Russia
03.03.04
Urgent Interventions
Russia: Civilians killed by landmines and sniper fire while collecting forest produce for their livelihood
Case RUS 030304.ESCR
Killing/Landmines
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Russian Federation.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the killings by landmine explosions and sniper fire of 17 civilians over the last 2 weeks while they were attempting to gather forest produce for their livelihood in the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.
According to the information received, on February 26, 2004, a truck filled with residents of the Assinovskaya District was blown up by a landmine. Nine people were killed immediately and five people as a result of injuries. The truck was travelling on a country road and the passengers had been together in the forest to collect wild garlic for their livelihood. It is reported that the truck was one of twelve trucks filled with residents of the Assinovskaya District that was stopped by Russian servicemen on the same road on their way to the forest, at which point each truck was made to pay fifty roubles in order to pass. After each truck paid the required bribe, they were allowed to pass and continue their excursion to the forest. One its way back to the settlement, along the same road, it is reported that one of the trucks was blown up by a landmine. Witnesses claim that the anti-personnel mine was placed at exactly the spot where the the trucks had been stopped by the Russian servicemen previously and it is alleged that Russian servicemen may have knowingly and deliberately placed the landmine at that spot.
In a separate incident, on February 25, 2004, a girl was shot by a sniper while she was in the forest collecting wild garlic. This killing took place near Orekhovo village, Achkhoy-Martan District, and it is reported that the shot came from the direction of where a federal base is located. It is alleged that the sniper was a member of the Russian federal forces.
On February 18, 2004, two young men were killed and one was injured by a landmine explosion in the Achkhoy-Martan District. The two men who were killed were named Shovkhalov Khasan Alievich and Belal Vakhaevich Tsutsugov. The name of the injured man has not yet been discovered. The injured man has been taken by local residents for medical treatment outside of Chechnya. The three men were in the forest to collect wild garlic.
Background Information
OMCT has documented extensive violations of economic, social and cultural rights in Chechnya. One example of these many violations is the inability of the Chechen people to access land for the purpose of gathering food and firewood for their basic survival. In a context where the majority of the population is unemployed, and has no electricity, it has become necessary for Chechen people to search the forests to find these basic provisions.
Many villagers go into the forest to collect wild garlic in order to sell it at the market, for about 25-30 rubles per kilogram. In Chechnya, the unemployment rate is extrememly high (over 90%), and many Chechen people are forced to live on the pensions of elder persons in the family as the main means of support for the family. During the season, which begins at the end of February, Chechen people collect wild garlic as a way to provide much needed support to their families. This activity has become extremely dangerous with the extensive presence of landmines throughout the Republic of Chechnya as well as the risk of being killed by a sniper.
These killings occur against the backdrop of massive violations of economic, social and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights, in Chechnya. The ongoing conflict in Chechnya has had a devastating effect on the socio-economic situation of the civilian population through forced displacement, demolition of houses, deficiency of shelter, lack of water, scarcity of foodstuff, destruction of schools, and the absence of health services. Furthermore, the population of Chechnya faces serious difficulties in enjoying their rights with respect to work, education, food and health, because of the restricted access to basic services due to military checkpoints, curfews, and targeted operations.
OMCT expresses its grave concern at the continued use of landmines in Chechnya and the effect that this practice has on the fundamental rights of the Chechen population and their ability to maintain their livelihood. OMCT is also deeply concerned about the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights in Chechnya and calls upon the Russian Federation to ensure full protection of these rights for all persons under its jurisdiction.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in the Russian Federation urging them to:
i. desist from the use of landmines, implement a ban on the use of landmines by all parties to the conflict and take measures to clear the landmines already on Chechen territory;
ii. take all measures necessary to ensure the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all persons under its jurisdiction;
iii. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the injured victims of these attacks as well as adequate reparation to the families of the victims killed in these events;
iv. intervene with the proper authorities to ensure that adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency to all persons who require it;
v. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
vi. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, Pl. Staraya 4, Kremlin, 103132 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 206 5173/230 2408, E-mail: president@gov.ru
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igor Ivanov, Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl, 32/34, 121200 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 244 2203
· Minister of Internal Affairs, Boris Gryzlov, ul. Zhitnaya, 16, 117049 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 237 49 25
· Minister of Justice, Yurii Chaika, Ul. Vorontsovo Pole 4, 109830 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 916 29 03/ 209 61 38
· Procurator General of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Ustinov, Ul. Bolshaya Dimitrovka15a, 103793 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 292 88 48
· Chairwoman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission of the Russian Federation, Ella Pamfilova, ,Staraya ploshchad 8/5, pod 3, 103132 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +70952064855
· Ambassadeur, Skotnikov Leonid, Av. de la Paix 15, CH-1211, Genève 20, Suisse, E-mail : mission.russian@ties.itu.int, Fax: +4122 734 40 44
· Chairperson of the Moscow Procuracy, Mikhail Avdiukov, Novokuznetskaia ul. 27, 113184 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 951 5040
Please also write to the embassies of the Russian Federation in your respective country.
Geneva, March 3, 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Killing/Landmines
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Russian Federation.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the killings by landmine explosions and sniper fire of 17 civilians over the last 2 weeks while they were attempting to gather forest produce for their livelihood in the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation.
According to the information received, on February 26, 2004, a truck filled with residents of the Assinovskaya District was blown up by a landmine. Nine people were killed immediately and five people as a result of injuries. The truck was travelling on a country road and the passengers had been together in the forest to collect wild garlic for their livelihood. It is reported that the truck was one of twelve trucks filled with residents of the Assinovskaya District that was stopped by Russian servicemen on the same road on their way to the forest, at which point each truck was made to pay fifty roubles in order to pass. After each truck paid the required bribe, they were allowed to pass and continue their excursion to the forest. One its way back to the settlement, along the same road, it is reported that one of the trucks was blown up by a landmine. Witnesses claim that the anti-personnel mine was placed at exactly the spot where the the trucks had been stopped by the Russian servicemen previously and it is alleged that Russian servicemen may have knowingly and deliberately placed the landmine at that spot.
In a separate incident, on February 25, 2004, a girl was shot by a sniper while she was in the forest collecting wild garlic. This killing took place near Orekhovo village, Achkhoy-Martan District, and it is reported that the shot came from the direction of where a federal base is located. It is alleged that the sniper was a member of the Russian federal forces.
On February 18, 2004, two young men were killed and one was injured by a landmine explosion in the Achkhoy-Martan District. The two men who were killed were named Shovkhalov Khasan Alievich and Belal Vakhaevich Tsutsugov. The name of the injured man has not yet been discovered. The injured man has been taken by local residents for medical treatment outside of Chechnya. The three men were in the forest to collect wild garlic.
Background Information
OMCT has documented extensive violations of economic, social and cultural rights in Chechnya. One example of these many violations is the inability of the Chechen people to access land for the purpose of gathering food and firewood for their basic survival. In a context where the majority of the population is unemployed, and has no electricity, it has become necessary for Chechen people to search the forests to find these basic provisions.
Many villagers go into the forest to collect wild garlic in order to sell it at the market, for about 25-30 rubles per kilogram. In Chechnya, the unemployment rate is extrememly high (over 90%), and many Chechen people are forced to live on the pensions of elder persons in the family as the main means of support for the family. During the season, which begins at the end of February, Chechen people collect wild garlic as a way to provide much needed support to their families. This activity has become extremely dangerous with the extensive presence of landmines throughout the Republic of Chechnya as well as the risk of being killed by a sniper.
These killings occur against the backdrop of massive violations of economic, social and cultural rights, as well as civil and political rights, in Chechnya. The ongoing conflict in Chechnya has had a devastating effect on the socio-economic situation of the civilian population through forced displacement, demolition of houses, deficiency of shelter, lack of water, scarcity of foodstuff, destruction of schools, and the absence of health services. Furthermore, the population of Chechnya faces serious difficulties in enjoying their rights with respect to work, education, food and health, because of the restricted access to basic services due to military checkpoints, curfews, and targeted operations.
OMCT expresses its grave concern at the continued use of landmines in Chechnya and the effect that this practice has on the fundamental rights of the Chechen population and their ability to maintain their livelihood. OMCT is also deeply concerned about the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights in Chechnya and calls upon the Russian Federation to ensure full protection of these rights for all persons under its jurisdiction.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in the Russian Federation urging them to:
i. desist from the use of landmines, implement a ban on the use of landmines by all parties to the conflict and take measures to clear the landmines already on Chechen territory;
ii. take all measures necessary to ensure the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all persons under its jurisdiction;
iii. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the injured victims of these attacks as well as adequate reparation to the families of the victims killed in these events;
iv. intervene with the proper authorities to ensure that adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency to all persons who require it;
v. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
vi. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, Pl. Staraya 4, Kremlin, 103132 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 206 5173/230 2408, E-mail: president@gov.ru
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igor Ivanov, Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl, 32/34, 121200 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 244 2203
· Minister of Internal Affairs, Boris Gryzlov, ul. Zhitnaya, 16, 117049 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 237 49 25
· Minister of Justice, Yurii Chaika, Ul. Vorontsovo Pole 4, 109830 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 916 29 03/ 209 61 38
· Procurator General of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Ustinov, Ul. Bolshaya Dimitrovka15a, 103793 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 292 88 48
· Chairwoman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission of the Russian Federation, Ella Pamfilova, ,Staraya ploshchad 8/5, pod 3, 103132 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +70952064855
· Ambassadeur, Skotnikov Leonid, Av. de la Paix 15, CH-1211, Genève 20, Suisse, E-mail : mission.russian@ties.itu.int, Fax: +4122 734 40 44
· Chairperson of the Moscow Procuracy, Mikhail Avdiukov, Novokuznetskaia ul. 27, 113184 Moscow, Russian Federation, Fax: +7 095 951 5040
Please also write to the embassies of the Russian Federation in your respective country.
Geneva, March 3, 2004
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.