[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 11 (Wednesday, February 9, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S511-S512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                CHECHNYA

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, yesterday I spoke about what is 
happening in Chechnya. I believe I should speak out about this. I hope 
other Senators will, as well.
  I have a letter that I ask unanimous consent be printed in the 
Record. This is a letter to President Putin.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                                  U.S. Senate,

                                 Washington, DC, February 8, 2000.
     President Vladimir Putin,
     Russian Federation, The Kremlin,
     Moscow, Russia.
       Dear President Vladimir Putin: We are writing to express 
     our deep concern over the conflict in Chechnya and your 
     response to the humanitarian tragedy there. We recognize the 
     importance of Russia's territorial integrity, and your 
     government's obligation to protect its citizens from 
     terrorist and other acts of aggression. This responsibility, 
     however, does not and cannot justify the use of 
     indiscriminate force against civilians and the displacement 
     of hundreds of thousands of persons.
       Since October 1, the Russian military offensive in Chechnya 
     has involved a relentless bombing and artillery campaign that 
     has killed thousands of innocent civilians and displaced over 
     200,000 people. Reports from those fleeing Chechnya detail 
     incidents of widespread looting, summary executions, 
     detentions and rape.
       As you know, Russia has assumed obligations under the 
     Geneva conventions and commitments under the OSCE Code of 
     Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security. Common 
     Article 3 of the Geneva Convention states that in ``armed 
     conflicts not of an international character, persons taking 
     no part in hostilities . . . shall be treated humanely.'' 
     Article 36 of the OSCE Code of Conduct states that ``if 
     recourse to force cannot be avoided in performing internal 
     security missions, each participating State will ensure that 
     its use must be commensurate with the needs of enforcement. 
     The armed forces will take due care to avoid injury to 
     civilians or their property.'' Russia's campaign in Chechnya 
     violates these commitments.
       We urge your government to allow into Chechnya and 
     Ingushetia an international monitoring mission. This mission 
     should have unfettered access and a broad mandate to monitor 
     and report on the humanitarian situation. Your government 
     should immediately allow civilians safe passage from 
     Chechnya, assist those persons who have been displaced from 
     Chechnya as a result of this conflict and allow 
     representatives of international humanitarian agencies full 
     and unimpeded access to those persons in order to provide 
     humanitarian relief. Finally, we urge your government to 
     initiate investigations into alleged human rights abuses and 
     to hold accountable those responsible.
       President Putin, we believe it is imperative that you 
     devote every effort to achieve a peaceful resolution of the 
     conflict in Chechnya. Neither the use of force in 1994-1996, 
     which left over 80,000 civilians dead, nor the current use of 
     force in Chechnya will enhance the prospects of a durable 
     settlement to the conflict.
       We hope you share our concerns and look forward to 
     receiving your response.
           Sincerely,
                                                Paul D. Wellstone.

  Mr. WELLSTONE. I will just read part of this letter:

       Dear President Vladimir Putin: We are writing to express 
     our deep concern over the conflict in Chechnya and your 
     response to the humanitarian tragedy there. We recognize the 
     importance of Russia's territorial integrity, and your 
     government's obligation to protect its citizens from 
     terrorist and other acts of aggression. This responsibility, 
     however, does not and cannot justify the use of 
     indiscriminate force against civilians and the displacement 
     of hundreds of thousands of persons.
       Since October 1, the Russian military offensive in Chechnya 
     has involved a relentless bombing and artillery campaign that 
     has killed thousands of innocent civilians and displaced over 
     200,000 people. Reports from those fleeing Chechnya detail 
     incidents of widespread looting, summary executions, 
     detentions and rape.
       As you know, Russia has assumed obligations under the 
     Geneva conventions and

[[Page S512]]

     commitments under the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-
     Military Aspects of Security. Common Article 3 of the Geneva 
     Convention states that in ``armed conflicts not of an 
     international character, persons taking no part in 
     hostilities . . . shall be treated humanely.'' Article 36 of 
     the OSCE Code of Conduct states that ``if recourse to force 
     cannot be avoided in performing internal security missions, 
     each participating State will ensure that its use must be 
     commensurate with the needs of enforcement. The armed forces 
     will take due care to avoid injury to civilians or their 
     property.'' Russia's campaign in Chechnya violates these 
     commitments.

  In this letter, I am urging President Putin that the Russian 
Government allow into Chechnya and Ingushetia an international 
monitoring mission.
  This international monitoring mission should have unfettered access 
and a broad mandate to monitor and report on the humanitarian 
situation. The Russian Government should immediately allow all 
civilians safe passage from Chechnya, assist those persons who have 
been displaced from Chechnya as a result of this conflict, and allow 
representatives of international humanitarian agencies full and 
unimpeded access to those persons in order to provide humanitarian 
relief.
  President Putin has made a commitment that an international 
monitoring presence would be allowed. This has not happened.
  Finally, I am urging the Russian Government to initiate 
investigations into alleged human rights abuses and to hold accountable 
those responsible.
  As a Senator, I send this letter to President Putin today. I think it 
is very important that he devote every effort to achieve a peaceful 
resolution.
  Neither the use of force in 1994 to 1996, which left over 80,000 
civilians dead, nor the current use of force in Chechnya will enhance 
the prospects for any durable settlement to this conflict.
  I am sending this letter today. I am going to send a copy to the 
Senator from Colorado and other colleagues as well. I hope other 
Senators will speak out.
  There is a delegation of several high-ranking officials, 
parliamentarians with the Chechnya Government, who are here, and they 
have been trying to meet with our State Department. So far, they have 
not been able to arrange any meeting at all.
  I am not asking the State Department to recognize the official 
government, but our State Department has met with dissidents from China 
and dissidents from Russia over the years. I think these 
parliamentarians, these courageous individuals from Chechnya, deserve 
at least an audience with the State Department--whether it be with the 
Secretary of State, whether it be with Strobe Talbott, or whether it be 
with Secretary Koh who has done such a fabulous job on human rights 
issues.
  I just want to say to the State Department today--I am going to 
continue with calls--I just think it is wrong to not at least meet with 
these individuals. We have a massacre of innocent people going on 
there.
  As the son of a Jewish immigrant--born in the Ukraine, who lived in 
Russia, and fled persecution in Russia--I understand our Government's 
role in the world to speak out for human rights. Our silence, the 
silence of the administration and our Government, is deafening. I think 
Democrats and Republicans need to call on President Putin to live up to 
his commitment to allow an international monitoring force to protect 
innocent civilians and to get humanitarian assistance to people. This 
is a moderate, modest request.

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