From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 5/6/2005 4:39 AM
5.05.2005
Appeal of Society for Threatened Peoples prior to the EU Russia Summit on May 10
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Excellency:
Prior to the EU Russia Summit on May 10th in Moscow the Society for Threatened Peoples wishes to draw your attention to five basic problems facing the Russian Federation today. The Society for Threatened Peoples appeals to you to address these points in your talks with your Russian counterparts. From our point of view, political solutions must be found for the following problems: Severe limitations of press-freedom must be revoked, racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia should be openly addressed and dealt with, persecution on ethnic grounds like in the Republics of Bashkiria, Mari El, and in the Region of Krasnodar need to be stopped, a political solution to the ongoing war in Chechnya needs to be found, and the dangerous spill-over of the war in Chechnya to the neighboring republics must be stopped. These problems have intensified since the war in Chechnya started in 1999. They need to be included in the EU-Russia dialogue on human rights. Society for Threatened peoples regrets deeply that no resolution about human rights violations in Chechnya was tabled by the EU at this year’s UN Human Rights Commission. Therefore it is imperative that you address the following points openly with your Russian counterparts.
1. Freedom of the press
According to the «Glasnost Defense Foundation», 13 journalists were killed in Russia in 2004. All TV companies are under state control. Only a few newspapers operate independently of the government. In the end of April 2004, the Russian secret service FSB announced it would «widen powers of Russian secret services to better control communication systems and the Internet traffic». Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are no longer guaranteed in the Russian Federation.
2. Racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia
Since the start of the second war in Chechnya in 1999, there has been an upsurge of racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia in all of the Russian Federation. From 2003 to 2004, the number of racially motivated murders doubled to 44. The Russian police registered 8.500 crimes related to racism. If the perpetrators are brought to justice at all, they are usually sentenced because of hooliganism. According to opinion polls xenophobia is deeply rooted in Russian Society: 60-70% want to limit the number of Caucasian people living in Russia and think that power in the country should be in hands of the so-called «root ethnicity» (Russians). 42% of the people want to limit the influence of Jews on public life.
3. Persecution of ethnic minorities
Persecution of ethnic minorities even in the ethnic autonomous republics like Mari El or Bashkiriya is widespread. In January 2005, 1.000 people were arrested by OMON special forces in Bashkiriya. They were mistreated and women were raped. The Mari are part of the political opposition in Mari El where the authoritarian president Leonid Markelov tries to silence all politicians form the opposition. The Mari were removed from jobs in the administration, government and press. Their language is taught only in 21% of the schools, journalists are beaten up regularly. There are several cases of journalists who were murdered. In the region of Krasnodar, 7.000 out of the 15.000 Turk Meshketians are stateless. There are harassed by the local police and Kosaks. Marriages cannot be registered because the Meshkets don’t receive the relevant papers, pupils are put into special classes.
4. Continuos violence in Chechnya
Daily violence, arbitrariness, and impunity are continuos in Chechnya. Since 1999, 3.000 to 5.000 civilians have disappeared. Every day Russian soldiers or pro-Russian Chechen forces abduct on an average two persons. Human rights defenders are harassed. 13 of them have already been murdered. Applicants to the European Court of Human Rights are subjected to violence. In April 2004, 24-year-old Anzor Pokaev was abducted from his home in Starye Atagi and subsequently executed. He is the son of one of the applicants. Even tough the EU offered high sums of financial help the humanitarian situation in the Chechen Republic is deplorable. Corruption, crime and ineffectiveness prevent reconstruction. The improvement of the humanitarian situation is only promising when a political solution to the war in Chechnya is found.
5. Spill-over of the Chechen war to the neighboring republics
The security situation in Ingushetia, Dagestan, Karbadino-Balkaria, Karatschai-Tsherkessia and Ossetia resembles more and more the situation in Chechnya. Police, the military and security services conduct brutal operations against alleged terrorists, religious leaders, and criminals. The political opposition is suppressed. Crime, corruption and state arbitrariness add to an atmosphere where human rights and the safety of individuals are violated.
The Society for Threatened Peoples urges you to openly address these crucial topics with the Russian government. We kindly ask you to keep us informed about the progress of your initiatives.
Sincerely, yours
Tilman Zuelch
Society for Threatened Peoples
http://www.chechentimes.org/en/news/?id=28665
