AMERICAN COMMITTEE FOR CHECHNYA

Alexander M. Haig, Jr.

Zbigniew Brzezinski

Max M. Kampelman

Co-Chairs

Irena Lasota

Coordinator

FOUNDING DECLARATION

We are American citizens of diverse and independent views who have come

together in opposition to the brutal war that Russia is currently waging

against the people of Chechnya. The ruthless bombardment and killing of

civilians, the leveling of cities and the destruction of villages, the

attacks on refugee convoys, the blocking of food aid and the denial of

access to humanitarian relief organizations and human rights witnesses all

belie Russian propaganda that this is a war against terrorism. It is

nothing of the kind. As Dr. Andrei Sakharov's widow Elena Bonner explained

to a Senate hearing last November, Russia's goal is "to annihilate a large

part of the Chechen nation and to drive out those who survive from their

native land. Their aim is to keep Chechnya as part of the Russian

Federation -- but without the Chechens. This is genocide. This is not just

another routine violation of human rights. This is a crime against

humanity."

This cruel war is a catastrophe for Russia as well as for Chechnya. The

historic challenge facing Russia today is to build a modern democratic

country after 70 years of communist totalitarianism. More than one third of

the population lives in abject poverty. Crime and corruption are rampant.

Life expectancy and general health conditions are appallingly low. Yet

instead of trying to address these daunting problems, the Russian leadership

has resorted to the worst and most self-destructive practices of the past --

diverting scarce resources from the civilian to the military sector, using

the press as an instrument of propaganda and Orwellian truth-twisting,

inflaming nationalist passions and fears, and subjugating through brute

force a small non-Russian people. The war fever generated by the government

may enable Acting President Vladimir Putin to win the March 26 election, but

for the Russian people this war is a dead-end.

The passivity of the international community in the face of Russia's inhuman

assault on Chechnya has exposed the inconsistency of the policy of

humanitarian intervention enunciated last year during the Kosovo crisis and

subsequently in the effort to end the killing in East Timor. The killing of

noncombatants in Chechnya is even more extensive, yet the United States and

other Western countries have done nothing to oppose Russia's unconscionable

actions other than issuing half-hearted complaints about the excessive use

of force.

There is no excuse for inaction. The United States should immediately

announce a comprehensive plan to deter Russian aggression, provide

humanitarian relief to the Chechen people, and begin a process of bringing

the war to a negotiated end. The United States should:

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-- Oppose the release of World Bank and International Monetary Fund loans to

Russia as long as the war continues. Since Russian government revenues do

not meet regular budget expenditures, these loans serve, in effect, as an

indirect subsidy for the war. There can be no justification for using

American taxpayer money for this purpose.

- Initiate consultations with other members of the G-7 regarding the

suspension of Russia from participation in the Annual Summit. The G-7,

which became known as the G-8 with Russia's inclusion, is an association of

democratic societies with advanced economies. Although Russia is not yet a

liberal democracy or an advanced economy, it was invited to take part in

this summit to encourage its democratic evolution. Russia's conduct in

Chechnya violates the norms expected of members of this community and thus

argues for its disqualification from further participation.

-- Call upon the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to appoint a

special rapporteur on Chechnya, with authorization to investigate Russian

violations of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian

Persons in Time of War, including the carpet bombing of cities, the

bombardment of poisonous nuclear waste sites in Chechnya, and the

establishment of "filtration camps" -- otherwise known as concentration

camps -- for males between the ages of 10 and 60, who are allegedly subject

to torture and other gross violations of human rights. The United States

should also insist that Russia cease denying access to the war region to

independent journalists and human rights monitors.

-- Take the lead in mobilizing humanitarian relief to the hundreds of

thousands of civilians who remain in Chechnya and to the more than 250,000

refugees who have fled to neighboring regions, especially Ingushetia, where

the lack of medicines, food, drinking water, tents, warm clothing, doctors,

nurses, and surgical supplies has led to the death of thousands from cold,

disease, and wounds. The United States should insist that Russia permit

direct access to these areas by international humanitarian agencies so that

such relief can be provided immediately.

-- Call upon the OSCE Assistance Group in Chechnya to act upon its

mandate -- which was reaffirmed at the last OSCE Summit by the participating

states, including the Russian Federation -- to negotiate a political

solution to the present crisis. Tragically, Russia has chosen to disregard

the Khasavyurt agreement ending the 1994-96 war and the peace treaty which

was signed on May 12, 1997, by Russian President Yeltsin and Chechen

President Maskhadov. That treaty stipulated that "The High contracting

parties, wishing to end many centuries of antagonism and striving to

establish durable, equal and mutually beneficial relations, have agreed 1)

To renounce forever the use or threat of force to decide disputes; [and] 2)

To construct their relations with the generally-accepted principles and

norms of international law..." It is not too late to return to this

agreement and to bring this pointless and self-destructive war to a peaceful

end. The United States must use its influence within the OSCE and directly

in its bilateral relations with Russia to begin a process that will lead to

a political settlement of the war and the reconstruction of Chechnya's

devastated society.

For Contact: E-mail: Irena@idee.org

Fax: (202) 466-7140

Irena Lasota

President

Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe (IDEE)

2000 P Street, N.W. , Suite 400

Washington, DC 20036

tel. 1-202-466-7105

fax 1-202-466-7140

www.idee.org