Sir, - I second Christopher Dunne's call (December 17th) that we contact our TDS and MEPs and urge them to take a stand on Chechnya. When doing so, we should demand that real, practical measures be taken. So far, European governments - the so-called "partners for peace" - have been doing little more than tut-tutting at Russia's massive campaign of violence against the Chechen people. The EU has decided to "review" its aid programmes to Russia - a woefully inadequate response.
I am not calling for military intervention - Nato's war in Yugoslavia/Kosovo was in my view a disaster - but rather a serious attempt to force Russia to negotiate with representatives of the Chechen people on the future status of the country.
Here are a number of immediate measures which Irish citizens can ask their TDs and MEPs to call for:
1. Withdrawal of IMF and EU funding to Russia;
2. Expulsion of Russia from the OSCE and the Council of Europe;
3. Irish invocation of Article VIII of the Geneva Convention whereby any contracting party can call on the competent organs of the United Nations to take action. Despite Russia's veto on the Security Council, the mere invocation of the Convention would be of huge significance.
If your readers can think of any additions to the above, I would urge them to tell both the media and the politicians. That way we might just be spared yet another bout of focailmhora agus builli beaga in relation to human rights. - Yours, etc., Conchubhar O Briain,
Sraid Ui Shuilleabhain, Baile Atha Cliath 7.