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IDemo

(16,926 posts)
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 06:45 PM Mar 2014

Members of Putin's rights council say no grounds for Ukraine invasion

Source: Reuters

MOSCOW, March 2 (Reuters) - Members of President Vladimir Putin's human rights council urged him on Sunday not to invade Ukraine, saying threats faced by Russians there were far from severe enough to warrant sending in troops.

A statement signed by 27 members of the advisory body reflected deep concern among Russian liberals at the prospect of Kremlin aggression against Russia's neighbor.

Putin stunned the world and sparked outrage in the West by securing parliament's consent on Saturday to send armed forces into Ukraine to protect Russian citizens who the Kremlin says are under threat from militant supporters of the government installed after the pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovich was toppled.

Those concerns are overblown, members of the Presidential Council on the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights said in the statement.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/02/ukraine-crisis-russia-council-idUSL6N0LZ0UB20140302

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Members of Putin's rights council say no grounds for Ukraine invasion (Original Post) IDemo Mar 2014 OP
One positive development in all this mess... blackspade Mar 2014 #1
"President Vladimir Putin's human rights council" iandhr Mar 2014 #2
Kind of like seeing christx30 Mar 2014 #9
It sounds like there are some people in Russia who have some sense. amandabeech Mar 2014 #3
I don't expect they'll be listened to--they're going against the propaganda. TwilightGardener Mar 2014 #4
thanks IDemo Cha Mar 2014 #5
What's really bad is that this council is appointed by Putin. Apparently there was a walk out okaawhatever Mar 2014 #6
Wait, parts of Putin's government actually disagree? joshcryer Mar 2014 #7
He doesn't. This may be a tell. nt geek tragedy Mar 2014 #8
K&R DeSwiss Mar 2014 #10
I Haven't Been Able To Sort Out The Players In Ukraine Yet DallasNE Mar 2014 #11
The neo-nazi presence in the Ukrainian opposition was greatly exaggerated. EmilyAnne Mar 2014 #12

iandhr

(6,852 posts)
2. "President Vladimir Putin's human rights council"
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 07:06 PM
Mar 2014

Did I read those words correctly or am I going blind?

 

amandabeech

(9,893 posts)
3. It sounds like there are some people in Russia who have some sense.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 07:17 PM
Mar 2014

The sense of the article is that war is an ugly thing, and that it had ought not to be the first option when difficulties, or perceived difficulties, arise.

Too bad Putin seldom listens to this body.

I guess they should be lucky that Putin hasn't sent them all to Siberia in place of Pussy Riot.

okaawhatever

(9,453 posts)
6. What's really bad is that this council is appointed by Putin. Apparently there was a walk out
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 09:25 PM
Mar 2014

last year of 15 "real" civil rights defenders over the election last year. An election they thought was "skewed" to favor the ruling party.

From the announcement of Putin's new picks for the Human Rights Council:

"But also noteworthy are the names that are missing, including Lyudmila Alekseyeva, the 85-year-old figurehead of Russia’s human rights movement.

Alekseyeva is one of 15 prominent figures who left the presidential council in the wake of the disputed December parliamentary elections that were criticized for being skewed to favor the United Russia ruling party.

In a presidential decree on November 12, Putin officially struck Alekseyeva from the roster, along with commentator Dmitry Oreshkin, Yelena Panfilova of Transparency International Moscow, and Svetlana Gannushkina, head of the Civic Assistance organization, as well as a handful of others who tended their resignations this year."

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/66172

DallasNE

(7,392 posts)
11. I Haven't Been Able To Sort Out The Players In Ukraine Yet
Mon Mar 3, 2014, 01:59 AM
Mar 2014

I know that there are neo-Nazi elements in the ranks of those that toppled Yanukovich but I have not been able to determine what percent of those in Parliament are neo-Nazi members. Depending on that answer, we may be facing a lose-lose situation over there. How do we funnel humanitarian aid to Ukraine without it falling into the hands of the neo-Nazi faction. I don't think the desire for a pro-western government overcomes the opposition to helping with the formation of a Nazi like government. Indeed, I would go slow on aid until after the promised May elections to select a new, permanent leader.

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