Council of Europe denounces terrorist act in Chechnya

May 12, 2003

From RIA Novosti correspondent Viktor Onuchko/. -

The Council of Europe members have denounced the terrorist* act in the Chechen village of Znamenskoye that resulted in numerous casualties.

"The civilised world feels only despise towards those who blindly use violence against innocent people** to achieve their political goals, " said Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Peter Schieder. "For years the Chechen population has seen only war and destruction. Today it desires nothing but peace and a better, more stable future," he pointed out. The only way to achieve this is to give up violence, to start a political dialog and to respect human rights, Schieder believes.***

The perpetrators of the terrorist act in Znamenskoye acted against the interests and will of the Chechen people, he announced. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer in his turn recalled that it had been in Znamenskoye that the Council's representatives contributed to improving the situation with human rights during the last three years via the bureau of President Putin's special envoy. "Znamenskoye is a place dear to our hearts, as there the Council of Europe experts established both professional and personal links with local population," Schwimmer pointed out. "Unfortunately, this incident is not the only one. Violence that is daily witnessed in Chechnya does not bring solutions to any political problems, but gives rise to more violence," the Secretary General said. He also offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the tragedy.**** The terrorist act in Chechnya was also commented on by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Alvaro Gil-Robles, who had recently visited the region. Being in Slovenia, he denounced the explosion in Znamenskoye and also offered his condolences to the families of the victims. "Organisers of such acts seriously jeopardise aspirations of the Chechen people to build their future in a stable and peaceful atmosphere," Gil-Robles said. At the same time, "this should not stop the political process***** and lead to disproportionate reaction," he believes.

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Comment:

* One should be informed that the suicide bombing was against the FSB (Russian secret service) headquarters. In these places the mop-up operations that terrorize the civilian population are planned. It is in these governmental buildings that people frequently "disappear" and it is in these kind of  structures where cellars are used as torture chambers. Why was a cruise missile attack against the secret service headquarters of Saddam Hussein considered as a legitimate "act of war of liberation" by a part of the "civilized world", whereas here it becomes a "terrorist" attack?

** At this time, it is far from clear how many victims here can be called "innocent people".

*** Schider forgets to mention that there is a Chechen part of the guerrilla ready to start a political dialog and that, so far, there is no willingness from the other side.