Madam, - It has been a whole month since the last democratically elected President of Chechnya, Aslan Maskhadov, was murdered by Russian forces on March 8th.
To date the Russian authorities have refused to return the body of Maskhadov to his family for burial, instead flouting civilised norms by televising his dead body on national TV. Russia has justified this shameful behaviour by alleging that Maskhadov was a "terrorist" and therefore does not qualify for this right. Maskhadov was well known for unequivocal condemnation of terrorism from any quarter and widely acknowledged as the most vocal proponent for a negotiated end to the conflict.
It is in fact Russia which has been repeatedly condemned by all leading human rights organisations for its genocidal conduct in Chechnya. Only last week Human Rights Watch denounced the situation in Chechnya as a "crime against humanity".
Maskhadov's wife and two children are appealing to Western governments to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to return the body for burial in accordance with Chechen religious and cultural rites and practices.
We, the undersigned, demand that Russia respect the wishes of the family and return the body of Maskhadov to them for burial. We also call upon the Irish government to use all its influence to insist that the Russian government return the body of Maskhadov to his family and bring an immediate end to the conflict. - Yours, etc.,
FAHAD ANSARI, President, Federation of Student Islamic Societies in Ireland;
RICHARD BOYD BARRETT, Chairperson, Irish Anti-War Movement;
MUSTAFA ALIEV, Save Chechnya Campaign;
MICHAEL D. HIGGINS TD, Labour Party Foreign Affairs Spokesperson;
AENGUS Ó SNODAIGH TD, Sinn Féin Foreign Affairs Spokesperson;
FINIAN McGRATH TD (Independent);
TONY GREGORY TD (Independent);
VINCENT BROWNE (broadcaster & journalist);
RORY HEARNE Deputy President, USI;
ALI YASSIN (The Friday Times), Renmore Road, Galway.