The Union of Soldiers´ Mothers Committees, memeber organization of the Russian Reaserch Center for Human Rights, proposed to negotiate with the commanders of Chechen separatists. Valentina Melnikova (picture), the chairwoman of the Union of the Soldiers Mothers Committees of Russia said that in a telephone conversation with Zakayev, the exiled envoy offered to start negotiations, and she agreed on a “meeting in a Western European capital in November”. (09-NOV-04)

Former Chechen president and separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov informed Russian media through his envoy that he was ready to negotiate with the independent soldiers´ rights group.

Valentina Melnikova said she intends to “address Maskhadov about negotiations to regulate the conflict in the Chechen Republic,” on behalf of her committee.

Valentina Melnikova added, meanwhile, that her organization has not yet contacted any government officials with the negotiation initiative, “and no officials have contacted us regarding this issue”.

“We want to act from the side of the common people, not from that of the officials because it is clear that neither the Kremlin, nor our politicians want negotiations,” the executive secretary of the Union, Valentina Melnikova, told Echo of Moscow radio station.

“We want to try to do what we did in 1995-1996,” she said, suggestive of the situation that led to peace negotiations ending the first Chechen campaign. “This is called people´s diplomacy; our experience of Nagorny Karabakh (a zone of conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia), and the first Chechen war says we can do it.”

Valentina Melnikova expressed hope that human rights organizations Memorial and Civil Assistance would support the Union´s proposal. She added, however, that the situation within the human rights community is “complicated because Beslan (school siege) had turned over many concepts.”

“We must, after all, look for other approaches to finding a solution to the Chechen problem, including the use of popular diplomacy,” said Valentina Melnikova.

But this statement has caused the wave of discontent from Russian authorities.

The State Duma plans to start an investigation into the financing of the Committees of Soldiers´ Mothers, an organization that helps conscripts get through Russia´s legal system and fights for their rights, after a member of the committee was charged for accepting bribes. Duma deputies say the committee is being financed by organizations seeking to undermine the Russian Army.

A deputy from the patriotic Motherland party, Viktor Alksnis, was behind the initiative, and accused the human rights group of “anti-army activity, helping citizens get away from military service”.  Alksnis alleges the committee gets $15 million a year in grants from international sources.

In an interview with the independent radio station Ekho Moskvy, Alksnis said the committee was being financed by people seeking to undermine the nation´s defense capabilities.

He added he was worried about “who finances the organization,” noting that in strength and membership the committee is as big as the pro-Kremlin United the Russian Federation party.


The committee, meanwhile, denies the charges, saying that the earnings of all of Russia´s rights groups combined don´t reach $15 million. Only two branches of the committee received $40,000 each from international organizations this year, said Chairwoman Valentina Melnikova.

She added that her organization´s activities mostly involve publicizing and documenting crimes in the army.

Crime and suicide are rife in Russia´s conscript service, where every male between 18 and 27 must serve for two years. The Russian Army is said to be suffering from low moral as a result of these problems and poor financing.

President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, caused a stir earlier this year when he blasted Russia´s human rights groups for garnering millions of dollars from what he called questionable organizations abroad.

Photo: MariaParamonova