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We, the Alliance of Women-peacemakers of Russia and Georgia appeal to all who cherish peace and sustainable development. We want to share with all of you our main aspiration: to return, keep and strengthen peace between our countries. The philosophy of the value of peace is based on the moments uniting us. We can not "cancel” the geography and we’ll stay neighbours. We still have spiritual-cultural contacts, religious community. We have many mixed families and numerous diasporas. Another important factor is that demand in peace is an economic necessity.
We appeal to you for support having strong moral basis: despite the efforts of propaganda Georgians could not become enemies for Russia. The stereotype of any Russian as an enemy has not been formed in Georgia. Probably, our common past has been much stronger protection than thought those who are involved in starting the Georgian-Russian conflict. That is why we believe that not everything is lost. However, we have left too little time, so you need to seek changes right now.
WE NEED:
· Restore diplomatic relations
· Restore economic contacts
· Strengthen and develop cultural community
A little more delay, and we will not have time, we’ll miss a historic chance, let alienation prevail.
First of all we appeal to public organizations with women’s agenda – they don’t need to be explained the benefits of peace before the war, humanitarian issues are at the heart of their work.
We encourage use of international instruments and mechanisms that constitute a reliable basis for peace-building - such as the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which defends women's right and their duty is to be active participants in the peace process.
These days they celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Resolution. It can be used as a good opportunity for actualization of resolution. We need to use this document persistently and creatively to achieve desirable changes – request women’s inclusion in negotiation process, change its format, status of negotiators. In short we should seek for appropriate decisions that people of both sides interested in peace, participated in negotiation process.
We appeal to Mass Media as an institution which work is crucial in these issues. We can see how Mass Media is used for the conflict escalation. Very often this tool is in base hands. We can do a little with this as with the reality of government. However, we appeal to the media as a community of people, each of whom selects a place of work, style and range of permissible and impermissible. We believe that even at this level, we’ll be able to prevent much, if we profess self-restraint and prudence, refrain from sensationalism and hasty conclusions, do not yield to provocations, guide by human values and focus on something that connects us, but not separates.
Alliance of Women-Peacekeepers of Russia and Georgia
10th December, 2010 | 