4. Meeting by the Russian embassy
WE HAVE TO HELP CHECHENYA.
We have come here from the partisan dugouts, forests,
gorges, the Arctic Ocean, Siberian forests, heaths of Kazakhstan, black
holes and prison dungeons, from ruins of Grozny and filtration camps, from
the Baltic Way and January Barricades.
Our nations have put a lot of preys on the chancel of freedom:
Lithuania has lost the third of its population – about
1 million of people – and has suffered material damages for about 834
billion US dollars during the 50 years of the communist genocide.
In Chechnya, since 11/12/1994 around 250 thousand
people have been killed by Russia. Among them are about 42000 of children.
About 40 thousand Russian soldiers have died in Chechnya. The country has
suffered damages counting about 300 billion US dollars. 4 presidents of the
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria have been killed: Dzhokhar Dudayev, Zelimkhan
Yandarbiev, Aslan Maskhadov, Abdul-Halim Sadulayev.
Today we have gathered to remind, ask and demand:
NO WAR IN CHECHNYA
FREEDOM TO CHECHNYA
TURN OVER THE BODY OF PRESIDENT A. MASKHADOV TO HIS FAMILY
PEACE TO CHECHNYA
The Chairman of the Vilnius Council of Sajudis
L. Kerosierius
L. Kerosierius – +370 5 231 81 11, Vilnius, e-mail:
leonaske@takas.lt
Vilnius
2007 06 08
APPEAL
AN APPEAL OF THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE POLITICAL MEETING NEAR THE EMBASSY OF
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ON 08/06/2007
To President of the Russian Federation Mr. V. Putin
Regarding the turn over of the body of President of the Chechen Republic of
Ichkeria A. Maskhadov to his family
Vilnius city
DEAR MR. PRESIDENT,
On 8 March 2005 died President of the Chechen Republic
of Ichkeria A. Maskhadov. The Russian authorities deny returning the body of
A. Maskhadov to his family basing on the Law of Russian Federation under
which it is prohibited to turn over bodies of terrorists.
Aslan Maskhadov was a legitimate president of the Chechen nation, duly
elected, in compliance with rules of international laws, under the control
of the OSCE and in the presence of observers from almost all large countries
and organizations.
President A. Maskhadov was not a terrorist. He was one
of the initiators and authors of arrangement of the first confrontation
between Russia and Chechenya which ended up with a signature of a peace
treaty between the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and the Russian Federation
on 12 May 1997.
This treaty was signed by both President of the Russian
Federation B. Yeltsin and President of the CHRI A. Maskhadov.
In 1999 President Aslan Maskhadov did all he could to prevent launch of a
new war.
To the end of his life President A. Maskhadov sought a peaceful settlement
for the Russian-Chechen confrontation. Widely known his appeals to the
Russian side to start a peaceful dialogue, as well as repeated unilateral
freezing of the combat operations by the Chechen side as an initiative.
Russian generals can recall a lot of examples when under orders of A.
Maskhadov the combat operations were stopped to let the Russian forces
collect and bury the remains of their died soldiers. Generosity and decency
of A. Maskhadov made the Chechen side free hundreds of army prisoners and
turn them over to their mothers who came to Chechenya.
President A. Maskhadov was against any kind of
terrorism. During the tragic events in Beslan he risked his life for the
sake of rescue of innocent children.
President A. Maskhadov recognized and complied with the
international conventions on warfare.
Aslan Maskhadov was an elected President of the Chechen Nation. Therefore
his recognition as a terrorist is accepted just as an insult and disregard
of the choice of the Chechen people.
We appeal to turn the remains of President Aslan
Maskhadov over to his family so they can be buried in accordance with the
Islamic religion and Chechen traditions as it is demanded by generally
recognized principles of respect of human dignity.
Under the instruction of the participants of the meeting:
The Chairman of the Vilnius Council of
Sajudis
L. Kerosierius
The Executive Secretary
A. Budriunas
For reference:
A. Budriunas – Sajudis, Gediminas pr. 1, Vilnius, tel. +370 673 95 837
L. Kerosierius – +370 5 231 81 11, Vilnius, e-mail:
leonaske@takas.lt
Gedimino ave. 1, LT-
01103, Vilnius, Lithunia.
Tel.: + 370 673 95 837, +370 5 2318111, +370 699
37691
e-mail: vilnius@sajudis.com