| Chechnya: Not All Around the Table European parliament holds meeting on the Chechen conflict, but only the Russians and their local allies attend. By Timur Aliev in Strasbourg (CRS No. 279, 25-Mar-05) Hopes that the various sides in the Chechnya conflict would use a recent international round table in Strasbourg to begin discussions with each other were dashed when both representatives of the rebel government and key human rights activists decided to stay away. Convened under the auspices of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, PACE, the round table went ahead as scheduled on March 21. Officials from both Chechnya and Russia were present, along with representatives of various independent public institutions and around 40 invited experts. But the absence of any members of the rebel Chechen leadership undermined its credibility from the outset. "We had hoped to create an atmosphere for discussions," said Andreas Gross, the PACE rapporteur on Chechnya and one of the organisers of the round table. However, before his death on March 9, the rebel president Aslan Maskhadov had spoken out against the meeting. "Citizens of Chechnya trained by the [Russian] Federal authorities, traitors and betrayers will participate in this round table.... A few cowardly deputies from our parliament will also be among them," he predicted in an interview published on the rebels' Daimokhk website. In the event, none of those on Maskhadov's list attended and his envoys in Europe also stayed away. It is unclear whether Moscow wanted Chechen rebel politicians who are prepared to renounce talk of independence to attend. Details of Moscow's negotiations with PACE about how these talks would work had not been made public, but the European body had agreed to Russia's main requirement: that only those who publicly reject terrorism and do not question the Russian state's integrity could attend. Moreover, Russian insistence that separatists could only attend as private citizens, not as a delegation, made it impossible for the two sides to operate on an equal footing within the forum. Gross visited one of Maskhadov's representatives in London, but failed to persuade him to attend. The deputy foreign minister in the separatist government, Usman Ferzauli, told the Russian Gazeta.ru website that he had not received instructions from Abdul-Khalim Saidulayev, who became the separatists' acting president after Maskhadov's death. The late president's plenipotentiary representative, Akhmed Zakayev, told the Kommersant newspaper that the breakaway government is not ready to move forward with peace initiatives in the wake of his killing. In an open letter to PACE Secretary General Bruno Haller, three leading Chechen human rights activists explained that they saw little point in attending a round table without "delegated representatives of the resistance forces". "The dialogue needs to be between the belligerents themselves. That means between the Russian leadership and the leadership of the Chechen Republic," they wrote. The activists, Ruslan Badalov, Libkan Bazayev and Doku Itslayev, pointed out that they had taken part in similar hearings two years ago, held within the framework of a commission linking the Russian parliament and PACE. Seemingly irritated by their intervention, Gross noted that the activists "have not learned new methods of communication", an apparent reference to their choice of an open letter instead of email. During the discussions, it was clear that representatives of Chechnya's official, Moscow-backed government were following the line laid out by Chechen president Alu Alkhanov in an interview before his departure for Strasbourg. He said the delegation would use the round table to discuss "the resolution of economic and humanitarian issues in the republic", since the republic's future direction and status is already an established fact. A few interesting ideas were presented by other participants. The International Helsinki Federation representative, Tatyana Lokshina, proposed declaring a state of emergency in Chechnya. In her view, the conflict would then become the direct responsibility of the Russian government. "In that way, EU and OSCE representatives could be invited to Chechnya to monitor the situation, thereby enabling people to express their will more openly," she said. Yves Cohen, director of the Cultural Centre in Paris, expressed regret that no rebel representatives had attended the meeting. "It is a pity that part of the Chechen public are not represented, and that Russia does not wish to see them represented," he said. Before leaving the meeting in protest, he added, "The Russian side's faith in the discussion process was clearly demonstrated when Maskhadov was killed." As a compromise, the author of this article proposed holding parliamentary elections in Chechnya, with the condition that separatist politicians including the radical leader Shamil Basayev should be allowed to take part. The Kremlin would first need to fully rehabilitate such figures and transform Chechnya's political system from a presidential to a parliamentary one. Closing the discussions, Gross said the various proposals would be discussed, and a further round table held on that basis. A date will be set at the PACE session in April. As the meeting was closed and press attention focused on what the official participants had said, the voices of the few representatives of Chechnya's independent public institutions passed unnoticed. Bolstered by the absence of the separatists, Alkhanov commented, "In general, I got an agreeable feeling that we [Europe and Chechnya] are moving a bit closer together." Others may beg to differ. "The only significant decision to be made there was whether such round tables will be held in the future, or if this will be a stillborn baby," said Lokshina. In her view, the only positive outcome of the round table was a better awareness that further talks will only be viable if a wider circle of actors are able to attend. Gross agreed, but stressed that the existence of such a forum was itself a positive development. "There may not have been full representation at this meeting, but different people had the opportunity to speak," he said, adding that he hopes that Zakayev's representatives will agree to attend the next event. A view borne out by Satsita Isaeva, chairwoman of the Chechen Council of Non-Government Organisations. "Meetings like these are not about victories or defeats. This was just an opportunity for opponents to meet and to talk. I would say that Zakaev's absence is less a protest than an indication that they don't have a concrete position; that they are not ready to make any kind of statement," she said. Timur Aliev is IWPR coordinator in Chechnya. Chechen Non-Governmental Organizations reject PACE “round table” Council of Non-Governmental Organizations of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (CRI) has issued a statement concerning the so-called “round table” organized by PACE. The statement points out that conducting of such a forum virtually right after the death of CRI President Aslan Maskhadov will not lead to any positive changes in the cause of stopping the Russian-Chechen war. “Quite unfortunately, we have already had this kind of a scenario taking place,” the statement stresses, - “when several years ago the Russian side insisted that a “Working Group of Russian State DUMA and PACE” was set up in Strasbourg. We know full well what the end of it was. According to many various estimates, over 250 thousand people have died, disappeared and became maimed and crippled throughout all these years in Chechnya. In our point of view, the reason why all kinds of forums, “round tables”, conferences and other undertakings are being organized by all sorts of European and international institutions is first of all to make some semblance of a political process and to conceal from the international and Russian society the truth about the events going on in Chechnya and about ongoing violations of human rights. It is practically impossible to solve the problem of war and peace without having the Government of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria participate in this process. “In this connection we are stating that we consider such PACE policies in regard to Russia's actions in Chechnya as being unconstructive and inadmissible in the future. We are calling for immediate start of peace negotiations between the parties of the armed conflict with involvement of international intermediaries. Otherwise all of it will be a profanation of political process and will only lead to continuation of the war and to growth of violence on the territories of the Chechen Republic.” A similar statement was also issued by the leadership of Chechen Committee for National Rescue (CCNR). It this statement CCNR stressed: “In our point of view, conducting the round table without presence of delegated representatives of the Resistance Forces is totally unsuitable. A dialogue between the parties at war is necessary, i.e. between leadership of Russia and leadership of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.” Kavkaz Center 2005-03-26 Applications of the Association of the Chechen Diasporas in Europe Dear Mister Ambassador of the Russian Federation ! Association of the Chechen Diasporas in Europe appeals to you, hoping for your understanding of the monstrosity in the situation with the body of the killed President of the CRI, which mismatches any norms of human morals. Despite of those, who continue to persist, trying to justify themselves, it is an absolutely wild action. Whether the Russian civilization has not progressed since that far time, when the cut off head of the enemy could be put in alcohol and exposed for review of public, when saints were hung up and their ashes destroyed, when the imperial family was shot and they tried to destroy even their remains, when citizens were driven up to cannibalism with famine? Whether Russians have not repented of the sins and have not named themselves Christians? By what religion, by what norms and laws the president of Russia is guided, depriving A. Mashadov's family of the right to bury the father and the husband? Why does the president of Russia need Mashadov's body? In fact he did not wish to talk to him, when he was alive, so about what does he speak to him now? What ceremonies does he do with his body? Name though one country in the West or in the East, which allows such barbarous actions. Dear Mister Ambassador! We, 40 thousand Chechens living in Europe , convincingly ask you to explain to the president of Russia, that his refusal to give the body to the family for burring is shocking, to put it mildly. What sense does the president of Russia see in war with ashes of this person? Explain to president Putin, that this action is not an honor either to him, or to his generals, or to the Duma, or to the government, or to Russia . Explain to president Putin, that we live in the XXI century, that the period of time of pagans, inquisitors, communists, shamans and voodoo have passed, and the mankind lives according to the divine laws. Mister Ambassador! The demonstrators, who have gathered today near the embassy of the Russian Federation in Brussels, on behalf of 40 thousand Chechens in Europe, hand you the requirements to the president of the Russian Federation : 1. To give the body of the assassinated President of the CRI Aslan Mashadov to his family for burying according to the norms of Islam immediately. 2. To release immediately A.Mashadov's relatives, who are still kept as hostages. We, Chechens in Europe and our European friends, declare that we shall not stop the social movement declared on March, 9, up to full fulfilling of the requirements mentioned above. March, 25, Brussels Dear Mufti of Belgium ! We, the Association of Belgian Chechens representing about 7 thousand of Chechen refugees, appeal to you in connection with the blasphemous refusal of the authority of the Russian Federation to give the body of the assassinated President of the Chechen Republic Ichkeria Aslan Mashadov, who headed the national-liberation struggle of the Chechen people for the last decade. We ask you to appeal to the Prime Minister of Belgium with a request to convince the president of the Russian Federation Putin to give the body of the President to his family as soon as possible. Mockery at the body is not only the insult of religious norms of Islam, blasphemous mockery at the sorrow of his family and national feelings of the Chechen people, but, certainly, and it is also a barbarous action contradicting all world religions and norms of human morals. We are sure, that you will see the extreme gravity and urgency of the situation in proper perspective and take all possible measures to influence on your government. Brussels , March, 25. Dear Mister Ambassador of Saudi Arabia ! Dear citizens of the most important Muslim country, where there are great relics of the Islam! When it was considered to be a terrible crime to admit, that you were a Moslem in the Soviet country, where we were born and brought up, and people were exiled to Siberian GULAG for tens of years or imprisoned for an attempt to study the Koran, our parents by particles transferred us that modest knowledge of Islam, which in the same way they had managed to inherit from their parents. We envied you, Arabs, considering you to be the selected by Allah people, having made one of you the Prophet. We have always considered it to be an honor to see an Arab or to speak to him, as we saw in him the carrier of the true Islam possessing Knowledge. We so anxiously concerned to the Arabian script that we stored even a scrap of a newspaper, as a relic, because there were letters, with which the Sacred Koran was written. Many our fathers, grandfathers have died, not having the opportunity to make farz - to make hajj to the relics of Islam. We have apprehended the Gorbachev's "perestroika", as the first opportunity to profess our religion freely and to study it. The most popular foreign language in our country became Arabian, and we were happy to send our children to the opening schools on studying of the Koran. Dear Mister Ambassador! Dear Misters Arabs! At the moment, when Chechens have turned to you as to their brothers, at the moment, when we have believed, that at last we shall begin to live in one Islamic world with you, you have deserted us. Then, when we needed you support, when your knowledge and your experience were necessary for us. The purposeful extermination of small people proceeds for already ten years, only because Chechens, despite of everything, continue to be Moslems. Our men are exposed to inhuman tortures, our women are raped, and our children are torn apart, in the same way, as it was one and a half thousand years ago, in days of the Prophet. In the same way, as it was one and a half thousand years ago, dying in terrible tortures, Chechens say "Allah Akbar!" Saying it for themselves, for you, for everyone, who named himself a Moslem. We tried to understand you, proceeding from realities of the modern policy and economics, when you refrained from voting in the United Nations of the resolution on genocide in the Chechen Republic , the resolution offered not by Muslim countries. You have agreed for continuation of murder of your brothers by religion with your silence. We were shocked, but we did not begin to interfere with your attitudes with Russia , when you extradited the terrorists, who had dared to kill a Moslem, the guest of the emir of Qatar , during a Friday pray in the main mosque of Doha . It was a shame on us, but we kept silent. But whether today, when there is a mockery at the body of the barbarously killed Chechen President Aslan Mashadov before the eyes of the whole world, depriving his family of the possibility to bury the body of the Moslem, as the laws of Islam demand it, you have the right to be silent? Our President has accepted the worthy death on the way of the Allah, he has become a Shahid, insha Allah, and we are proud of him. Or do you think, it is not so? Whether you have the right to be silent, when mean atheists mock at the body of a Moslem, to whom you opened the doors of Kaaba? Can you be silent, when the Kremlin pagans make devilish ceremonies above the body of the one, who has accepted Gazavat? Would you be silent, if it were your brother or father? Or is not it said in the Sacred Book, that we are brothers to each other? Or have the Satanists from Moscow become your brothers? Whether we have the right to be silent, when you close eyes and allow the evil, when you close ears and do not hear the voices of victims? Or is not it said - if you do not show the one of you, who breaks, I shall make a mister of him for you? We show it to you and we say: "Either you are not Moslems, or we are not Moslems?", or how to explain your silence and indifference to the great sufferings of Chechens? Brussels , March, 25. Chechenpress, the Department of operative information 28.03.05 http://chechenpress.co.uk/english/news/2005/03/28/06.shtml |