Elena Bonner's Remarks on Politkovskaya

Via chechnya-sl:

Objet: Elena Bonner’s remarks on Politkovskaya
Date : Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:18:24 +0400

The responsibility for the death of Anna Politkovskaya rests on Russian society, power structures, and President’s administration, on their cold indifference and cynicism.

It also rests on the international community, all European institutions, and the UN who have forgotten that in 1975 Helsinki Agreement pronounced that human rights violations cannot be an exclusively internal affair of any country. Today this community pretends it believes Russian official lie of the war against international terrorism, while helping terrorists diplomatically and by the arms sales.

Having said that Politkovskaya’s publications have harmed Russia, President Putin has insulted the honest, selfless, and humane position of one of Russia’s best journalists.

By this statement, President Putin confessed that honesty and integrity harms Russia. He is concerned what to say to George Bush, to Angela Merkel, he knows he has to say something, and his every word gives him away. He promises there will be an investigation of Politkovskaya’s murder to George Bush – not to Politkovskaya’s mother, her children, or her colleagues at Novaya gazeta. A promise of investigation to George Bush is a slap in the face of entire Russia.

Our time shows two faces: One of a person of high mind, integrity, compassion and empathy for the country, its people, every human being – this is the face of Anna Politkovskaya; The other face is beastly, cruel, and selfish – this is the face of the country whose citizens we are. Those in power hope we are cattle which is unable to understand all this.

Tragic death of Anna Politkovskaya – Russia’s loss, and it serves those who create life for themselves only, at the expense of Russia.

Elena Bonner October 10, 2006

[Taken from the groups.yahoo.com French language short-list]