Chechen human rights activists are going to submit report on situation in Chechnya to UN

Members of Chechen human rights and public organizations are going to submit their own report on the economic, social and cultural situation in their republic at the November session of the United Nations.

This was discussed at the seminar on UN methods for protection of human rights and economic, social and cultural rights that was held by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) in Ingushetia on October 17 and 18.

According to one of the organizers, Echo of War chairwoman Zaynab Gashayeva, this report will be an alternative to the official one that Russia will present.

"When reading the document that the Russians presented at the UN's September session, one almost got the impression we were living in Switzerland," she said. "Our job is to inform the UN about the real situation in Chechnya," Gashayeva added.

Over 50 members of the Chechen human rights organizations have contributed to this report. The questionnaire drew up by the organizers touched all aspects of the violations of economic, social and cultural rights in Chechnya. Torture of Chechen citizens was dealt with separately.

Nathalie Mivelaz, program manager of the World Organization Against Torture, told her Chechen colleagues that human rights violations by Russian soldiers in Chechnya are generally known when the culprits are found guilty. She added, however, that unlike Russia, Chechen rights activists are powerless in providing further evidence to prove these incidents to the international establishment. She also stressed it was necessary for her colleagues to join forces as only through mutual cooperation would they benefit.

The World Organization Against Torture will assist these the Chechen activists to hand over their report to Theo van Boven, Special Rapporteur on Torture of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

As Severine Jacomy of OMCT pointed out, the UN Commission already has a great deal of data at its disposal, but it is far more useful when local human rights agencies add their own information to it.