking
for peace and freedom.(Caucasians have never been aggressors and invaders.
Caucasians are forced to leave their homeland in year 1864 and have
been victims of irreparable injustice.The population of Caucasus were
5 million 137 years ago and today it is still 5 million. The population
of the Caucasian Diaspora is much more than the population of Caucasus.
There are 100.000 Abkhazians in Abkhazia and there are 400,000 Abkhazian
living in Turkey. Wars and exiles have not effected the peaceful character
of the caucasians. They have been peaceful citizens of the countries
they are living in. The Caucasian Diaspora in Turkey, Jordan, Syria,
Egypt, Israel and United States strongly adheres to their cultural
heritage and stay attached to the developments at Caucasus. The future
of Caucasus is a living concern of the Diaspora.
Chechnya and Abkhazia are not the internal matters of Russia and Georgia.
Russia is trying to abuse the feelings of the international community
with terror references to Chechnya. President Putin said on television
that "The Russian war in Chechnya should be considered as international
terrorizm." An obvious effort of Mr Putin to launder the crimes
of the Russian military invasion of Chechnya. (President Putin's
laundry efforts have caused reaction in Russia itself and Russian
human rights organization Memorial and Helsinki Moscow Group and Russian
Soldiers Mothers' Commitee and Sakharov Foundation collectively reacted
on 18 September to the Kremlin intrigue.)
Caucasian struggle of independence for the last 400 years can not
be diverted by empty terror talk of the Kremlin. Time again Mr Putin
pops up and remarks thru his envoy Viktor Kazantsev and mentions of
the historical background of the Chechen conflict and thereby admitted
that Wahhabism is not enough to explain the conflict in Chechnya.
WHAT
IS THE COST OF STABILITY ?
In conclusion, Chechnya was the Caucasian barrier for Russia for 400
years.Russian Secret Services' terror perpetrations in Russia never
proved to be the work of Chechens.Any effort to relate Chechnya with
terrorizm is a lie against History. And will never explain the horrors
of Russian massacres and total genocide of a nation. Any deviation
may produce uncontrollable reactionary centers. Settlement of the
Chechen conflict will always require the realities of the region and
the History. The solution depends on acceptance by The Chechen People.
Stability for Caucasus limited to Southern Caucasus has no chance
at all. The chance of such a stability is almost zero. The newly independent
states of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia after year 1990 are presented
as trium-stability and the North Caucasus is left alone in the dominance
of the Russian Federation.
Abkhazian conflict must be considered with the sensitivity of the
North Caucasian Peoples. Abkhazia have preserved its independence
by help of both North Caucasian Peoples and Diaspora. The volunteers
of the 1992-1993 Georgian Abkhazian war, are closely interested in
decisions about Abkhazia.
Abkhazian question from the eyeglasses of Georgia have caused the
Sohum Administration to have warmer relations with Russia. Sohum Administration
is considering to join the Russian Federation in case of Georgian
attack.
The demand for stability at Caucasus should not be interpreted and
transformed into subversion of the demands of the Smaller Peoples.
The cost of stability at Caucasus should not manifest as leaving Chechnya
to the temperance of the Russian Federation and Abkhazia into the
hands of Georgia.
DECLARATION
STABILITY FOR CAUCASUS
OCTOBER 2001 BRUSSELS
Caucasus Foundation
|
'Search
for Stability in the Caucasus II' Conference and Discussion
Sessions, Brussels, 25-26 October
Participant
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