Center for Civil Society International ([email protected])
Thu, 1 Feb 1996 19:26:03 -0800 (PST)
The following message is being cross-posted from the Network of East-West
Women electronic mailing list. Members of the CivilSoc list who know the
Soldiers' Mothers organization and wish to support the nomination for the
Nobel Peace Prize can write to:
Norwegian Nobel Committee
Drannensvejen 19
0255 Oslo
Norway
Center for Civil Society International
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 01 Feb 1996 15:13:11 +0000 (GMT)
>From: [email protected]
To: Recipients of conference <[email protected]>
Subject: Soldiers'Mothers Nobel Nomination
RUSSIAN SOLDIERS' MOTHERS NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
PEACE BUREAU CALLS FOR ACTION TO END CHECHEN WAR
Geneva, Feb 1st - The International Peace Bureau announced today
that it has nominated the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia
(CSMR) for the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize. This group have been
consistent, imaginative and courageous in their opposition to the
slaughter in the brutal war in Chechnya At the same time the IPB
called on peace organisations and people of goodwill to raise
their voices still louder in protest at the Russian policy of mass
killing and barbaric destruction of Chechen communities.
IPB is encouraged by the tremendous public support for the CSMR,
notably in Germany, where 50,000 signatures in favour of the
nomination have been collected, including Helmut Schmidt, Oskar
Lafontaine and Rita Sussmuth, Speaker of the Bundestag. In Sept.
1995 the Mothers' Committee received the Sean MacBride Peace
Prize, given annually by the IPB in honour of its late President.
The Soldiers' Mothers--who now have committees in 14 former
Soviet republics--have not only collected statements from mothers
opposed to the war; organized meetings and demonstrations; and
lobbied the government. They have also undertaken bold, direct
action. Hundreds of mothers have travelled to Grozny to demand the
return of their sons .They have buried soldiers; shared their
sorrow with Chechen mothers; and negotiated the release of
military men held by Chechen forces. They support neither the
military actions of Yeltsin, nor those of Dudayev.
IPB President Maj-Britt Theorin says: "The CSMR are the most
outstanding--but far from the only--example of active citizen
peacemaking in the world today. These women have dared to
challenge the militarism of a male-dominated society; they are
civilians who are determined to have a say in--or to defy--the
decisions of the military bureaucracy; and they have risked their
own lives in direct confrontations with a violent system. Their
inspired example is already being followed in other conflict
zones."
The CSMR was founded in 1989, and have worked with some success to
improve conditions in the Russian military. Before the Chechen war
broke out, they participated in efforts to negotiate with the
Chechen authorities and to secure a political settlement. Their
most dramatic action so far was the Mothers' March for Life and
Compassion of March 1995. Wherever they went in Chechnya they were
given emotional welcomes in war-devastated towns and villages, and
bore witness to the horrific abuses of the war. The event received
extensive media coverage. The Mothers have been evicted from their
offices, thrown off trains, lied to and confronted by the Russian
military, and yet they have endured and organized themselves into
a significant non-government organization with a fully democratic
structure.
The IPB believes that by honoring unique people who have taken
risks for peace, we can help to persuade others that war doesn't
pay. The Nobel award of the Peace Prize would also strengthen the
hand of those working for the survival of civilian democracy in
Russia.
It is time that other nations condemned vigorously the war crimes
committed in Chechnya, and we call on all our supporters to
galvanize public opinion once again. We recognise that atrocities
have been committed by both sides, and we condemn the Chechen
hostage-taking. However things are far from equal: the Russians
have used overwhelming military might for over a year to slaughter
tens of thousands of Chechens. IPB's approach is to support the
peace movements such as the Mothers, and to urge a solution to the
conflict through dialogue and negotiation. Russia must accept that
it needs outside help (eg via the OSCE) to resolve this problem.
We call for an immediate cease-fire, the opening of all-party
talks (including NGOs), withdrawal of Russian troops and the
involvement of UN peacekeepers. An international relief and
reconstruction fund should be set up at once.
The International Peace Bureau is the world's oldest and most
comprehensive peace network, comprising 19 internationals plus 140
national/local member organizations of all types in over 40
countries. It was established in Bern in 1892 and was itself
awarded the Peace Prize in 1910, thus earning the right to make
nominations. Thirteen of its officers have been awarded the Peace
Prize individually over the years.
The current President of the Bureau is Dr Maj-Britt Theorin, MEP, former
Swedish Ambassador for Disarmament.
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