À l'attention : to the United Nations Human Rights Council
We, unindifferent inhabitants of Europe,
expressing deep concern about the situation of prolonged armed conflict, that has been going on for over 2 years in the Eastern part of Europe, sincerely wishing the senseless bloodshed to stop and peace, order in the European continent to be restored as soon as possible, guided by a desire to lend support in defense of unalienable rights and liberties of Donbass people, appear with the following address:
In 2014, as a response to a coup in Kyiv, the peaceful protest demonstrations were organized by millions of Ukrainian people calling for self-elected Kyiv authorities to comply with the laws of Ukraine. New leadership of Ukraine reacted to the actions of Ukrainian citizens by unleashing of an undeclared war – the so-called anti-terrorist operation. In a moment millions of civilians, who attempted to resist happening lawlessness, were deprived of their basic human’s civil and political rights: the right to life, freedom to physical integrity, right to personal security, right to protection from inhuman treatment, right to health, right to freedom of movement, right to freedom of opinion and expression, and many other unalienable rights recognized by the world community.
Ukrainian propaganda machine systematically tries to represent in front of us people, who are not afraid to express their opinion about the coup in Kyiv in 2014, as the terrorists and militants.
Ukrainian authorities meticulously conceal and hide everything that happens in Donbass from the international community, withheld information about the blockade and the shelling of schools and hospitals. The mass media of the European Union member States, in their turn, also don’t not provide the society with an objective picture of the events taking place in Donbass, thereby they connive the marginal nationalist groups, which are in power in Ukraine.
Only because of individuals of our fellow citizens, who are not afraid of sanctions by Ukraine and who personally visited the territory of Donbass, we have found out the information about all the adversities, which inhabitants of this region have been rubbing through for the last 2 years.
According to eyewitnesses, it is clear that Ukraine "state" is waging war against its own citizens: against children, the elderly, women - millions of civilians, who are going through the inhuman ordeals and excessive suffering without any opportunity to leave their houses, which come under fire; against people, whose rights must be protected by the civilized world community and primarily by our governments.
Now we know that economic and transport blockade of Donbass, alongside with the unceasing battle actions, leads to starvation and suffering of the socially vulnerable citizens, who have found themselves on the brink of survival. Having got no opportunity to produce and export products, industrial giants have to stop production, leaving thousands of workers without a livelihood. The social facilities, such as schools and hospitals, regularly come under the shelling. Erected by the Ukrainian authorities, borders and checkpoints factitiously have separated a part of the territory of the state, and these actions have led to the impossibility of the people of Donbass to be full citizens of their country.
As a result of actions of the central government of Ukraine, thousands of families have been separated: children and their parents can not see one another; the marriages are breaking down, unable to weather the separation of loved ones. In addition, Kyiv authorities have stopped social payments and by this they have actually abandoned hundreds of thousands of pensioners, mothers, the disabled and others with state-guaranteed right to social security to their own fate.
Having learned about such outrages of Ukrainian authorities, we can no longer bear to watch our governments and international organizations stay inactive or providing passive assistance to the crimes of Ukrainian authorities.
We can not remain silent, and we responsibly declare:
We are convinced that the people of Donetsk and Luhansk regions are not extremists, terrorists or criminals. These are people that require respect for fundamental human rights, which are based on the fundamental principles of humanism: right to life, right to physical integrity, right to personal security, right to protection from inhuman treatment, right to health, for the observance of which we stand!
We believe that the war in Donbass can be stopped only by the peaceful means,
through the negotiations and a national consensus, which is possible only with the active impartial assistance of European states and the entire world community.
We are certain that every person has the right to information, to freedom of speech and belief and, therefore, we demand that our governments stop the information blockade.
We call on Ukraine to stop the bloody war in Donbass, and the governments of our countries to lend active assistance for the withdrawal of the Ukrainian troops by the President Poroshenko P.A., for the peace negotiations and establishing a lasting peace in the territory of Donbass.
In accordance with Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations, the actual organization is intended to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.
This is our common aim as people and citizens in the XXI century. Therefore, we can not ignore what is happening in close proximity to us and we urge the United Nations to pay attention to the flagrant violations of human rights in Ukraine.
I, an inhabitant of Europe, append the signature under this petition to show my commitment to the information stated in petition and join to the complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Council, regarding the human rights violations by Ukraine in Donbass.
- May 9. Donetsk, Victory Parade
- RCC calls for a fair and independent investigation of May 2, 2014 massacre in Odessa, Ukraine
- "War and Peace": Views of Ukrainians about causes of war in Donbass