WiserEarth Global Communities

The Chechnya Advocacy Network is a volunteer organization with a horizontal structure based on network groups and partner organizations in locations all over the US (see Our Structure). We are non-denominational, non-partisan and as an organization do not support any side in the ongoing war in Chechnya. Rather, our focus is humanitarian and our interest is the well-being of the Chechen people; we thus consider ourselves on the side of the many victims of this war who have suffered, and continue to suffer, from unimaginable tragedy and hardship. Neither are we, by virtue of caring about the Chechens, "anti-Russian". On the contrary, we believe that the war in Chechnya has become a national catastrophe for the Russian Federation, has hampered its democratic development and exposed tens of thousands of young Russians to a brutal and dehumanizing nightmare, which too many of them did not survive.



However, the war in Chechnya has become an extremely politicized and partisan issue, and some of our members have different views of the conflict, representing various sentiments generated by the decade-long crisis. In order to preserve the open nature of our network we "agree to disagree", as long as we share the above-mentioned goals. Therefore, statements by individual members do not necessarily reflect the consensus of the entire network.



We combine three broad areas of action:

1) raising awareness about the plight of Chechens and demanding a more pro-active international response,

2) addressing the legal, material and educational needs of Chechens anywhere through cooperating with NGOs and developing our own projects,

3) helping the growing Chechen diaspora become more organized and effective, find its voice and strengthen Chechen culture while recognizing its inherent diversity and evolvement.



The Chechnya Advocacy Network's overarching concern is the well-being of the Chechen people, and the creation of conditions in which they can live safe, peaceful, healthy, productive and happy lives. All our other objectives and pursuits are guided by that initial consideration.

1) an immediate end to armed violence and military action

2) an immediate end to human rights abuses and violations of the laws of war

3) an immediate end to persecution of and discrimination against ethnic

4) Chechens unfettered and safe access for humanitarian aid

5) asylum for Chechen refugees in those countries where they seek protection and access to fair procedures and legal assistance for Chechen asylum-seekers.