Akhmed Zakayev: only Chechens themselves can stand up for their right to live

Akhmed Zakayev, special envoy of Aslan Maskhadov and prime minister of the unrecognized Ichkerian government, has made a statement on the April 15 vote at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The UN Commission rejected a resolution touching upon human rights violations in Chechnya. 23 out of 53 countries taking part in the vote voted against the adoption of the resolution, 12 counties voted for it, and 18 abstained.

Akhmed Zakayev states that all the countries that voted against the resolution are direct accessories to "the monstrous genocide unleashed by Putin's regime against the Chechen people." He calls the Commission's decision "shameful and criminal." According to him, all ways of resolving the Russian-Chechen confrontation amicably are rejected not only by the "Kremlin regime" but by the entire world. "It is clear now as never before that the Chechens, betrayed and sold many times in cynical backstage deals by politicians of the West and East, can stand up for their right to live only themselves," reads the statement. It delivers us from illusions about the international community's declarations on humanism and human rights protection, Akhmed Zakayev says.

Editors note: See also the article "UN Commission rejects resolution on human rights violations in Chechnya".