Thursday, August 11, 2005

Russia is nervous ---- posted by Göran Hansson

The Russian state leadership was attempting to shoot the pianist by accusing the American TV channel ABC for flirting with “terrorists” by interviewing the Chechnyan leader Sjamil Basajev. The interview caused a major diplomatic row between Moscow and Washington.
Moscow accused Basajev and his people for being “terrorists”. According to information from the UNPO there is a manhunt going on for the capture of Basajev, not only in Chechnya but also in neighbouring Ingushetia. When he is caught, if he ever will be, he is likely to be executed like the two leaders before him - Dzhokhar Dudayev and Aslan Maskhadov (the latter most likely killed by Russian security forces in 2005)The Russian war against the Chechnyans is one of the most brutal and devastating in modern times. More than fifty percent of the total population is unemployed and in some areas one hundred percent. Fifty percent of all houses and apartments are destroyed by the wars, which have lasted since 1991. Twenty-five percent of the population are homeless and 25 percent have found temporary dwellings with friends and relatives. The economy and infrastructure in the region is devastated and in ruins. The Russian government claims that the equivalent of 20 billion dollars have been invested in Chechnya over the years, but the Chechnyans themselves insist that money has only been used to make it safer for the Russian population in the region and nothing have been used to better the situation for the local people.The states of the world must learn to behave in a more civilised manner. At this time the UNPO is the only organisation in the world who is allowing the Chechnyan a voice. The UN is again demonstrating that is - in reality - a toothless state club putting a blind eye to the suffering of the Chechnyan people in fear of Russian reactions.The world community should put more pressure on Moscow to force it to cease its atrocities on the people of Chechnya. Regional self-determination is the answer, both on Caucasus as well as in other parts of the world.

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