By Dr Michael ATCHIA (Democracy Watch Mauritius)
A call for a Ceasefire in Ukraine. Negotiation and a Referendum on self-determination to follow. Leading to Peace, Security and Reconstruction.
We condemn aggression; we condemn the neglect of action to control climate change and save the Planet as a supporter of Life; we condemn any action risking nuclear disaster.
The Planet is suffering from the extremes of climate change (roasting under extreme heat, freezing cold, intense hurricanes, floods and droughts, impending sea-level rise, etc). Under such a planetary emergency, there is no time, no justification, for anyone to resort to the old style of empire building, of going to war as a tool of political action.
Please join us in condemning war “AS A TOOL OF POLITICAL ACTION”. Instead let us use negotiation and where necessary arbitration, instead of missiles, tanks and bombs, hostages as “arguments”.
The centuries old civilizations of both Russia and Ukraine, the joint faith both countries share, CAN NOW LEAD YOU to give a lesson/an example to be followed by the REST OF THE WORLD: STOP USING WEAPONS AND START SOLVING CONFLICT BY NEGOCIATIONS, NOW!
We therefore invite you, Presidents VLADIMIR and VOLODYMYR to meet and jointly start NEGOTIATIONS (with China/the European Union/UN/or other facilitators).
Based on the acceptance of the democratically elected Government in Ukraine, to conduct of a referendum on self-determination by the people in DONBAS, SOUTH UKRAINE and CRIMEA whether they wish to be:
- part of Ukraine,
- part of Russia,
- or become independent states (as per UN Charter for self determination of people and nations)
“The Chernobyl disaster caused irreversible damage to the environment that will last for thousands of years,” says Greenpeace in their 2016 study of the accident. Threatening the use of nuclear warheads will affect the entire Planet negatively and for thousands of years. Russia holds about 6,850 nuclear warheads, the USA 6,550 warheads; France, 290 warheads and China, 280. The UK has 215, Pakistan 145 India 135. Even Israel and North Korea hold some. Any use of even a small number of these could end the Planet’s ability to support biodiversity, including human life. In the name of us the 8 billion humans, we state that NO ONE has the right to take the risk of using nuclear arms, for whatever purpose.
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian civilians and young Russian soldiers have been killed and massacred uselessly, not to say criminally since the invasion AND THIS NUMBER WILL DOUBLE IF WAR PERSISTS. So we call for an immediate cease fire: stop firing, talk, both consider the requirement of the other side. Sign an agreement, a peace treaty. After a ceasefire, and a peace treaty, we can start the rebuilding of Ukraine, a destroyed country. We support the full resumption of production and export of cereals, grain and natural gas from Russia. Sanctions should end and free trade be re-established, as soon as possible. Your actions will be an example of how to end that other war, between Palestine and Israel.
Having appealed to the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents, we invite all Heads of state and leaders in every nation of the world to hear this crucial appeal for the future, namely: to condemn war “as a tool of political action” and instead to use negotiation, and where necessary arbitration, to solve disagreements.
