LETTER TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE J. TENET FROM SENATOR PAUL D. WELLSTONE RE THE U

Created: 5/14/2001

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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The Honorable George J. Tend Director of Central Intelligence

Dear Mr. Director:

I have been informed that Chechen Foreign Minister llyas Akhmadov urged. government to use satellite imagery to document publicly the existence of mass graves and concentration camps in Chechnya.

1 strongly support this proposal. Here's why: The discovery of several mass graves in Chechnya is testimony to untold terror in the Northern Caucasus. Several human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have gone to great lengths to photograph and publicize the existence of these mass graves. Unfortunately, as is typical of the Russian actions in Chechnya, their efforts are strictly controlled and an accurate picture of the scope of the tragedy is unavailable.

In addition to mass graves, the existence of "filtrations an accepted fact of Chechnya's desperate state of affairs. These camps, such as the infamouslackre the scene of systematic torture and mass execution of Chechens by Russian troops. Over the past year Russia has prevented human rights organizations, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europerom effectively monitoring these concentration camps.

Mr. Director, as long as Russia continues to exclude independent human rights monitors from Chechnya, Russian forces will continue to act with impunity.

The United Statesnique ability to monitor this situation with satellitetrongly urge that you utilize these capabilities at your disposal tourvey of Chechnya and its environs to document the existence of mass graves and concentration camps.

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It is out moral obligation to hold Russia publicly accountable to the international community for its human rights abuses in Chechnya.

Sincerely.

Senator Paul D.. Senator

CC: Richard Armitagc. Deputy Secretary of Slate

flPPRDVtO FOR RELEASE DATL1

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