|
Declaration of Committee for Chechnya and Northern Caucasus on the Situation in Chechnya and Northern Caucasus
10.Aug.02 - In the year 1999 so-called "counter-terrorist operation" started in Chechnya. In fact, it's the 2nd stage of armed conflict between sympathisers of Checnya's independence and Russian government. A lot of muslims who live in Chechnya and republics of Northern Caucasus are proclaimed terrorists by Russian forces. The "counter-terrorist operation" resulted in massive abuses of human rights. Residents of the region falsely accused of participation in the "illegal paramilitary groups", are detained for months, are beaten in the jails, their relatives are threatened, so-called "disappearences" happen in big number. The Interior Ministry's policemen demand collaboration from the people, threatening to press criminal charges under false or fabricated accusations if they refuse.
These persecutions also target muslims of Northern Caucasus' origin who live in any region of Russia. The situation worsened and became especially harsh after the terrorist acts in New York and the start of the counter-terrorist operation by USA. Russian politicians do everything possible to create the image of Russia as a democratic state. But in fact - as it's clear from the reports of human rights organisations the systematic repressions and human rights abuses are taking place there.
Thousands of those people who're under persecution at home are now trying to take political asylim in Europe. But it became almost impossible for them to obtain the status of refugee. The denials are motivated by the statements that Russia is a "democratic state" where no one is persecuted because of belonging to specific ethnic, religious or social group. If we look at the facts - it'll become clear that such statements are simply false. And because of this we're sure that Europe is in need of the campaign for granting real political asylim.
The Committee for Chechnya and Northern Caucasus was established at the No-Border Camp in Jena, Germany (12.07.02-19.07.02). The committee members decided to take part in the "Reclaim the Highways" convoy from Jena to International No-Border Camp in Strasburg, France. The Strasburg No-Border Camp is taking place to fight for the rights of refugees and freedom of movement, against deportation, "Fortress Europe" and the SIS. The committee decided to take part in the camp to draw attention to the situation of refugees from Chechnya and Northern Caucasus.
On 22.07.02 committee members spoke at press-conference, answering the questions of journalists. On 24.07.02 the Committee for Chechnya and Northern Caucasus joined actions in Strasburg under slogans "Stop genocide in Chechnya and Northern Caucasus", "Stop deportation to Chechnya and Northern Caucasus". A workshop at the camp was organised to build a political movement around this topic. Indymedia have also broadcast, via the internet, a radio programme about this issue.
The main demand of the Committee for Chechnya and Northern Caucasus is that Europe acknowledges the genocide and persecution of muslims from Chechnya and Northern Caucasus in Russia and stops deportation to Russia.
Murat Aliev, Gulnara Karaketova, Olga Miryasova, Aslan Wagapov, Jusup Wagapov
Committee for Chechnya and Northern Caucasus
For more information on situation of Chechenian refugees please visit related parts of www.noborder.org, refugee.memo.ru, www.amnesty.org, www.memo.ru/eng/memhrc/migration/.
Contact address:
Stadtroda
Am Bahnhof 13
D 07646
Gulnara Karaketova or Jusup Vagapov
Tel.: (00) 49-162-330-18-76 (chechen, russian, german)
E-mail: chechen_jena@yahoo.de (chechen, karachajev, russian, german)
Committee for Chechnya and Northern Caucasus
[back to top]
|
