DID YOU KNOW?  -- Three years before the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide, Serbs torched Bosniak villages and killed at least 3,166 Bosniaks around Srebrenica. In 1993, the UN described the besieged situation in Srebrenica as a "slow-motion process of genocide." In July 1995, Serbs forcibly expelled 25,000 Bosniaks, brutally raped many women and girls, and systematically killed 8,000+ men and boys (DNA confirmed).

17 February, 2006

WORLD CHECHNYA DAY: REMEMBERING CHECHNYA GENOCIDE


WORLD CHECHNYA DAY: RAISING AWARENESS FOR CHECHNYA GENOCIDE, 23. February, 2006.

On Thursday 23rd February 2006 individuals and organisations around the world will commemorate World Chechnya Day. The Day will be a means of bringing together organisations and individuals sympathetic to the people of Chechnya and their historic tribulations. In particular the Day is intended to raise awareness of the genocide that occured in 1944 when Stalin deported the entire Chechen people. Sixty two years ago, on 23 February 1944, Stalin ordered the forcible deportation of the Chechen, Ingush and other nations of the North Caucasus to Central Asia. More than half of the people who were to be forcibly transported died in transit or in massacres committed by Soviet troops. Those who survived the journey were left facing starvation and disease in the harsh winters of Siberia and Central Asia.

In 2004 the European Parliament passed a motion formally recognising this tragedy as a genocide.


World Chechnya Day is being commemorated to:


* Recognise the suffering and genocide of the Chechen people as a human catastrophe of historic significance

* Respect all victims of Stalinist deportations


* Raise awareness and understanding of the Chechen genocide as an
issue of importance to humanity

* Ensure that the horrendous crimes, racism and victimisation that were committed during the Chechen genocide will never be forgotten or repeated, in Europe or elsewhere in the world

* Reflect on contemporary atrocities that raise similar issues


* Educate subsequent generations about the genocide and the
continued relevance of the lessons that can be learnt from it

* Assert a continuing commitment to oppose racism, victimisation and genocide

* Support shared aspirations for the ideals of justice, security,
dignity and peace for all

To learn more about World Chechnya Day, its history, its supporters and other events taking place worldwide, please visit:
www.worldchechnyaday.org

The website is intended to be a portal for Chechnya commemoration events worldwide. Also attached is an overview document on the Day.


How can you help?


Organise Event
! We are encouraging people and organisations all around the world to organise film showings and talks locally, to sell and wear the World Chechnya Day wristbands and, generally, to raise awareness of the Day and the issues concerned. If you are already commemorating the Deportations in any way then we would be grateful if you could let us know by submitting details online at:
http://www.worldchechnyaday.org/page/add_event .

Please feel free to contact info@savechechnya.org for documentaries, speeches or any other support you require for your local action. Posters and flyers are now available: http://www.worldchechnyaday.org/page/Posters__Flyers

Buy a wrist band:
http://www.worldchechnyaday.org/page/Get_your_World_Chechnya_Day_wristband_here

Translate World Chechnya Day Document
We are translating the attached document into as many languages as possible to publish on the World Chechnya Day website.

Currently we are still seeking translations into the following languages:
Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Persian/Farsi, Portugese, Spanish, Swedish.

The translation should be of high literary standard and will be checked prior to publishing.
Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from many of you very soon,

World Chechnya Day

..a day that few are aware of and yet none should forget..

www.worldchechnyaday.org