But why does that mean it's not being addressed? From a geography point of
view-questions of human rights abuses vs. the "correct" course of (in)action
aside-I find today's development fascinating. The Russians have given all
the inhabitants of Grozny five days to leave town before they, presumably,
flatten it to rid the city of all "terrorists and bandits"-and in the
process ensuring no one will have a home to return to. If this were
happening in the breakaway republic of Wales and the British military were
telling all the people in Cardiff they needed to leave not just the city but
the country because anyone remaining after Friday would be considered an
enemy of the United Kingdom, I suspect there would be much more
discussion-if not an outcry-on this list . . . and perhaps even a solution
or two as to how this should be handled, both inside the UK and outside.
But perhaps we're all isolationists at heart. My sister, with whom I have
numerous disagreements on all points, told me over the weekend, as I was
asking her about her response to the WTO protests in Seattle, her hometown,
that it didn't really "affect" her and so she had taken no notice . . . My
response was to quote John Donne's "No man is an island" to her, and I would
do the same on the subject of Chechnya. I don't have a solution. But I do
think something needs to happen. The question is what. Any ideas?
Best regards,
Becky
-----Original Message-----
From: JD Sidaway [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, December 06, 1999 9:55 AM
To: [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: chechnya and the apparent lack of
interest/knowledge
Alistair asks the topical question of why the relative silence over
the
war in Chechnya...one part of the ansewer may be that Russia
seems to use some of NATO's methods (though for ends similar to
those of Slobodan Milosevic). Welcome everybody to the New
World Order.....
James Sidaway
, Date sent: Sat, 4 Dec 1999 17:53:54 -0500 (EST)
Subject: chechnya and the apparent lack of
interest/knowledge
From: [log in to unmask] (Alistair
Fraser)
To: [log in to unmask]
Send reply to: [log in to unmask] (Alistair
Fraser)
> The continual bombardment of Chechnya by Russian forces is utterly
> disgusting. Without having full knowledge of the history of the
Chechen
> people I am still inclined to find this campaign deplorable.
>
> Having just joined this forum I may not be in the best position to
comment
> on the content of our discussions but I will anyway! Maybe we
need to
> consider what is happening there; what the NATO chiefs are not
doing about
> it and why; what the EU doesn't seem to be doing, and why; what
we, as
> geographers are not saying about it and why; and also the
> implications for that region of the world and the people living
there.
>
> Not only this, but perhaps some contributions by some people 'in
the know'
> wouldn't go a miss within this forum. It seems that NATO actions
are
> argued against (understandably) but Russian imperialism is given a
big
> body-swerve. Why the lack of interest or lack of knowledge?
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> ALISTAIR FRASER
> 1st Year M.A. Student
> Geography Department
> Ohio State University
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
James Derrick Sidaway
School of Geography and Environmental Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK
Tel. 0121 414 6935
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|