Some 150 people protest in Prague against war in Chechnya(Prague Watchdog) - Some 150 Czechs and representatives of Chechen refugees living in the Czech Republic took part in a rally aimed against the ongoing war in Chechnya. The rally took place this afternoon in Prague and was organized by Czech civic association "Tolerance a občanská společnost".
The participants in the anti-war rally condemned terrorism on the Chechen and Russian sides, and expressed their protest against the stance of the international community whose indifference to the developments in Chechnya contributed to the current desperate situation.
The speakers ranged from Czech MP Táňa Fišerová, who expressed support to the anti-war requirments, to a representative of the Chechen community living in the Czech Republic, who thanked the organizers and participants for their solidarity.
Czech journalist Jaromír Štětina, who covered both wars in Chechnya before being barred from the territory of the Russian Federation, said that after the civilized world condemned the terror in a Moscow theatre, it should condemn also the state terror committed by Russian forces in Chechnya.
Šimon Pánek, a representative of the People in Need Foundation (PINF), spoke about PINF's humanitarian operations in the North Caucasus region, which have for three years been helping thousands of Chechens survive in the all-round complicated situation in Chechnya. Pánek noted that an immediate withdrawal of the Russian military from Chechnya would be no solution to the situation as it would trigger bloody fighting among individual factions of the Chechen society.
Another speaker was Jana Hradílková of civic association Berkat, which focuses on assistance to the youngest generation of Chechens affected by the conflict. In January 2003, Berkat will organize a series of concerts of dancing and singing group Marsho, which comprises children living in one of Chechen refugee camps in Ingushetia.
At the end of the rally, the organizers read an appeal to end the bloodshed in Chechnya. The appeal calls on Czech politicians to join the anti-war efforts. (T) |
