Stop the war in Chechnya - Join the Campaign

Source: Society for Threatened Peoples
Date: October 4, 1999

Russia's new air strikes in Chechnya have forced so far tens of thousands civilians to flee their homes. Between 6,000 and 10,000 people are streaming across the border to Ingushetia every day.

The West should not repeat past mistakes in its policy towards Russia's ongoing conflict in Chechnya. In 1995, a $6.2 billion credit was released to Russia while it was waging a devastating war against the breakaway republic.

In July 1999, the International Monetary Fund IMF approved another $4.5 billion stand-by credit for Russia. As soon as funds are disbursed by the IMF, the money will flow straight into Russia's war chest.

The international community should not be financing the Russian bombing campaign against the civil population of Chechnya, but send humanitarian relief to the suffering people.

Please write to Michel Camdessus, Chairman of the IMF Executive

Board, by fax: 001 202 623 62 78, by e-mail: publicaffairs@imf.org,

or turn to the Minister of Finance of your national government.

Call on them to do everything in their power to ensure that no IMF loans are disbursed as long as the Russian government continues to wage war in the Caucasus.

If your country is a member state of the OSCE, urge your national government to initiate the OSCE’s so-called "Moscow Mechanism" and set up an OSCE expert mission to the North Caucasus.

Send copies of your letters to Society for Threatened Peoples, by
fax +49/551/ 580 28, by e-mail: europa@gfbv.de

Society for Threatened Peoples
Europe Desk
P.O. Box 2024, D - 37010 Goettingen, Germany
Phone: +49/551/49906-0, Fax: +49/551/58028
E-Mail: europa@gfbv.de, Homepage: http://www.gfbv.de/