Caucasus Foundation

OSCE Reports

AN URGENT APPEAL
TO ALL PEACE-LOVING PEOPLE, ORGANISATIONS AND NATIONS OF THE WORLD
SAVE THE PEOPLE OF CHECHNYA FROM GENOCIDE!
SAVE THE INDEPENDENCE OF CHECHNYA!

TO THE ATTENTION OF TURKEY'S AND THE WORLD'S PUBLIC OPION!
TO THE ATTENTION OF TURKEY'S AND THE WORLD'S CIVIL COMMUNITY UNIONS!
TO THE ATTENTION OF TURKEY'S AND THE WORLD'S STATES AND THE COMPOTENTS OF THE GOVERMENTS!

AN URGENT APPEAL
TO ALL PEACE-LOVING PEOPLE, ORGANISATIONS AND NATIONS OF THE WORLD
SAVE THE PEOPLE OF CHECHNYA FROM GENOCIDE!
SAVE THE INDEPENDENCE OF CHECHNYA!

A tragic human drama is being played out before our eyes and despite protests by individuals, organisations and nations, little has been done to protect Innocent civilians from being subjected to a merciless onslaught, all in the name of destroying
terrorism and banditry. Indiscriminate bombing, inhuman treatment, rape as well as murder of captured fighters and non-combatants has happened.

Denials by the military and the Russian government continue despite the documentary eyewitness evidence.

All this is considered to be an internal affair and the outside world is asked not to meddle in what is only the concern of Russia.

First it was Czarist Russia that conquered Chechnya, Then Stalinist Russia which banished Chechens from their land and now, Russia, under Putin, along with its revengeful military trying to regain its status, is trying to obliterate a people right in front of a world that seems to be incapable or unwilling to stop it!

To all defenders of civilisation, peace, liberty, democracy and human rights!

We, the grandsons and granddaughters of those who were forced to leave their native land due to Russian imperialism, call upon you to do something more than expressing displeasure over what Russia thinks it can get away with.

Those who allow this misery to continue without taking more forceful action, without using the political and economic means at their disposal, must bear the guilt of a policy which allows the principles of peace and liberty to be disregarded with impunity.

After Chechnya exercised its right not to enter the Russian Federation, Russia invaded in 1994 and attempted to enforce its will. The war ended with an agreement in 1996 to discuss the matter in December 2001.

Using the excuse of an unproved terrorism, she violated this agreement, as apparently she had every intention of doing as soon as she found the suitable time. This creates an unacceptable precedent that all nations must object to if a peaceful world, without state terrorism, can continue to exist.

Civilised countries are supposed to enter agreements to honour them, not to violate them, and dishonour themselves in the process.

One by one, countries have divested themselves or been divested of their colonies which have been acquired by force. France also claimed Algeria as part of her territory and the rebellion an internal affair and more recently, East Timor, with much accompanied suffering, has been allowed a referendum to gain Its independence, through pressure of concerned nations.

Powerful countries can no longer afford to enslave the weaker ones.
We invite concerned citizens, non-governmental organisations and all civilised states of the world to urgently focus all their attention and energies to resolving this humanitarian problem so that a permanent and honourable peace can be achieved.

We, the granddaughters and grandsons and their civil community unions of the northern Caucasus people, who were banished in the19th century from the Russian Czar, we appeal to you:
Is there anybody, who is not disquiet from the human suffrage situation in Chechnya? We don't believe in that. Although Moscow has imposed a media block, the little information that has leaked to the media is horrifying and one can't dare imagine what more suffrage that the Chechen people go through.
But as defenders of human rights, liberty, peace and democracy; democratic community unions and civilized world states, for stopping the bleeding in Chechnya, the banishing and destruction of a nation, what have we done, what are we doing, isn't there anything we could do?
The forces of civilization, human rights, peace and democracy, are they so weak and incapable to pay attention?
Or are they so insensible?
We don't call anyone to fight. We never want war. Our call is just to use the force and the possibilities we have to use it for human rights and peace faster and effectually only!
As a matter of fact, we are too late. Tomorrow, it will be much later. Before it is finally too late for anything, we want to take action!
We repeat: there's livening an human dramatically situation in Chechnya today. And it is not good for anyone, an unfair and not honourable for anyone human dramatically situation!
Ten thousands of women, children, old and ill people were bombed from the air! Hundred thousands of people were have been expelled from their territories, tens of thousands have died and are dieing from cold, starvation and illness!
European Union, EC, United Nations, the states of the civilized world, democratic people, who love peace and liberty loving democratically people, democratical community unions, you all-we all if with a private profit or plan, or if with the influence of the aggressive power's misrepresentation of new or paying a blind eye to the suffrage. We are sharing the crime in Chechnya.
We call to everyone, to set free from this human crime, which is happening in front of the world's eyes.
These violent attacks, which are made against the Chechen people the justifications, are wholly lies, unfounded and invalid.
The first justification that was explained was that this matter is Russia's internal matter.
A short journey to the near past will show that this claim is invalid. Chechnya has never been matter within Russia's borders.
*Based on the fundamental laws of the USSR of 5 December 1936, the Republic of Chechnya was with the name Chechen-Ingush autonomous soviet socialist Republic in the Russian Soviet Socialist Federation.

*As well known, with the departure of the Baltic States from the Federation in the eighties, the USSR began to disperse, in the year 1990 the separation was officially declared and de facto made, the fundamental laws of the USSR and after this of the Russian Federation was no more valid. With the invalidity of these two fundamental laws, the units of administrations, which formed this federation, were legally free.
*Meanwhile Chechnya declared her independence on 01. November 1991.
*With the end of the "Russian Federation Agreement", a new rough draft of agreement was prepared and was given for the approval to the old sovereign federate republics.
*This agreement was accepted and signed by most of the mentioned federate republics on 31. March 1992 except Chechnya and Tataristan, so they were outside of this new federation. After they had given several agreeable rights to Tataristan, they decided to join the Russian Federation. But Chechnya did not change her decision to be independent.
*Not just staying outside of the Russian Federation, Chechnya neither joined the Russian army, nor the Russian elections, referendums, laws etc. Chechnya made her own elections and established her own state associations.
*Although several meetings were made between Chechnya and the Russian Federation, the decision of Chechnya not to join the Russian Federation and to stay independent was made.
After this happened, the Russian Federation began a military attack on the Chechen territory on 11 December 1994. Although the Russian military declared that it would take around 1-2 hours, till they get Grozny, but with the pressure of the other northern Caucasus and the Russian Federation Folks folks and with the pressure of civil community unions and also with the world's public opinion, this injustice attack stopped on 31 August 1996.
*The first agreement that stopped the war was the agreement made in Hasavyurt signed as two equal sides by A.Lebed for the Russian Federation and in the name of Chechnya president A. Masxadov, the second was signed for the Russian Federation by president B. Yeltsin in person and in the name of Chechnya president A. Masxadov.
*In the signed agreements, this matter would be taken up by 31st December 2001 at the latest. The relationship between these two sides would be in accordance with international rules and principles. Later on there would be peaceful consultations so as to reach a peaceful and lasting agreement that would be free from violence, threat.
*This agreement is seen as an important political step for the realization of the political freedom of Chechnya in the international political arena.
As can be seen both Chechnya and Russia are two nations with equal rights to existence. There is no agreement whatsoever that binds Chechnya to Russia!
Russia and Chechnya went to war as two different nations in the years 1994-96. These two nations twice signed peace treaties with each other on equal footing. Then what right does Moscow have to tell the world that the treaties aren't applicable? Since the world is unaware of these two treaties, it is no wonder that when Russia sends its military to protect its "sovereignty ", they believe.
It is because of this that we believe that the attack on Chechnya by Russian forces is neither an internal affair. In fact it is simply a war between two nations! To be more precise it is an outright offensive against the Chechnya people who have thus been subjected to genocide and illegal occupation.
As world moved in to the millennium with great expectations, it is sad to note that some part of this world- Chechnya is suffering an in despicable Basic Human Rights violations by Russia!!
It is thus the responsibility of the world to solve the suffrage of Chechnya for it is indeed a world problem requiring urgent attention.
Thus Chechnya is as much as Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, and East Timor and thus deserves as much attention as these did receive!
Why then must Moscow repeat what it went through in the previous war? Why should Moscow attack Chechnya, justify the attack on Chechnya and convince the world that what they are involved in is their internal affair? It is for this purpose that before their last attack on Chechnya, Moscow was involved in abductions, sabotage, organised crime as a provocation against the Chechnya people. It has come to light that all the implications on Chechnya were actually the workings of Moscow!!!
Chechens are not terrorist as Putin tries to disseminate. They do not take aim at any innocent civilians. Even in the famous Budenovsk raid, Chechens take pains not to injure anybody - except the people who were killed by Russian Security Forces in the operations. They handed over their mums the soldiers who were captured during the 1994-1996 wars. They did not injure these soldiers never. This behavior is a requirement of their beliefs and understanding of being human.

And also, it is impossible to understand that Russia compares Chechnya with PKK and oppress Turkey with that way. It is extremely upsetting that our people and administrators are affected by this comparison. As stated above, this comparison is not valid by no means. Because Russia is a federation and Chechnya is a federal state even before independence. The state between Turkey and PKK is completely different.

The efforts of direction of Yeltsin-Putin to announce Chechnya as "violence supporter fundamentalist" , "vahabist" and to show that Chechens are assisted by fundamentalists are a cold war tactic that directed towards to mislead the world public opinion against to Chechens.

Chechens are Muslims but not fundamentalist or vahabist. Chechens are just Muslims and against all kind of violence.

it is right that Chechens are more religious than the other Caucasian communities. Because, when they were exiled to Siberia in railway cars for animals and cargo within 24 hours by Stalin with the accusation of co-operation with Germans in 1944, when Chechen's dead bodies became feed for wolfs, when they lived in exile for 13 years, when half of them died there is not any power, any support with them except Allah and Islam. Because of the fact above it must be understood why Chechens are devout people.

+++ We should not be deceived support shows in spite of the silence of democracy and human rights circles Russian's propaganda. Moreover, Chechnya struggles for her own life, can not select between aids.

Russia tries to disseminate that, Chechnya is their land and Chechens are their citizens.
Which state can bomb mercilessly her own land and wipe it off the map.
Which state can destroy her own citizens completely.
Moreover, can anybody have a right to kill his child, brother, sister by saying this is my problem?

NO! Neither Chechnya is a Russian land, nor Chechens are Russian.
Chechnya is Chechens'. Chechnya is the home of Chechens who are the nation of North Caucasus.

In addition, Russia tries to disseminate that, they are fighting against terrorists and people who resort to violence.
Is this fight against terror by bombing everywhere, towns and cities by killing everybody children, citizens, woman, girls, the elderly. This is not fight against terror. This fight is terror on its own.

Today in Chechnya, many international agreements and protocols like The Universal Declarations of Human Rights, Europe Human Rights Declaration and bilateral treaties between Russia and Chechnya are violated by Russia. Today Chechnya is the setting for a Disgraceful drama.

Today, what is tried to make in Chechnya, in past have been made to Adiges, Abhazians, Ubixes. This is an effort to create a Chechnya without Chechens. This is a attempt of genocide which is carried out mercilessly for expelling Chechens from their land and getting rid of the history. We, all people have to stop this merciless genocide, destroying a nation completely, levelling a country to the ground.

From now on, we all people have to support the peace in Chechnya. We have to get the peace and honour of being people under control.

In this connection, we can list important and urgent matters those must be done;

1. Democratic and diplomatic attempts must be frequent and international community must be begin to act.
2. Economic cooperation and loan agreements those have been made with Russia must be stopped. Russia must be forced to make requirements of international law and agreements those have been signed.
3. Ceasefire must be declared in Chechnya right now.
4. Aid like drug, medicine, food must be reached to countries that Chechen Refugees live in (first, the Ingush Republic) and directly to Chechnya urgently. These aids must be given to people in need of help.
5. It must be possible that Human Rights Organizations, journalists, unbiased observers can observe the region.
6. Russia must be stop his aggressive behavior and restriction of travel towards to Chechens who live outside of Chechnya and towards to the other Caucasian people.
7. The status and the future of Chechnya must be considered by international community arbitration, a permanent and honorable peace must be established and guaranteed.

We believe that,
If democratic community unions join forces with each other and even the unions in Russia, if Civilized World governments join forces together for peace and humanity, they can stop the bleeding and establish a lasting peace together.

We humbly call the world,
All the democratic communities,
All civilized states,
To use their democratic, diplomatic, economical, political ... power, to help find a lasting peaceful solution.

LETS JOIN FORCES FOR LASTÝNG PEACE IN CHECHNYA!!!

LONG LIVE PIECE AND DEMOCRACY
LONG LIVE HUMAN RIGHTS
LONG LIVE HONOR OF BEING HUMAN!!!

LONG LIVE CHECHNYA!!!

Representative of 57 Caucasian democratic community unions and participators of Chechen Panel accept this writing unanimously.
27 February 2000