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Geneva 2001 On the occasion of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Commission, an interfaith group will fast from 1st April onward, and pray every day, from 9 am to 5pm at the broken chair in front of the Palais des Nations or at the Japanese Peace Bell, just up the hill from the Place des Nations. The fast aims to achieve: 1. The immediate start of a sustained dialogue for a political solution to the Chechen conflict ; Twice in the last 10 years of post-Soviet Russia, Chechnya has been turned into a killing field, and has become a lawless 'black hole' of rampage and revenge. Today's tragedy is not only for Chechen people, who are on the brink of annihilation as a nation, but also for the new-born democracy in Russia, and the prospects for a peaceful transition to a new post-Cold War world. As the new millennium begins, Chechnya continues to burn and bleed with disturbing signs of a possible clash of civilisations. Left in chaos, after the sudden demise of the Soviet Union, the newly-independent states have been struggling with the extremely difficult task of self-transformation and nation-building. However, western nations have responded to this extraordinarily complicated process without any clear policy, vision or insight. The Chechen war is the most catastrophic feature of the negative cycles of the last 10 years of post-Cold War transition. The international community, despite all its available mechanisms, has done nothing to stop the repeated massacres, continued genocide and gruesome war crimes committed throughout the Chechen wars. So far no political assistance has been given from any part of the world to overcome this deadly stalemate, and to help open a meaningful peace process. If the names Auschwitz and Hiroshima are reminders of the war crimes of the 20th century, today's Grozny and Chechnya will be the new century's shameful monuments to our collective guilt and indifference. Through this fast we hope to provide a stimulus for some small but concrete steps forward, bringing changes in attitudes both between the warring parties, and in the world at large, which may contribute to finding a way out of the stalemate. This fast is an act of prayer, recognising our limited capacity but believing in the spiritual strength inherited by everyone. We pray that this strength will bring change. We appeal to everyone to act to open the path for peace in Chechnya.
Initiator: Rev. Junsei Terasawa, Possible concrete actions
1. Join the fast.
23 February 2001 was marked by many manifestations in several countries around the world: Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Turkey. These were dedicated to the deportation date of the entire Chechen and Ingush nations. It happened on February 23rd 1944 by Stalin's order to expatriate these people and relocate them to the Central Asia. To commemorate the victims of this brutal? banishment, two meetings of democratic organizations against the war in Chechnya took place in Moscow in Pushkin Square on the 22d and 23d of February 2001. In Washington DC (USA), a candlelight's vigil was conducted on the 23d of February to the commemoration of the victims. In support of the February manifestations, "The Boston Group Against Ethnic Cleansing" and "The American Association of Jews from the Former Soviet Union (State of Massachusetts)" organized two lectures followed by discussions. One took place in Boston University on the 23d of February 2001 and the other in Harvard University on the 26 February. The content of the lectures includes both the history of deportations and the current situation in Chechen Republic. The lecturer, Dr.Victoria Poupko, included segments of video materials (on "filtration" camps and other Russian Army war crimes) and a short discussion where a famous Human Rights activist Alexander Yessenin-Volpin took part. Nadezhda Banchik, the Amnesty International member of San Jose (California) group, participated at Harvard University event. Other events are also being planned, and will aim to declare and express the protest against continuing extermination of the Chechen nation, and let the world community to finally recognize it for what it really is--a genocide. Here are the words of Akhyad Idigov, the chairman of the Committee of International Affairs at the Parliament of Chechen Republic: "How many of us need to be killed for the world finally acknowledge it a genocide?"
We, members of "The Boston Group Against Ethnic Cleansing" and "The American Association of Jews from the Former Soviet Union (State of Massachusetts)", encourage the growing movement in Russia against senseless ongoing extermination of Chechen people. This devastating eradication of the nation, be it complete or partial must not be considered as a local or internal affaire of Russia. Extermination of a nation or genocide is an international problem that requires World jury's immediate attention. The American people have their own example of the antiwar movement during the Vietnam War. Together with the support of international community, the antiwar movement influenced the governmental decision to stop the war; it also contributed to the democratization and humanization of American society. Similarly, international support of the antiwar movement in Russia will contribute to Russia's democratic organization and help it to further turn away from the totalitarianism and make her fit to become an equal member of the European Community of Democratic States. Victoria Poupko, Pyotr Epelboym,
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Fast for Peace in Chechnya
