III

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106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 262

Entitled the ‘‘Peaceful Resolution of the Conflict’’ in Chechnya.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 24, 2000

Mr. WELLSTONE submitted the following resolution; which was considered and

agreed to

RESOLUTION

Entitled the ‘‘Peaceful Resolution of the Conflict’’ in

Chechnya.

Whereas the people of Chechnya are exercising the legitimate

right of self-defense against the indiscriminate use of

force by the Government of the Russian Federation;

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has used

disproportionate force in the bombings of civilian targets

in Chechnya which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians and the displacement of well

over 250,000 others;

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has refused to engage in negotiations with the Chechen resistance toward a just peace and instead has charged

Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov with armed mutiny

and issued a warrant for his arrest;
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Whereas Russian authorities deny access to regions in and

around Chechnya by the international community, including officials of the United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe, and maintain a virtual ban on access to

Chechen civilians by media and international humanitarian organizations, including the International Federation of the Red Cross;

Whereas these restrictions severely limited the ability of these

organizations to ascertain the extent of the humanitarian

crisis and to provide humanitarian relief;

Whereas even limited testimony and general investigation by

international organizations credibly report widespread

looting, summary executions, detentions, denial of safe

passage to fleeing civilians, torture and rape committed

by Russian soldiers;

Whereas there are credible reports of specific atrocities committed by Russian soldiers in Chechnya, including the

rampages in Alkhan-Yurt where 17 persons were killed in

December 1999 and in the Staropromyslovsky district of

Grozny where 44 persons were killed in December 1999,

and the rapes of Chechnya prisoners in the Chernokosovo

detention camp;

Whereas these credible reports indicate clear violations of

international human rights standards and law that must

be investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable; and

Whereas United Nations High Commissioner for Human

Rights Mary Robinson proposed on February 20, 2000,

the prosecution of Russian military commanders for over-
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seeing ‘‘executions, tortures, and rapes’’: Now, therefore,

be it

1 Resolved, That (a) the Senate expresses its concern

2 over the conflict and humanitarian tragedy in Chechnya,

3 and its desire for a peaceful resolution and durable settle4 ment to the conflict.

5 (b) It is the sense of the Senate that—

6 (1) the Government of the Russian

7 Federation—

8 (A) immediately cease its military oper9 ations in Chechnya and initiate negotiations to10 ward a just peace with the leadership of the

11 Chechen Government, including President Aslan

12 Maskhadov;

13 (B) allow into and around Chechnya inter14 national missions to monitor and report on the

15 situation there and to investigate alleged atroc16 ities and war crimes;

17 (C) allow international humanitarian agen18 cies immediate full and unimpeded access to

19 Chechen civilians, including those in refugee,

20 detention and so called ‘‘filtration camps’’ or

21 any other facility where citizens of Chechnya

22 are detained; and

23 (D) investigate fully the atrocities com24 mitted in Chechnya including those alleged in
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1 Alkhan-Yurt, and Grozny, and initiate prosecu2 tions against those officers and soldiers ac3 cused; and

4 (2) the President of the United States of

5 America—

6 (A) should promote peace negotiations be7 tween the Government of the Russian Federa8 tion and the leadership of the Chechen Govern9 ment, including President Aslan Maskhadov,

10 through third party mediation by the OSCE,

11 United Nations or other appropriate parties;

12 (B) endorse the call of the United Nations

13 High Commissioner for Human Rights for an

14 investigation of alleged war crimes committed

15 by the Russian military in Chechnya; and

16 (C) should take tangible steps to dem17 onstrate to the Government of the Russian Fed18 eration that the United States strongly con19 demns its brutal conduct in Chechnya and its

20 unwillingness to find a just political solution to

21 the conflict in Chechnya.

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