The Sydney Morning Herald http://www.smh.com.au/news/9910/23/text/world4.html Human costs of campaign worry the EU Date: 23/10/99 By NEELA BANERJEE in Moscow Russia's acre-by-acre takeover of the secessionist province of Chechnya and the enormous humanitarian catastrophe it has created dominated discussions that began yesterday between members of the European Union and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The EU meeting in Helsinki began the morning after a series of Russian bomb attacks in central Grozny, the Chechen capital, destroyed an outdoor market and left dozens dead. Russia has denied responsibility for the attacks. It claims Chechen fighters bombed their own people. By shrugging off the humanitarian costs of the Chechnya campaign in this way, Russian has intensified concern within Europe. Representatives of the EU and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) met Russia's Foreign Minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, a few weeks ago to raise the issue and offer to mediate. The Russians rebuffed the offer, insisting that Chechnya was an internal matter. Mr Putin's reaction to any such offer in Helsinki is likely to be the same. Yet despite Russia's insistence to the contrary, independent accounts from the north Caucasus region around Chechnya indicate that at least 150,000 people have fled into neighbouring states without adequate food and shelter. Moreover, Russia's anti-terrorist campaign, as it calls its invasion of Chechnya, had apparently killed several hundred civilians already even before Thursday's attack on the Grozny market, without making any discernable impact on the small, mobile groups of rebel fighters. "In fighting terrorism, in no way should we forget about human rights principles," said an EU official. "No-one in their right mind would say that a rocket attack from 20 kilometres away into the heart of a big city is a sound way to fight terrorism." This week Russia has edged closer to the Chechen capital, raising speculation that federal troops are preparing to storm Grozny. So far, it appears that Russia plans to blockade Grozny. Russian troops have already destroyed rail and air links to the city, and they will probably try to shut down the four roads that lead into Grozny, according to retired Colonel Andrei Dimurenko, a military analyst and the former deputy chief of mission with the United Nations peacekeepers in Sarajevo. "Entering Grozny depends greatly on the success of the blockade," Mr Dimurenko said. "You can occupy Grozny without storming it, if the fighters retreat to the mountains around it or if some of the population ask you to come in." The Chechen population seems to be split in its willingness to accept Russia's terms. While few welcome the Russian occupation, many are weary of the past five years of war and are willing to put up with Russia's presence if it means a return to some semblance of normality. Whether such sentiment will sway Chechen leaders is unclear. The blockade may strengthen Chechen resolve to strike back. Russia is giving mixed signals about its willingness to enter negotiations with the Chechens. The rocket attacks on central Grozny were perilously close to the residence of Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov. On Thursday night, Chechnya's official representative to Moscow was arrested for allegedly carrying an unregistered weapon. This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited. ************************************************************************* This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
