[CivilSoc] Evening in memory of Victor Popkov

[Raffi Aftandelian]

Dear friends and colleagues,
This evening (Sunday, Dec. 2) at the Sakharov Public Center and Museum in Moscow the
human rights activist and peacemaker Victor Popkov was remembered. He
was shot by an as-yet unidentified gunman at point-blank range in
Chechnya this summer. He had been personally handing out humanitarian
aid in Chechen mountain villages. While he was bleeding he was held up at a
number of military checkpoints, thus sharply reducing his chance of
recovery. He died on June 2, 2001.
When the second Chechen war broke out Victor began a 42 day water-only fast
that began October 29 and ended December 11. I joined him along with a
number of others for a part of the fast. The Moscow authorities
prevented him from leading the fast and his encampment in a public
place and thus he was forced to keep the fast in a temporary
(removable tent-like structure) place next to the Memorial offices.
Victor Popkov was active in peacemaking efforts in the first Chechen
war and also in Abkhazia and Karabakh.
A detailed booklet (in Russian) on Victor was made available for a small donation
at this event. This booklet is probably still available there.
At the event there were many photos and other materials available on
the Chechen war. Victor's wish was always that the hunger strike (he
framed it as a hunger strike in solidarity with _all_ victims of the war
in Chechnya; he also described this fast as one of repentance.)
continue in relay form, so that it would be an ongoing act of protest.
Popkov was an Old Believer.
The Sakharov Public Center and Museum's number is + 7(095)923-41-15.
I just heard from a friend who is living in Grozny that another
so-called "mopping-up" operation just took place there. Women, men,
and children-- all civilians-- are rounded up and put to abuse,
tortured, and more... These operations are a fact of life today...
If you do feel moved to act, please do so. If you want to send a note
of protest, do so. Trust me, that these protests are heard. When I
sent a personally written faxed protest letter to then-prime minister
Putin I got a personal phone call from his office.
You can write Putin at president@kremlin.ru His website
(president.kremlin.ru) especially asks that you include the following
info: your email, first and last name, and citizenship.
Raffi Aftandelian
volunteer
A Warm Home, organization for women and children refugees