Article 3
"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." - Universal Declaration of Human Rights
"We will pursue the terrorists everywhere. We'll eliminate them in the shithouse if we have to! That's my last word." -- Vladimir Putin (Putinery)
The Chechnya-Russia conflict began in 1999, when Russia launched its first military operation in Chechnya, claiming it to be strictly a "counter terrorism operation" ("In the Name of..."). However, Russia's attempts to quell Chechen terrorism resulted in several thousands Chechen deaths by March 2000. Russian forces bombed and shelled towns, and by spring of 2000, they had absolute control over Chechnya. The international community became skeptical about Russia's anti-terrorism operation. During a meeting with President Putin, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said "We'll probably have to judge things differently than we have done until now regarding Chechnya. But it does not mean forgetting about various rights such as human, civil, and political rights" ("In the Name of...").
Claiming this operation to be strictly anti-terrorism does not excuse Russia from adhering to the most basic humanitarian law: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person." |
"These people aren't human beings. They are animals, wild animals..." -- Vladimir Putin (Putinery)
Please go to 27:33 on video for information on Chechnya.
According to CBC's "The Passionate Eye," the military operation in Chechnya was a political ploy by Russian President Vladimir Putin to "build his image" (Putinery) and gain the public's trust. Putin's advisor, Gleb Pavlovsky, points out ""the middle class became angry, and Putin reacted in the same way. This is when he started to build his image, saying 'I'm a man like you. I'm the head of state, but I'm the same as you'" (Putinery). Through creating a common Russian goal to abolish terrorism in Chechnya, he brought the Russian people together as well as displaying military dominance and the ability to make complicated decisions -- attractive qualities in a leader. However, as the broadcast states, "the Chechen people are victims of unprecedented Russian barbarity" (Putinery), and dismissing them as wild animals does not justify the death of thousands of civilians. |
"Chechen forces have also targeted civilians..." ("In the Name of...")
After Russia's first military operation in 1999, Chechen rebels assassinated several pro-Moscow government workers in Chechnya and bombed the Grozny government building and other public locations, killing over one hundred Chechen civilians. On October 23rd, 2002, more than seven hundred Russians were held hostage at a Moscow theatre. "They [Chechen forces] threatened to kill all of the hostages, and killed several. Three days later, Russian special forces liberated over six hundred hostages in a raid that resulted in the deaths of 128 hostages and about fifty hostage takers" ("In the Name of..." 2).
After Russia's first military operation in 1999, Chechen rebels assassinated several pro-Moscow government workers in Chechnya and bombed the Grozny government building and other public locations, killing over one hundred Chechen civilians. On October 23rd, 2002, more than seven hundred Russians were held hostage at a Moscow theatre. "They [Chechen forces] threatened to kill all of the hostages, and killed several. Three days later, Russian special forces liberated over six hundred hostages in a raid that resulted in the deaths of 128 hostages and about fifty hostage takers" ("In the Name of..." 2).