DATE=4/3/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / CHECHNYA (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-260892
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-N Human Rights Chief is meeting with
Russian authorities in Moscow to urge an investigation
into possible human-rights abuse in Chechnya. Moscow
Correspondent Eve Conant reports Mary Robinson, who
was barred access to detention camps inside Chechnya,
has also been denied a meeting with Russia's
president-elect Vladimir Putin.
TEXT: The U-N Human Rights Commissioner told
reporters she was concerned about the destruction she
saw in the Chechen capital, Grozny, as well as reports
from Chechen civilians about human-rights violations.
/// ACT ROBINSON ///
I was able to assess the situation and I am
concerned about the extent of first-hand
accounts of serious allegations of violations of
human rights. I was also devastated by the
situation in Grozny itself and the very poor
circumstances of those I met living in Grozny.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Robinson had been hoping to speak directly with
Russia's president-elect Vladimir Putin to impress
upon him the need for an investigation into the
allegations. But Kremlin spokesman Sergey
Yastrzhembsky dashed those hopes Monday.
/// ACT YASTRZHEMBSKY IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE ///
He says - a meeting with Ms. Robinson was not, and is
not, on Mr. Putin's schedule.
Russia's top human-rights official Vladimir Kalamanov,
who accompanied Ms. Robinson to Chechnya, attacked her
for her criticism of Russian authorities and denied
allegations that thousands of Chechens are held in
detention camps. He was quoted as telling reporters -
we will not allow anyone to put the Russian army and
the government on the same level as criminals and we
will not tolerate - what he called - this pseudo-
inspection.
/// ACT KALAMANOV IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE ///
He says - the U-N Human Rights Chief is a great
talker, she understands everything perfectly while she
is on the plane, but as soon as she sees journalists
she changes. He says - we can not even recognize her.
After her meetings with Russian officials, Ms.
Robinson will report to the U-N Human Rights
Commission, which is holding its annual session in
Geneva. Her trip comes just before a vote by the
Council of Europe on whether to suspend Russia's
voting rights because of its conduct of the war.
///REST OPT///
Ms. Robinson's call for an investigation into
allegations of human-rights abuses is echoed by
several human-rights groups, and also by a Russian
journalist for the U-S funded Radio Liberty.
Andrei Babitsky is under investigation by Russian
authorities angered by his reporting from behind rebel
lines. He told V-O-A by telephone he will forward a
report to the Council of Europe, arguing Russian
troops have committed war crimes in Chechnya.
/// ACT BABITSKY IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER ///
He says - an international tribunal must investigate
the human-rights violations, which are still taking
place inside Chechnya. He says - mass casualties of
the civilian population are the price the Russian
authorities are willing to pay for their military and
political victories.
U-N human-rights chief Robinson stressed she is fully
aware of violations of human-rights committed by
Chechens as well.
/// SECOND ACT ROBINSON ///
I, also in Dagestan, heard of the attack that
had been made on villages there and human-rights
violations that had occurred there. Of course I
am aware that it is necessary to take into
account all of the human rights violations and
to be concerned about having a balance in my
work.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Robinson's visit to Chechnya to gather information
Sunday was described by her team as frustrating.
First, her arrival was delayed for several hours, then
she was denied access to the detention camps she had
asked to visit.
Several of the camps had been highlighted in a recent
report by Amnesty International and have yet to be
seen by international monitors. Ms. Robinson was
unable to fulfill her mission of checking the camps
for signs of torture and rape committed against
civilians.
Her spokesman, Jose Luiz Diaz, said Russian
authorities refused her request to visit several
villages outside Grozny where Russian troops allegedly
massacred civilians. He said Ms. Robinson was told
the villages were either too far away or there were
military operations taking place. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/GE/RAE
03-Apr-2000 13:36 PM EDT (03-Apr-2000 1736 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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