Urgent Protest and AppealFrom: Czech Helsinki Committee <helsincz@helsincz.anet.cz>
Dear Colleagues, Dear Friends, The Czech Helsinki Committee has sent the attached urgent appeal to the representatives of the Russian Federation. Simultaneously we kindly ask your organization to join our initiative. In case you would decide to supplement your support, please, be so kind and send your protests as soon as possible. We suggest you to either join a short sentence about your support, or to write your own protest. 1. at the address of President Boris Jelcin to Moscow, or
2. at the address of the Russian Embassy in Prague:
The armed forces of the Russian Federation have launched a punitive military offensive against the Republic of Chechnya and have justified this act by the intended liquidation of terrorist pockets which allegedly threaten the safety of citizens of the Russian Federal Republic. We are convinced that the intention of finding and punishing the terrorists who have caused the destruction of houses and the killing and maiming of their inhabitants would call for an adequately sharp police action such as are taken against terrorists in all parts of the world. The military offensive of Russian armed forces against Chechnya which will most probably result in major human loss on both sides is an inadequate intervention and a gross violation of human rights from the part of the Russian Federation. It is also causing a human catastrophe of large-scale proportion. Group terrorism must not be punished by indiscriminate military action against the civilian population of any country. We voice our strong protest against this military intervention and we call upon you to halt it. We are also appealing to all non-governmental organizations involved in the defence of human rights and the promotion of humanitarian cooperation in the world to join us in this protest.
This letter has been distributed to organizations for human rights and humanitarian co-operation and to the media.
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