Memorial and War Victims
Society report of collection of signatures for termination of "counter-terrorist
operation"
The collection of signatures, of course, is carried out in Chechnya. Russian Memorial
and War Victims Society report that the collection of signatures took start in
the Urus-Martan district, where on Saturday the first open letter bearing
the signatures of more than 2200 residents of the republic, was sent to Vladimir
Putin.
According to one of the initiators of the action, Chairman of the War Victims
Society Zeinap Jambekova, although being frightened, people come to sign
the document. Jambekova says, collection of signatures continues and soon
next copy of the open letter with hundreds and thousands signatures will be sent
to Putin. The letter reads that the war is already in its fourth year, people
have lost any belief to be protected and are not sure the referendum will
be of any use and bring any improvement under the existing conditions. The point
is, reads the letter, that although there are many laws in Russia directed on
protection and security of the citizens, they are no good for Chechnya,
i.e. they are not in force here. The letter suggests four conditions non-fulfillment
of which, according to the signatories, the referendum cannot be considered free
will of the Chechen people and will be useless, and namely: cessation of
Russia's operation until 1 March; guaranteeing the security of the civilians;
lifting the curfew and making public the information on formerly detained and
missing residents of the republic. According to Jambekova, in Urus-Martan district
eight civilians, having nothing common with the Resistance Movement, have been
captured lately and are missing. Jambekova does not exclude that those villages
the residents of which refuse to take part in the Referendum held on 23 March,
will be subject to punitive-retaliatory actions on the part of the Russians.
The organizers of the collection of signatures action applied to the representatives
of official Grozny TV and radio broadcasting, however, they refused to broadcast
to the country about the thousands of their countrymen having already signed the
letter to Vladimir Putin. Jambakova has been explained that this kind of
information is strictly tabooed until the referendum is held. And what will be
after the Referendum?...