UN High Commissar for Refugees
International Committee of the Red Cross
All international, social and political organisations that are dealing with the protection of human rights
Leadership of the Chechen Republic
Leadership of Poland
Lublin, 31 August 2005

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Today is the 15^th day that we, Chechen refugees residing in Poland in the city of Lublin, refuse food. We were forced to start this action of unlimited hunger strike due to the critical situation that has grown in Poland today, and more particular in our centre for the reception of refugees.

Our problems are linked to the complete absence of juridical, social and any kind of protection of Chechen refugees in Poland and in this particular case, in our centre.

Today is the 15^th day that 7 people are in hunger strike, two of them lost conscience because of exhaustion. 

The most important aim of the unlimited hunger strike is to get an appointment with the Representative of the High Commissar for Refugees of the UN in Poland, Mr. D. Ruiz de Santiago on the question of our rights protection in the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Geneva Convention of 1951 and the Protocol of 1967, and also on the adoption of an integration programme for refugees, and if that is impossible, the integration in a third country.

To reach this aim, a Refugee Union for the Protection of Rights has been founded, which has the power to act in the name of the refugees in the refugee centre of Lublin.

We addressed ourselves several times to the Representative of the High Commissar for Refugees of the UN in Poland with the request to hold a meeting on the solution of the occurred situation, but without any response.

From 23^rd August 2005, after a meeting with Mr. E. Zenkevic, a staff member of the Representation of the UN in Poland, the conflictous situation has become sharper. The people who have announced the hunger strike and who refuse the food in the canteen of the centre, demand radical measures, up to the voluntary departure from Poland.

We understand, that in an economic weak country, where 600.000 people don't have housing, where 3 million people don't have a job, where 6 million people are considered to be poor, we have little chance that our problems will be solved, and we don't want to be an extra burden for this country.

We ask all competent persons and organisations to intervene in this crisis situation without delay, to do all what is possible, to prevent a continuation of the hunger strike and to take measures on the solution of the numerous problems with Chechen refugees in Poland.

The weakened people, who lost all their hope, could take more extreme steps any minute and the situation risks to get out of control.

The Union of Refugees for the Protection of their own Rights

Lublin, 31 August 2005