PRESS RELEASE
February 16, 2001
Contact: Catherine Osgood, (202) 296-5101 ext. 134

ACPC TO HOLD CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR PEACE IN CHECHNYA

The American Committee for Peace in Chechnya announces a candlelight vigil on Friday, February 23, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the Russian Embassy (2650 Wisconsin Avenue, NW) to raise concern about the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Chechnya and to commemorate Deportation Day.

On February 23, 1944, Josef Stalin deported nearly 500,000 Chechens to Siberia and Central Asia. Over one-third of the deported population died in transit or while living in exile.

To commemorate this tragedy, on February 23, 2001 ACPC will hold a candlelight vigil to draw attention to the ongoing violence against the Chechen population in the current conflict. The war in Chechnya has produced over 400,000 refugees (40 percent of the population) as Chechen civilians are being subjected to bombings, shootings, arbitrary arrests, summary executions, and torture. Although the Russian government continues to argue that the aim of this war is to root out Chechen terrorists, it is clear that use of force is indiscriminate.

The Candlelight Vigil for Peace in Chechnya will be an opportunity for concerned individuals to appeal to the Russian government to stop human rights abuses by Russian forces in Chechnya and to urge both sides to take the necessary steps to enter into negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

This event will include participants from local grassroots and human rights organizations and will feature several key speakers, including Wayne Merry from Amnesty International. The candlelight vigil will coincide with similar demonstrations in Paris, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Vilnius, Berlin, London, Ankara, and Moscow in an international statement of concern about the massive humanitarian suffering in Chechnya.

The American Committee for Peace in Chechnya, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, private organization representing nearly 100 distinguished Americans including academics, journalists, politicians, and foreign policy experts, is dedicated to promoting a peaceful resolution of the conflict and is not an advocate for either side.