Peace for the Caucasus, means peace for Europe

Deeply disturbed by developments in Russia, we, the undersigned citizens of the Czech Republic address the following urgent appeal to you, our representatives in the European Parliament:

The terrorist atrocity committed against children and families in Beslan is more than the human mind can grasp. There is a serious danger that the trauma caused by this tragedy will provoke a further armed conflict and a further wave of chaos and uncontrollable violence.

Unless there is a wise response from the international community the general sense of helplessness and scepticism about the way the situation will develop will rapidly grow. This could have untold consequences.

Russia has proved itself to be incapable of solving its problems. The prolonged genocidal treatment of the Chechens, the chaos, instability, total disregard for basic human rights, declining respect for human life, threats to the work of international humanitarian missions, which are clearly the only functioning bridge between the West and that devastated area of the Caucasus – these are very powerful reasons why Europe should seek to assist Russia. It is necessary to find a way to start implementing this help and cooperation with Russia without delay.

We appeal to you to seek to assert the following priorities at meetings of the European Parliament:

• the presence of an international peace-keeping mission in the North Caucasus area
• effective economic and humanitarian aid to people in the most devastated areas (Chechnya)
• the allocation of funds for programmes aimed at:
  1. reviving a culture of human rights
  2. the health and social care of the severely traumatised population not only of Chechnya but also of Ingushetia and Ossetia, and thus also
  3. the prevention of terrorist behaviour in the areas suffering long term (investment in education).

We are convinced that the setting up of an international peace-keeping administration in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Ossetia is the only possible measure capable of halting developments that threaten not only the Russian population but also the peoples of Europe as a whole.

We would also draw attention to the Peace Plan for Chechnya issued last February which has received the support of many leading personalities worldwide, including members of the European Parliament, and which could provide a basis for serious talks about the above-mentioned demands.

Jana Hradilková, Fedor Gál, Bedřiška Kotmelová, Dagmar Volencová, Jaromír Štětina, Pavel Tvrdý, Břetislav Rychlík, Jiří Jiráček, Jitka Pechová, Věra Roubalová
September 13 2004

Petition Coordination Committee:
Jana Hradilková, Dagmar Volencová, Pavel Tvrdý

You can sign the petition by email : peticep@seznam.cz or in Czech at http://ecn.cz/petice/kavkaz

Russian version