Declaration of the Caucasus NGO Forum

Reply-To: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 11:06:13 +0300 (EET DST)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: Declaration of the Caucasus NGO Forum

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Nadir Kamaldinov <[email protected]>

Declaration of the Caucasus NGO Forum


******************************************************************
           THIS IS LETTER FROM GROUP ON NATIONAL MINORITIES
                  CENTER OF LEGAL & ECONOMIC EDUCATION
   AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC, BAKU CITY, 370009, 90/2, B. SAFAROGLU STR
          TEL/FAX: (994-12) 973457,  E-MAIL: [email protected]
******************************************************************
>From Mr. Nadir Kamaldinov
Chief of Program on National Minorities and Prevention Conflict.
Chairman of Group on National Minorities.
Legal Advice Center.
 
tel/fax: (994-12) 973457
e-mail: [email protected]
370009, B. Safaroglu str., 90/2
Baku City, Azerbaijan Republic.
*********************************************************
 
translated from the Russian
 
THE DECLARATION OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE EX-COMBATANTS WORKSHOP HELD BY
THE CAUCASUS NGO FORUM
(the Nalchik declaration)
 
We, the participants of the ex-combatants workshop, which included
ex-combatants and Caucasus NGO Forum representatives from Abkhazia,
Armenia, Georgia, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Nagorno-Karabakh,
the Rostov region, North Ossetia, Chechnia and South Ossetia and was
held within the framework of the Caucasus NGO Forum on May 17 - 23
1999, have discussed and brought together the experience acquired
during the armed conflicts in the Caucasus.  We deem the use of force
unacceptable as a means of resolving conflicts and disputes between
our peoples.
 
Our values are the sociocultural values and traditions of the
Caucasian peoples, at the heart of which always lay respect for one�s
neighbour - even if, for a time, this neighbour became an enemy.   We
are motivated by universal values of humanism.   One should always
remain an honourable adversary.
 
For this reason we who have experienced first hand the cruelty of war,
appeal to the peoples of the Caucasus that we might avert new wars and
armed conflict:
 
- to spare no effort in attempting to resolve conflicts by peaceful
means;
- to show tolerance towards one another and to do all we can to
overcome ethnic hatred;
- to respect the patriotic feelings and originality of all peoples;
- to attempt to establish civilised relations with all peoples;
- to re-establish and strengthen economic, cultural and educational
links;
- to try to re-kindle Caucasian traditions of communication.
 
Should it prove impossible to avert armed conflict, we insist on
strict adherence to all existing international standards and
regulations regarding people engaged in war.
 
We consider unacceptable:
 
- the destruction and hostage-taking of civilians;
- all forms of outrage against living people and dead bodies;
- the use of any weapons of mass destruction;
- the use of anti-personnel landmines;
- the destruction of historic, architectural and cultural monuments or
venerated sites;
- abasement of the human dignity of prisoners of war;
- the use of mercenaries in military activities in the Caucasus.
 
We call upon others to:
 
- ensure that the bodies of war-dead are identifiable and may returned
to relatives;
- aid the process of exchange of prisoners of war;
- aid international and all-Caucasian organisations� access to places
of confinement for prisoners of war;
- protect the immunity of the civilian population (women, children and
the elderly);
- further the search for those who disappeared during the war;
- consider marauding and vandalism as war crimes.
 
We call upon all those who have taken part in armed conflicts in the
Caucasus to join their names to this declaration.   Should conflict
threaten one of the regions of the Caucasus we hereby pledge ourselves
to seek its resolution through all possible peaceful means including
establishing personal contacts, exchanging information and exerting
our influence.
 
Name, surname     Signatures (see original)
 
Mziya Beya, ex-combatant
 
Zaur Borov, ex-combatant

Sergei Vorobiov, ex-combatant
 
Tamerlan Gaboyev, ex-combatant
 
Ilya Gamisonya, ex-combatant
 
Roman Gashayev, Forum participant
 
Ibragim Gukimukh, ex-combatant
 
Umatgiri Dakhkilgov, Forum participant

Paata Dzincharanze, Forum participant
 
Tamerlan Dzhioyev, ex-combatant
 
Alexander Dzadziev, Forum participant
 
Vladimir Kairov, ex-combatant
 
Arkady Karapetian, ex-combatant
 
Avtandil Kvaratskhelia, ex-combatant
 
Guram Kvaratskhelia, ex-combatant
 
Batal Kobakhia, ex-combatant
 
Andrei Kondratiev, ex-combatant
 
Zhanna Krikorova, Forum participant
 
Aslanbek Mirzoyev, ex-combatant
 
Shagen Mnatsakanian, ex-combatant
 
Liudmila Pavlichenko, Forum participant
 
Alan Parastayev, ex-combatant
 
Kamilla Petrossian, Forum participant
 
Andranik Sargsian, ex-combatant
 
Larisa Sotieva, Forum participant
 
Alexander Tamanian, ex-combatant

Zurik Khvartskia, ex-combatant
 
Ruslan Khutiyev, ex-combatant
 
Malkhaz Chemia, ex-combatant

-- 
==============================================================
MINELRES - a forum for discussion on minorities in Central&Eastern
Europe

Submissions: [email protected]  
Subscription/inquiries: [email protected] 
List archive: http://www.riga.lv/minelres/archive.htm
==============================================================