-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">
</A> -Cui Bono?-
WAR AND HUMAN RIGHTS
--------------------------------------------
March 6, 2000
N 167
Interregional Human Rights Network Group
Ryazan Memorial Human Rights Society
www.hro.org/war
subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
Our work is not politically partisan. Our digest neither duplicates
the Russian federal government's position nor advocates the positions
of Chechen militants. Rather, our purpose is to present as many news
sources as possible so that readers may form their own judgement. We
seek to attract the world's attention to the mass violations of human
rights in the conflict.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Refugees Troubled
The refugeesô camps in Ingushetia are still short of foodstuffs, fuel
and medical supplies. Many of the refugees, mostly old people and
children, are ill with grippe. A female refugee from Grozny, named
Zaman, told Radio Libertyôs reporter that her mother, aged 80, died of
grippe complications few days ago. The ill woman couldnôt receive aid
in time ã she lived in a summer tent, there was not enough firewood
for heating. According to Zaman, old people suffer in the camps most
of all, having virtually to die outdoors of cold and diseases.
----------------------
OSCE Mission Postpones Visit to Chechnya
The trip of representatives of Assistance Group of Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe to Chechnya, designed for today, is
postponed at least till the end of this week. The Moscow-based
headquarters of the Group reported that the decision was taken by the
Russian side and based on the reasons of security. The representatives
of the OSCE mission are going to acquaint themselves with the
situation in Chechnya and to visit Grozny, Gudermes, Argun and other
districts of the republic. Visiting the Chernokozovo filtration camp
is not planned. A report for the OSCE headquarters in Vienna is to be
prepared by the results of the trip.
--------------------------
Council of Europe Invites Andrey Babitsky
The European Parliament invited Andrey Babitsky of Radio Liberty to
visit the plenary session in Strasbourg and to speak before the
working group for problems of Central and Eastern Europe on March 16.
The invitation emphasizes that the coverage of the war in Chechnya by
Babitsky is an example of free and independent journalism.
-----------------------
Antiwar Picket in Moscow
A picket against the war in Chechnya was held on last weekend in the
center of Moscow, at Pushkin Square. The picket was organized by the
Antiwar Action Committee, created yet during the first Chechen war of
1994-96. Representatives of Memorial Human Rights Center, Union of
Committees of Soldiersô Mothers of Russia, the Radical Party and other
organizations participate in its work. Radio Libertyôs correspondent
reports that two of the picket participators were detained by militia
for distributing leaflets criticizing the policies of Vladimir Putin
in Chechnya. Later they were set fee. On March 19 the Antiwar Action
Committee is going to hold an all-Russian action against the war in
Chechnya from the Far East to Kaliningrad.
-------------------------
Authorities Displeased with Free Media Again
Aide to the Acting President of Russia Sergey Yastrzhembsky in his
interview to ORT TV channel criticized a number of Russian mass media
in having a biased approach in their coverage of the Chechen problem.
As an example he gave NTV and newspapers Novye Izvestia and Novaya
Gazeta. According to him, õit is absolutely obvious that the stand of
the Novye Izvestia and Novaya Gazeta towards the actions of the
federal authorities in the Chechen Republic ã it was always a priori
negative.æ
------------------------
Military Interfere in ORT Work
ORT reported that servicemen wearing uniform of Interior Ministryôs
interior troops have destroyed a videocassette taped by the channelôs
reporters in Chechnya. According to Roman Perevezentsev of ORT, the
reporters were trying to reveal the number of killed in the incident
in Pervomayskoye. With this purpose they came to Mozdok for speaking
with the survived OMON fighters. õWhile I was feeling out if we could
talk to the ladsæ, Perevezentsev tells, a person, wearing camouflage
and having a submachine gun, walked up to our car. The serviceman
demanded the cameraman to give him the cassette. The cameraman tried
to explain himself but received a kick. The cassette was broken and
the ORT reporters were õadvised to get away while theyôre alive, and
the serviceman put his palm on the submachine gun eloquentlyæ. It is
necessary to mention that the group had an official accreditation,
Gazeta.ru reports.
-----------------------------
Residents of Kaluga Give Blood for Wounded Soldiers
An action õReply for Misfortuneæ for gathering donorsô blood for
servicemen wounded during military actions in the Chechen Republic was
held in February, Agency of Social Information (ASI) reports. The
action was organized by the Kaluga regional branch of Russian Union of
Veterans of Afghanistan and the public organization of participators
in local wars Honor and Glory being supported by the Kaluga regional
blood transfusion station and the Department for Social Policies. Over
40 residents of Kaluga replied the appeal. Every second of them came
to the blood transfusion station for the first time. All the gathered
blood will be sent to the Burdenko Hospital for giving aid to the
wounded.
-------------------------------
Yekaterinburg: Blood for Wounded
The first results of the blood gathering action have been totaled in
the city blood center Sanguis. The director of Sanguis Yuri Nizhechik
told ASI that few hundreds of people came to the center during 10 days
and over 300 gave their blood. Others were not able to do so due to
medical and other circumstances. All the volunteers refused to receive
the determined money recompense, and thanks to this Sanguis was able
to give the blood to the wounded soldiers in the hospital free of
charge.
---------------------
Solidarity with Chechnyaôs Civilians
Alexander Batchan of Radio Liberty reports that a meeting of
solidarity with the civilians of Chechnya was held in the Czech
Republic. The hall of the theater center Arha (Arch) wasnôt large
enough to make room for all who wanted to come. The meetingôs program
included newsreels about two Chechen wars, witnessesô reports about
filtration camps and a photo exhibition. The program was focused on
two documentaries filmed with an interval of five years ã first in
1995 and the second in 2000 ã by well-known Czech war correspondents
Jaromir Stetina and Petra Prochazkova.
-------------------------------
õTo Investigate Human Rights Violations in Chechnyaæ
Deutsche Welle reports that the US has once again demanded Russian
government to investigate the reports about human rights violations in
Chechnya completely. The White House spokesman told that the US
President Clinton sent such a letter to Vladimir Putin yet on Tuesday.
The letter, in particular, says that Moscow must take a care for
Russian and foreign journalists would be able to work in Chechnya
freely. US Presidentôs National Security Advisor Samuel Berger said
that the leadership of Russia must show that it regards its own laws
and its international obligations seriously.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------
See "War and Human Rights" on the Web: www.hro.org/war
Information digest prepared by the Interregional Human Rights Network
Group and Ryazan Memorial Human Rights Society
Edited by Andrey Blinushov
Technical Editor - Julia Sereda
Translated by Oleg V. Martynov
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------
With use of information from: Radio Liberty, Radio Echo of Moscow,
Deutsche Welle, BBC, newspapers: Express-Chronicle, Le Monde,
ANP-RUSNET, Web-sites Lenta. ru, Russian DEADLINE, Kavkaz-center,
Gazeta. ru, Inopressa. ru, agencies: Associated Press, Interfax,
ITAR-TASS, Netherlands Press Agency, Agency of Social Information, RIA
Novosti, Reuters, Rosinformcenter, TV companies: NTV, ORT, RTR, CNN,
Amnesty International, Memorial Society, Human Rights Watch, Civic
Cooperation Society, Union of Committees of Soldiers' Mothers,
Glasnost Defense Foundation, own information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
Sincerely,
ANDREI BLINUSHOV
-------------------
Karta/Memorial/Human Rigts Network,
Ryazan, Russia
--------------------
Stop war in Russia:
www.hro.org/war
--
------------- * ENWL (English) * --------
Ecological North West Line * St.Petersburg, Russia
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----------------------------------------------
<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html
http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
