Said-Emin Ibragimov’s Hunger Strike.

SIA CHECHENPRESS has in its possession the letter from Said-Emin Ibragimov, the President of ‘Peace and Human Rights’ International Association, to human rights activist Larisa Volodimerova, regarding the hunger strike which Mr. Ibragimov launches on September 1.

We publishe the text of that letter as well as messages we have received from other people in support of Mr. Ibragimov.

Dear Larisa,
Please pass my gratitude to Pyotr Tkalich and all those who send me letters of support through your web-site. I am pleased that so many people appreciated my action, which is directed only against unlawfulness and inhumanity. I hope to persuade many other people as well that we must fight against unlawfulness and inhumanity together by legal means, lest we later shed tears and blood, like it happened in 1930s.

Some people try to persuade me that my hunger strike would not change anything, that all my efforts are in vain. Of course, after the six earlier hunger strikes which essentially failed to make my lawful demands met, such thoughts have crossed my own mind, too. Every time I was lucky enough to survive a hunger strike I though I should not try that again, since the people do not need that, unwilling to put their present and future under protection of law. Perhaps, the people in high places enjoy living according to the law of jungles and feeling their superiority. However, in their battles for unlimited power they seem to forget, that even the precisely aimed evil tends to return to its culprit like a boomerang.

They say that people judge others according to their own ideas. Some of them may think that my repeated hunger strikes result from some psychical abnormalities. I can assure you that I am perfectly sane. My enemies (one of whom has by now admitted to working for Russian secret services) once tried to have me jailed in a psychiatric hospital. Thank God, France is not Russia, so Strasbourg psychiatrists conducted a detailed examination and concluded that I was absolutely sane.

Perhaps, it may seem to some people that I just enjoy being on hunger strikes. I can assure them this is not the case. Like every sane person, I fear death. But, sentimental as this may seem, I love my country and its people and do not want to see the genocide to succeed. This does not mean I do not care for the foreign people. I know that Russian military and political forces are prepared to kill any people, regardless of nationality, to achieve unlimited power and protect themselves from responsibility for their crimes. I know that those who indifferently observe the murders of others are at risk of being the next victims.

I am also sure there can be no stability in the world as long as the international community and international organisations stick to their double standards on the issues like the Chechen problem.

That is why I do all I can to make my voice heard. Unfortunately, people have a habit of listening to and taking seriously only those who have power and money. So, I am forced to use the only means available to me to make my voice heard, I have to sacrifice my once perfect health and risk my life. I doubt I will live to see that, but I hope that I will be understood in the future.

When you take a difficult decision to put your life at risk and suffer enormous hardship, it is hard to know you are not understood. At the same time, I am very grateful to all those who understand, support and encourage me, to win this unequal battle for the supremacy of law.

Respectively,

Said-Emin Ibragimov

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State Information Agency CHECHENPRESS keeps receiving a great number of letters and petitions in support of Mr. Ibragimov’s demands, as outlined in his Open Letter.

On 20 August Mr. Ibragimov announced his intentions to go on 5-days-long hunger strike from 1 to 5 September 2007, demanding the UN, EU and Council of Europe to take the following decision:

TO CONSIDER THE CHECHEN QUESTION FROM A LEGAL VIEWPOINT.

If this legitimate demand is not fulfilled, Mr. Ibragimov said, he will continue his hunger strike termlessly starting from 6 September 2007, the Independence Day of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, as he had announced in his Open Letter of 16 April 2007.

‘The hunger strike will stop as soon as any of the said international organizations takes a decision to consider the Chechen question from a legal viewpoint,’ Mr. Ibragimov said. ‘If there is no such decision, all the responsibility for the consequences of this hunger strike, as well as for the deaths of innocent people in Chechenia, rests with these organizations and individuals who ignore their international obligations on human rights and liberties and deny the Chechen nation a fair legal consideration of the Chechen problem.’

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International human rights groups report they have started to collect signatures in support of Said-Emin Ibragimov’s action. They ask the public to show solidarity and support Mr. Ibragimov’s demands.

Signatures and letters of support may be sent to netvoyne@gmail.com
Signatures in support to Mr. Ibragimov’s action:

‘Marexa’ human rights organization, Netherlands
Nodar Dumbadze, Ukraine
Larisa Volodimerova, Netherlands.
Yevgeny Novozhilov, Russia
Mikhail Trepashkin, Russia
Ia Merkveladze, Georgia – USA
Yos Dinkelaar, Netherlands
Abin Asa, Chechenia
David Kudykov, UK
Olzhas Suleimenov, Tartarstan
Nadezhda banchik, USA
Pyotr Tkalich, Russia
Kazimier Gaiduk, Ukraine.
Valery Kalabutin, Estonia.
Yelena Maglevannaya, Russia
Henry Sechkin, Russia
Musa Taipov, France
Ahmad Grozny, Azerbaijan
Kir Jaff, Israel
Boris Paramonov, UK
Andrei Karpukhin, Russia
Eldar Zeinalov, Azerbaijan
Ziyana Salamova, France
Yelena Makarova, Russia
A.Burak OZTAS, Turkey
Bek Akkinsky, Lithuania
Adam Borowski, Poland
Rubati Mitsayeva, Poland
Muhamed Muhamed, Czech Republic
Yelena Sagalova, Russia
Letas Palmaitis, Lithuania
Jaras Valukenas, Lithuania

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The comments on Said-Emin Ibragimov’s action:

It is known that American Indians were psychologically unable to be slaves. ‘They simply went away and quietly died’. Perhaps, the best people of the Chechen nation, such as Mr. Ibragimov, should not behave like those Indians and put their lives at great risk.

Honour and love for freedom are genetically inbuilt in Chechens. Neither Czarist Russia not its current regime have ever succeeded to break their will.

Reputable international organisations and major countries’ governments must help the Kremlin understand that simple truth. ‘If you do not fight the evil, it becomes stronger.’ For the whole duration of the picketing, we will be collecting signatures in support of it. And we shall make our motto ‘We support the legitimate demands of Said-Emin Ibragimov’ rather than ‘We support the hunger strike’.

Tatyana Monakhova, Russia

Showing my full support to Said-Emin Ibragimov, I have started my own hunger strike on Monday 27 August. Being a religious man, I prefer to call it a fast. It will go on for a week and finish next Monday.

My original intention was to support Said-Emin with a month-long official hunger strike. I would survive it. However, my family is adamantly against it.

My previous hunger strike lasted for three weeks, and I lifted it only under great pressure from my wife. A detailed account of that is in my diary.

Today is three days that I am on a hunger strike. The first days are always the hardest, it will be easier later. This time, apart from other symptoms, I have convulsions. After all, I am nearly 60-years old, and I have suffered insult.

Pyotr Tkalich, Russia

I support Said-Emin Ibragimov, and I fully agree with his demands. God bless him and his cause.

Mansur Khuchbarov, Australia.

I express my complete solidarity with Said-Emin Ibragimov. His demands must be immediately satisfied.

The whole world observes the ongoing war in Chechenia with indifference. Not a singe state in the world has condemned Russia for terrorism or its dirty policies against the Chechen nation which it practices for about 400 years.

I call the world community, the civilised world, UN, EU, PACE, to open their eyes to what is happening in Chechenia.

I also express my trust in and support for the activities of our officials abroad, whose efforts to restore independence of the Chechen nation are based on the international law and the Constitution of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.

Anzor, a student of the Institute of Industrial Automation and Plant Technologies, Belgium

Chechen representatives in Lithuania have met in Vilnus on 25 August 2007 to discuss the Open Letter by Said-Emin Ibragimov, President of the ‘Peace and Human Rights’ International Association. We declare our unreserved solidarity with Said-Emin and insist on a swift compliance with his demands.

The world community should call the leaders of European and American countries, as well as international organisations, to demand the international law to be observed, and to give a legal assessment of Russian occupation of Chechenia.

V. Yalkhoyev, Chechen writer
S. Khachukayev, Lawyer and political émigré
Umar Dadayev
Aslan Magomadov
Ilyas Makayev

We, members of the Warsaw Committee, give our full support to Said-Emin’s demands.

We invite all the people of good will to a rally on Svoboda Square in Warsaw on 6 September, to protest against the genocide of the Chechen nation and thus support the courageous human rights activist Said-Emin.

You are not alone, Said-Emin, we are with you to the end!

Rubati Mitayeva
Adam Borowski
Roman Bielanski
Krystyna Kalitka
Andrzej Spychala
Przemyslaw Miokiewicz
Wojciech Borowik
Witold Michalowski
Agnieszka Jasiakiewicz
Maria Karnowska-Werner
Rafal Dzieciolowski
Tomasz Borowski
Czeslaw Seniuch
Anna Borowska
Przemyslaw Bogusz
Laura Sysiak-Koba
Krystyna Redlich-Kurczab
Wieslaw Bielinski
Andrzej Gelberg
Piotr Lisiewicz
Wlodzimierz Domagalski
Krystyna Badel
Antoni Zambrowski
Bali Marzec – Kazachstan
Robert Krzyszton
Bogaczyk Wojtek
Jadwiga Chmielowska
Edward Mizikowski
Ewa Tomaszewska
Grzegorz Gampel
Laszczkowski Michal
Olga Chrzanowska
Pawel Piekarczyk
Andrzej Michalowski

Salam Marshall Ho Said Emin,
We will be on hunger strike for one day on the 1st of September to support you. And we will try to explain at Turkey why you are on hunger strike. Our hearths are with you.
Be Free,
Kafdagi Web Portal – Turkey
www.kafdagi.net

The National Council of Dagestan’s Chechens expresses its complete solidarity with Said-Emin and wants his demands to be satisfied immediately.

We demand to stop Russian occupation of Chechenia. Nations of Caucasus must be free and independent. Stop the tortures. Condemn the Russian regime of tyranny and fascism.

National Council of Dagestan’s Chechens

I wish Said-Emin Ibragimov good luck and strength. I support all his demands.

Ziyana Salamova

We agree with Said-Emin Ibragimov.
Freedom to Chechnya!
Putin’s bloody hands off Chechenia!

Stop the occupation of Chechenia! Nations of Caucasus must be free and independent.
Stop the tortures, close down the concentration camps, save the political prisoners! We are waiting for an official reaction from PACE and heads of states. Polonium terrorist Putin exports totalitarianism, to he is a threat to all the citizens of the world.

Mr. Gankar (Tibet)
Mr. Minkail (Tigerian)
Mr. Batbatar (Mongoliya)
Mm. Zeynap (Kosova)
Mm. Tixte (Tigerian)
Mr. Samuel (Tigerian)
Mr. Mashud (Kurdistan)
Mr. Said (Afganistan)
Mr. Emmanuel (Tigerian)
Abu Mansur (Chechenia)

Suicide is a mortal sin in any religion, including Islam. This is well-known both to Said-Emin and the leaders of states and organizations he appeals to, who, I suppose, also include some believers.

Said-Emin does not want to die. Like all of us, he loves life. His goals are clearly stated in his appeal to those whose job is to observe international law on human rights, to protect the rights of individuals and nations from aggression and terror.

The hunger strike will stop, the human rights activist says, as soon as one of the said organizations agrees to consider ‘on a legal basis’ the issues of Russian aggression against the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and genocide of the Chechen nation.

Please note that Mary Robins, the UN Commissioner for human rights, has twice offered a resolution condemning Russia for ‘human rights abuses in Chechnya’.

Is not it a duty of the democratic state leaders and international organizations to raise that question and resolve it on the basis of law and justice?

How can any honest person decline to support the human rights activist in his righteous cause of saving many thousands of innocent lives in Chechnya?

I am with you, Said-Emin!

Olzhas Suleimanov, Tartarstan.

We support you, dear Said-Emin.
Adam Borowski and Rubati Mitsayeva, Poland

Without pretending to be original, I shall just repeat the words of great men: peace and stability are only possible where human community observes the law and rights of every human being, regardless of their ethnicity, race, length of hair or width of nostrils.

Cruel and persistent oppression of small nations in today’s world may result in total international destabilization with unforeseeable consequences. The leaders of very few major powers hold in their hands the keys to stability in the world. Therefore, all the responsibility for right or wrong decision rests with them.

They do not need great expenses or military preparations if they take a right decision. It is enough to lend their ears to the lonely voice of Chechen human rights activist Said-Emin Ibragimov who has declared a hunger strike and is prepared to see it to the end. He is prepared to sacrifice himself for law and justice, for the salvation of our compatriots and our place among the free nations of the world.

I support Mr. Ibragimov in his selfless humanist action. I call for the international organizations, governments and public to fulfill their duty to protect the Chechen nation against the genocide by Kremlin and Lubyanka. I also call you to shoe humanity towards the protestor and save Said-Emin’s life.

Abin Asa, Chechenia

Peace to you, Said-Emin Ibragimov. My name is Magomed, I am an Ingush, and I want to express my gratitude for everything you do for our nation. I share you views and ideas, so I want to join your hunger strike in Strasbourg.

Magomed, Czech Republic

I support the demands and the action of Said-Emin Ibragimov.

Andrei Karpukhin, Chairman, Ryazan City public human rights organization ‘Young Ryazan’.

In support of Chechen human rights activist.

Said-Emin may be the only one whose voice is heard – at least, in mass media, – but he is not the only one who wants his legitimate demands to be met by the international organizations he appeals to, namely UN, EU and Council of Europe. It is not only about the Chechen nation’s survival of Yeltsin’s and Putin’s genocide. It is also about such a very important international task as returning the supranational bureaucracy into the legal framework. Indeed, lobbied by the Russian ‘stabilization fund’, that bureaucracy often tends to neglect the law and democratic values of the ‘free world’.

Mr. Ibragimov is absolutely right to raise this problem now. I express my unreserved solidarity with Said-Emin and want to see his demands satisfied as soon as possible.

Kazimier Gaiduk, Ukarine

Stop the occupation of Chechenia! Nations of Caucasus must be free and independent.

Stop the tortures, close down the concentration camps, save the political prisoners! We are waiting for an official reaction from PACE and heads of states. Polonium terrorist Putin exports totalitarianism, to he is a threat to all the citizens of the world.

‘Marexa’ human rights organisation, Netherlands

I express my solidarity with Said-Emin Ibragimov and support for his demands.

Kir Jaff, Israel

I, Yelena Maglevannaya, support the preliminary hunger strike of Said-Emin Ibragimov starting on 1 September in Strasbourg to persuade the governments and PACE to officially protest Russia’s occupation of Chechenia and persecution of political prisoners in Russia. I am going on a one-day-long hunger strike to support Mr. Ibragimov’s action.

This is a good action, and I fully support it. I absolutely agree with the demand to stop Russian occupation of Chechnya.

Yelena,

I support these demands and believe they are absolutely legitimate.

Musa Taipov, France

I condemn Russia’s occupation of Chechnya.

Henry Sechkin, Moscow

I undersign to support the action.

Academician David Kudykov, UK

I support Said-Emin Ibragimov and absolutely agree with him. I wish him strength, health and patience.
Respectively,

Ziyana, Chechenia

Dear Larissa Volodimerova and Jos Dinkelaar,

We know he was on a hunger strike at 2000 in Istanbul. We were with him then, and we wholeheartedly support Said-Emin's hunger strike today, too.

We will try to collect more signatures in support for Said Emin and share them with you.
Be free.

Chairman of The Activists for Chechen Peace and Human Rights
A.Burak OZTAS, Istanbul, Turkey

YES to the consideration of the issue in the UN and Council of Europe.
NO to a termless hunger strike!

Eldar Zeinalov, Azerbaijan

I support Said-Emin Ibragimov’s action.

Boris Paramonov, UK