"Express-Chronika" No 1451, January 29, 1995

At the ceremony of signing of "The Treaty Of Joint Activity For Protection Of Peace And Freedom, Against Bloodshed In Chechnia" on January 28 an appeal of participants of the Treaty to citizens of Russia was adopted:

Distress is in Russia, and there is no end to it. On the very day when the war in Chechnia began, we all found ourselves in the other country. The word "democratic" can not be applied to our power and country any more.

Publicity is not depressed yet, and that makes illusions, while being incapable to stop bloody madness. The protest of Russian and world community was not heard too.

Two months blood is seething, and voices of protest are becoming tired. The society is getting used to blood. One can do all that he wants to such a tired and disappointed society; can establish cruel totalitarian regime, attract with fascist slogans, or start civil war of everyone against everyone.

Today the question is not only to stop the bloodshed in Chechnia immediately, but also to protect the whole Russia from threatening black future.

What can we do, common citizens, to prevent escalation of reprisals, not to be ashamed before our children for our easy surrender to impudent and anti-human rower?

Distress usually unites people. Appeal "Unite!" is called today from all forums. But how can we do so?

Today we are doing our first and important step. About fifteen public organizations, trade unions, political parties, law protection groups, have signed the Treaty "On Joint Activity For Protection Of Peace And Freedom, Against Bloodshed In Chechnia". We will coordinate our efforts to terminate bloody madness and to prevent any similar thing in Russia later.

Though, our efforts may be in vain, if they will leave you, common citizens of Russia, indifferent. We appeal to you to unite around organizations participants of the Treaty, to form a broad public movement, that could be called "For Peace, Freedom, And Human Rights".

In all regions of Russia, legislative organizations work not to participate in politics, but to help concrete needs of people. Those organizations, being connected together, could become crystallizer of a broad public movement.

Our primary goal is to prevent blazes burned up in Chechnia to spread throughout the whole Russia. We must follow the summon of Sergei Adamovich Kovaliov: "to forget about rest in our hearts while blood sheds in Chechnia".

If we will be tired to protest, to start manifestations and praying processions, we will involuntary become accomplices of the crime being committed.

If we will not manage to coordinate our efforts, or can not invent new extraordinary actions for protection of human rights, tomorrow we all, social activists, will be driven to underground.

While we have time, we must publicly and openly declare that all honest people of Russia, beyond their political parties, are ready to coordinate their efforts and actions to lead Russia towards the way of peace and good.