Condemning human rights violations in Chechnya and urging a political solution to the conflict. (Introduced in the Senate)

SRES 213 IS

107th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 213

Condemning human rights violations in Chechnya and urging a political solution to the conflict.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 28, 2002

Mr. WELLSTONE (for himself and Mr. BROWNBACK) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations


RESOLUTION

Condemning human rights violations in Chechnya and urging a political solution to the conflict.

Whereas the United States Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights for 2000 reports that the `indiscriminate use of force by Russian government troops in Chechnya has resulted in widespread civilian casualties and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of persons';

Whereas the United States Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights for 2000 reports that Russian forces continue to arbitrarily detain, torture, extrajudicially execute, extort, rape, and forcibly disappear people in Chechnya ;

Whereas credible human rights groups within the Russian Federation and abroad report that Russian authorities have failed to launch thorough investigations into these abuses and have taken no significant steps toward ensuring that its high command has taken all necessary measures to prevent abuse;

Whereas there are credible reports of specific abuses by Russian soldiers in Chechnya , including in Alkhan-Yurt in 1999; Staropromysloviski and Aldi in 2000; Alkhan-Kala, Assinovskaia, and Sernovodsk in 2001; and Tsotsin-Yurt and Argun in 2002;

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has cracked down on independent media and threatened to revoke the license of RFE/RL, Incorporated, further limiting the ability to ascertain the extent of the crisis in Chechnya ;

Whereas Chechen rebel forces are believed responsible for the assassinations of Chechen civil servants who cooperate with the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Chechen government of Aslan Maskhadov has failed unequivocally to condemn these and other human rights abuses or to distance itself from persons in Chechnya allegedly associated with such forces; and

Whereas the Department of State officially recognizes the grievous human rights abuses in Chechnya and the need to develop and implement a durable political solution: Now, therefore, be it