Etienne De Jonghe
10. Dez 1999
Brussels, 24 November 1999Dear Mrs. Mary Robinson,
Pax Christi, the international Catholic peace movement, is very concerned about the tragedy unfolding in Chechnya. Pax Christi International supports your efforts in your appeal to the Government of Russia to stop the bombing of Chechnya, to protect the civilian population remaining in Grozny, to allow safe passage to all civilians wishing to leave the region and facilitate humanitarian efforts in aid of the remaining population in the region.
It looks as if the war in Chechnya will go on and that the situation is becoming even more dramatic than before. It also seems that the international community is paying less attention to this war than to the NATO strikes over Yugoslavia earlier this year, for instance. From both a political and moral point of view, Pax Christi can not accept this way of handling conflicts. The international community has a duty to protect civilians and other victims of war and conflict. We fully support your call to the Russian Government to take immediate measures to protect the civilian population.
Chechnya and other parts of the Caucasus, have been on the agenda of Pax Christi International for many years. In March 1995, Pax Christi International was alarmed by the many disturbing reports about gross and systematic violations of human rights and humanitarian law in Chechnya. The movement decided to send a fact finding mission to the North Caucasus. The members of the delegation checked existing reports and uncovered new facts regarding the human rights situation in the conflict area. In July 1995, a member of the mission made a second visit to the region. The reports of the visits were published in "Chechnya, One Year of War", in December 1995.
Our movement continues to monitor the developments in the region. Recently, many of our national sections have been protesting against the bombings of Chechnyan homes by the Russian army. Letters of concern have been sent to the Russian Ambassadors in many of the countries where we have national sections. Also the International Secretary of Pax Christi sent a serious letter of concern to Mr Igor Ivanov, the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, pleading for immediate peace talks with the Chechnyan Government. The Government of the Russian Federation will be approached again by Pax Christi International in order to stress your offer of sending a Special Envoy, and to allow the OSCE to send monitors into the Russian controlled territory of northern Chechnya.
We hope that the wisdom of looking for political solutions may become apparent and lead to a quick resolution of the conflict.
Yours Sincerely,
Etienne De Jonghe
International Secretary