Human Rights and
International Democratic Solidarity

Statements

International Relations and Human Rights Observatory

03-08-2022

No suffering is alien to us

The aggression against Ukraine represents a serious violation of the principles, agreements, and peaceful forms of coexistence that gave rise to the United Nations Charter and the International Human Rights System. Faced with threats of an escalation of the armed conflict, civil society and human rights organizations see with extreme concern the response of nations in the form of distrust in their neighbors, increased spending on weapons, and the resumption of an arms race in response to fear.

The undersigned, 234 social and human rights organizations of the Americas, wish to express our support for the cessation of the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine and the strict compliance with international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation breached its commitments to the principles and obligations arising from the Charter of the United Nations by abandoning peaceful methods of conflict resolution and resorting to the use of force to violate the territorial integrity and self-determination of Ukraine. Most of the nations and peoples of the world have recognized the move as an act of unilateral aggression by Russia, which makes use of its armed force to attack the sovereignty, freedom, territorial integrity, and political independence of Ukraine, and, above all, the integrity and life of the Ukrainian people. An unlawful and unjustified act of aggression with no grounds of a political, economic, military, or any other nature under international law.

Despite its international obligations, the existence of mechanisms for peaceful conflict resolution, and the willingness of nations to achieve these solutions through dialogue, Russia has ignored the calls and put Universal Peace at risk. The use of weapons, the threats to escalate the conflict if other nations intervene, and the sole mention of a state of alert in the nuclear weapons system have placed nations, the International System for the Protection of Human Rights, and the citizens of the world before their most important challenge in recent history.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, warned that a million people had to leave Ukraine for Poland and other neighboring countries in just 7 days, calling it “the fastest exodus in recent history”. the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR), Michelle Bachelet, in her report to the 49th session of the Human Rights Council, described the situation as “one of the most serious peace and security crises in recent years”, with massive impacts on the human rights of millions of people in Ukraine and new and dangerous threats to all of humanity.

The Office of the HCHR has registered several armed attacks against the civilian population, resulting in 752 civilian casualties, including 227 dead, 15 of them children, and at least 525 wounded, including 28 children, estimates that could be much higher after confirmation, in addition to the damage and destruction of residential areas, schools, cultural places, hospitals, and vital service facilities for civilian life such as water, sanitation, and fuel. The aggression of the Russian government has unleashed a "humanitarian and human rights crisis in Ukraine" in just a few days.

Given the very serious nature and scale of the events in Ukraine, we, the individuals and civil society organizations who believe in the defense of human rights and the peaceful resolution of conflicts:

a. Express our deepest respects and solidarity to all the victims of this unjustified military action, in any of the dimensions of damage and suffering caused, which violates the most transcendental principles and rights of humanity.

b. Demand that absolute priority be given to the preservation of the life, integrity, and protection of all the victims of this aggression, both inside Ukraine and for those who had to flee to save their lives and survive. Millions of people are in danger of death, the hundreds of deaths that have already occurred are unacceptable.

c. Condemn both targeted and indiscriminate attacks against homes, civilian shelters, health care centers and humanitarian assistance activities, places of cultural, religious, and memory relevance, and basic services facilities, which constitute serious violations of international law in contexts of armed conflict.

d. Welcome the call of the OHCHR for the prioritization of the protection of the civilian population and the request to all parties in conflict to guarantee, respect, provide, protect, and allow the effective and independent action of international activists in the fields of human rights, humanitarian assistance, and refugee protection.

e. Demand the respect for and guarantee of the rights to freedom of thought and expression, peaceful assembly, and association of the people of Russia and Belarus, who have expressed their rejection from the early days of the aggression and requested their governments to withdraw from Ukraine and to find peaceful mechanisms for the resolution of the conflict. In Russia alone, the number of arbitrary arrests in the context of protests rises to more than 13,000.

f. Recognize, based on the Charter of the United Nations, the principle of self-determination, the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the spirit of friendship and solidarity that must prevail among the nations and peoples of the world.

g. Urge the government of the Russian Federation to return to the principles and obligations that it has voluntarily committed to as a member of the United Nations, through an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of military troops from Ukraine, and an immediate end to the violations and abuses of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in Ukraine, in strict compliance with resolutions issued by the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Council; as well as to search for and active participation in good faith in any peaceful way to solve the controversies and conflicts with Ukraine. We extend this call to the government of Belarus and request it to refrain from supporting this aggression against the people of Ukraine.

h. Reject the warmongering rhetoric and the threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin of possible military action against countries that offer help to Ukraine, and further deplore the warning of the possible use of nuclear weapons and psychological terror, contrary to the respect for human dignity, against the population of the entire planet, including the people of Russia.

i. Condemn all the past and present human rights violations against the civilian population committed by the military forces from all parties to the conflict. Military and security officials must guarantee the respect for, protection, and observance of the human rights of all people, as well as the protection of residential areas, hospitals, schools, shelters, and vital, cultural, and religious facilities under the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols.

j. Demand guarantees of non-discrimination based on race, ethnicity, nationality, politics, religion, ideology, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression for people seeking refuge in Ukraine and other countries, as well as the protection of all people with special emphasis on the elderly, pregnant women, children and adolescents and people with disabilities, chronic or lifethreatening illnesses, human rights defenders, journalists, and members of the media.

k. Support the meetings that representatives of both nations are holding as a fundamental way to find a concerted, peaceful resolution with guarantees of rights, and we also advocate that they be held under the principles of respect, equality, and good faith, prioritizing life, integrity, human rights, the well-being of their people and of all humanity.

The aggression against Ukraine represents a serious violation of the principles, agreements, and peaceful forms of coexistence that gave rise to the United Nations Charter and the International Human Rights System. Faced with threats of an escalation of the armed conflict, civil society and human rights organizations see with extreme concern the response of nations in the form of distrust in their neighbors, increased spending on weapons, and the resumption of an arms race in response to fear.

On the contrary, we believe that the alarms raised by today’s conflict should call for reflection and a real commitment to desist from weapons, missiles, bombs, and, above all, nuclear weapons, while guaranteeing that the threats of the use of nuclear force are never repeated and that they remain hidden in the chronicles of a shameful history for humanity.

Peaceful coexistence, even with its imperfections, is at risk and poses urgent challenges for governments and citizens of the world. The events of aggression in Ukraine force us to look back to the principles that gave birth to the Charter of the United Nations and to rethink its operation, assertiveness, and effectiveness for its evolution, adaptation, and progress in the face of the new challenges that are presented to humanity for the effective realization of equality, respect, peace, and dignity.

Making preventive mechanisms work in a timely manner to eradicate warlike actions, small- or largescale territorial conflicts, the advance of authoritarianism, and practices that violate human rights and fundamental freedoms is critical to avoid repeating the cycles of war, death, and humanitarian crises.

Faced with the loss of trust in human beings, it is time for more humanity and more dignity, without discrimination, in equality and fraternity. Let no suffering be alien to us.

Signatories:

1. A.C. Asamblea de Educación. Venezuela

2. A.C. Casa del Nuevo Pueblo. Venezuela

3. A.C. Radar de los Barrios. Venezuela

4. AC Amigos de Sotillo Edo. Monagas. Venezuela

5. AC Anzoátegui Sin VIH – SIDA. Venezuela

6. AC Ciudadanía Luna Nueva. Venezuela

7. AC. Concentroccidente del Grupo Social Cesap. Venezuela

8. AC Conciencia Ciudadana. Venezuela

9. A.C. Médicos Unidos de Venezuela

10. Acceso a la Justicia. Venezuela

11. Acción femenina. Venezuela

12. Acción Solidaria. Venezuela

13. ACCSI. Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA, Venezuela. Venezuela

14. Agenda Social AC. Venezuela

15. Alianza Venezolana por la Salud. Venezuela

16. AMBAR Asociación Civil. Venezuela

17. América Diversa Inc. Estados Unidos de América

18. Amigos Trasplantados de Venezuela. Venezuela

19. Apauna. Venezuela

20. Apucla. Venezuela

21. Apufat. Venezuela

22. Aquí Cabemos Todos. Venezuela

23. Asociación Cauce. Venezuela

24. Asociación Civil Centro Campesino El Convite. Venezuela

25. Asociación Civil Compromiso Ciudadano. Venezuela

26. Asociación Civil de Ciudadanos Luna Nueva. Venezuela

27. Asociación Civil Vida y Luz (Asoviluz). Venezuela

28. Asociación de Profesores de la UCV. Venezuela

29. Asociación de Profesores de la UNELLEZ. Venezuela

30. Asociación de Profesores de la Universidad de Carabobo. Venezuela

31. Asociación de Profesores de la Universidad del Zulia APUZ. Venezuela

32. Asociación de Profesores de la Universidad Simón Bolívar. Venezuela

33. Asociación de Profesores Jubilados UPEL Maracay. APROJUPEL. Venezuela

34. Asociación de Vecinos de Santa Paula ASOPAULA. Venezuela

35. Asociación de Venezolanos en Paraguay-PACUHR. Paraguay

36. Asociación Fe y Derechos Humanos - Puno FEDERH. Perú

37. Asociación Nuevos Horizontes. Guatemala

38. Asoprovital. Venezuela

39. Ateneo Ecológico del Orinoco. Venezuela

40. Aula Abierta. Venezuela

41. AVESSOC. Venezuela

42. Azul Positivo. Venezuela

43. Banco del Libro. Venezuela

44. Bandesir Lara. Venezuela

45. Banho de Cidadania Recife Pacurh. Brasil

46. CADAL. Argentina

47. Café DDHH. Venezuela

48. Caleidoscopio Humano. Venezuela

49. Campo ONG. Venezuela

50. Caracas Ciudad Plural. Venezuela

51. Caracas Mi Convive. Venezuela

52. Cecavid. Venezuela

53. Cedice Libertad. Venezuela

54. Centro de Animación Juvenil. Venezuela

55. Centro de Atención Integral Psicopedagógica Individual (CAIPI). Perú

56. Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Metropolitana. Venezuela

57. Centro de Desarrollo Humano Sustentable. Venezuela

58. Centro de Formación para la Democracia CFD. Venezuela

59. Centro de Información y servicios de asesoría en salud. Nicaragua

60. Centro de Investigación Social Formación y Estudios de la Mujer CISFEM. Venezuela

61. Centro LGBTIQ+ de Mérida. Venezuela

62. Centro Nicaragüense de Derechos Humanos, CENIDH. Nicaragua

63. Centro de Justicia y Paz. Cepaz. Venezuela

64. Circuito Gran Cine. Venezuela

65. Ciudadanía Activa. Venezuela

66. Ciudadanía con Compromiso AC. Venezuela

67. Civilis Derechos Humanos. Venezuela

68. Clima21 - Ambiente y Derechos Humanos. Venezuela

69. Coalición de Organizaciones por el Derecho a la Salud y la Vida. Codevida. Venezuela

70. Cocomacia. Colombia

71. Colectiva Feminista Las Malcriadas. Nicaragua

72. Colectiva de Feministas Rurales Occidente. Nicaragua

73. Colegio de Enfermeros del estado Carabobo. Venezuela

74. Colegio de Médicos de Monagas. Venezuela

75. Comisión de DDHH de la Federación Venezolana de Colegios de Abogados del estado Apure. Venezuela

76. Comisión de derechos humanos de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas de la Universidad del Zulia. Venezuela

77. Comisión de Derechos Humanos. COMISEDH. Perú

78. Comisión Ecuménica de Derechos Humanos. Ecuador

79. Comisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela - Lara. Venezuela

80. Comisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela - Mérida. Venezuela

81. Comisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela - Táchira. Venezuela

82. Comisión para los Derechos Humanos del Estado Zulia. Codhez. Venezuela

83. Comité Azul y Blanco Estelí. Nicaragua

84. Comité de Derechos Humanos de la Guajira. Venezuela

85. Comité para la defensa de los derechos humanos parroquia Coche. Venezuela

86. Comités para la Defensa de los DDHH. Venezuela

87. Comunidad en Movimiento AC. Venezuela

88. Conciencia Ciudadana AC. Venezuela

89. Confederación Sordos de Venezuela. CONSORVEN. Venezuela

90. Consejo Comunal de la urb. Santa Paula. Venezuela

91. Convite AC. Venezuela

92. Cooperativa Financiera Valera. Venezuela

93. DefensActiva. Venezuela

94. Defensor derecho humano voluntario. Nicaragua

95. Driectia de desarrollo económico de Cortázar, GTo. México

96. Epikeia Derechos Humanos. Venezuela

97. Equipo de Proyectos y Asesoría Social-EDEPA. Venezuela

98. Espacio Civil a.c. Venezuela

99. Espacio Público. Venezuela

100. Excubitus DHE. Venezuela

101. Fe en Venezuela. Estados Unidos de America

102. Fe y Alegría. Venezuela

103. Federación de Asociaciones de Profesores Universitarios. Venezuela. Fapuv. Venezuela

104. Federación de Estudiantes Universitarios por los DDHH (FEDEHU). Venezuela

105. Federación Médica de Monagas. Venezuela

106. Federación Nacional de Sociedades de Padres y Representantes FENASOPADRES. Venezuela

107. Federación Venezolana de Abogadas. FEVA. Venezuela

108. Foro San Antonio. Venezuela

109. Frente Nacional de Mujeres. Venezuela

110. Fuerza Ecológica Calabozo – FECOLCA. Venezuela

111. Fuerza Liberal. Venezuela

112. Funcamama, Fundación de lucha contra el cáncer. Venezuela

113. Fundación Agua Sin Fronteras. Venezuela

114. Fundación Aguaclara. Venezuela

115. Fundación Aylwin. Chile

116. Fundación Basura Cero. Venezuela

117. Fundación CIIDER. Venezuela

118. Fundación Ciudadanía y Desarrollo. Ecuador

119. Fundación Civitas. Venezuela

120. Fundación Comunidades Ciudadanas. Venezuela

121. Fundación CONSTRUIR. Bolivia

122. Fundación Cultivar. Venezuela

123. Fundación Cultural Simón Bolívar-PACUHR. Colombia

124. Fundación de Derechos Humanos Anzoátegui. Venezuela

125. Fundación Diáspora venezolana. FUNDIASVE. Venezuela

126. Fundación Emprendedores Solidarios. Venezuela

127. FUNDACIÓN INCIDE. Venezuela

128. Fundación La Gran Victoria Monagas. Venezuela

129. Fundación Lucelia. Venezuela

130. Fundación Manos solidarias. Venezuela

131. Fundación Migración en Positivo. Colombia

132. Fundación para el Debido Proceso Fundepro. Venezuela

133. Fundación para el Desarrollo Integral FUNDESI. Venezuela

134. Fundación para la Prevención de la Violencia contra las Mujeres. Venezuela

135. Fundación Parkinson Carabobo. Venezuela

136. Fundación Ramón Devia. Venezuela

137. Fundación Renacer Ciudadano. Venezuela

138. Fundación Rio de agua viva, uniendo fronteras – Pacuhr. Colombia

139. Fundación Sin Fronteras Manizales FSFM. Colombia

140. Fundapden Internacional. Paraguay/Venezuela

141. Fundación Punto Ecológico. Venezuela

142. FundaRedes. Venezuela

143. Fundaval. Venezuela

144. FUSADES. El Salvador

145. Gaia, Centro de las mujeres. Venezuela

146. Geografía Viva A. C. Venezuela

147. GobiernaTec. Venezuela

148. Grupo Social Cesap. Venezuela

149. Hearts On Venezuela. Venezuela

150. Indigenous Women Legal Awareness Group (INWOLAG). Nepal

151. Instituto de Prensa y Libertad de Expresión IPLEX. Costa Rica

152. Instituto de Promoción y Educación Popular. Comisión de Justicia Social IPEP CJS Chimbote. Perú

153. Instituto Mead de Venezuela AC. Venezuela

154. Ipys Venezuela. Venezuela

155. JPT. Venezuela

156. La Choza del Espíritu Santo. Venezuela

157. La ONG. Organización Nelson Garrido. Venezuela

158. Laboratorio de Paz. Venezuela

159. Latinoamérica Sustentable. Ecuador

160. Manos Solidarias. Venezuela

161. Más Acciones Más Planeta. Venezuela/ Argentina

162. Médicos Unidos Venezuela. Venezuela

163. Médicos Unidos de Venezuela capitulo Carabobo. Venezuela

164. Mesa de Educación. Plan País. Venezuela

165. Monitor de Derechos Humanos. Venezuela

166. Monitor Social A.C. Venezuela

167. Movimiento de Educadores Prieto Figueroa. Venezuela

168. Movimiento Ciudadano @Dale_letra. Venezuela

169. Movimiento Creando Ciudadanos (MOCRECI). Venezuela

170. Movimiento Manuela Ramos. Perú

171. Movimiento Por la Democracia. Venezuela

172. Movimiento San Isidro. Cuba

173. Movimiento SOMOS. Venezuela

174. Movimiento Soy Pico Rojo Nicaragua. Nicaragua

175. Movimiento X El Ávila. Venezuela

176. MUDCA. América Latina

177. Mujer y Ciudadanía-Chile. Chile

178. Mujer y Ciudadanía A.C. Venezuela

179. Mujeres por la Democracia. Venezuela

180. Mujeres por la libertad. Venezuela

181. Mulier Venezuela. Venezuela

182. Multirecicla CA. Venezuela

183. Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de los Andes. Venezuela

184. Observatorio Venezolano DDHH Mujeres. Venezuela

185. Observatorio Venezolano de Libertad Sindical. Venezuela

186. Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones. Venezuela

187. OC Las Carolinas. Venezuela

188. ONG El Despertar Ciudadano. Venezuela

189. ONG No Permitas Malos Tratos. Venezuela

190. ONG Venezuela sin Fronteras – Pacurh. Colombia

191. Organización Comunitaria Brisas de Guacarapo Edo. Sucre. Venezuela

192. Organización Comunitaria La Choza del Espíritu Santo Edo Monagas. Venezuela

193. Organización Comunitaria La Gran Victoria Zona 10. Venezuela

194. Organización Comunitaria Las Carolinas Monagas. Venezuela

195. Organización Comunitaria Las Vírgenes Edo Monagas. Venezuela

196. Organización Comunitaria Luna Nueva estado Monagas. Venezuela

197. Organización Humanitaria Zona 10. Venezuela

198. Organisation Trans d’Haïti, OTRAH. Haití.

199. Padres Organizados de Venezuela. Venezuela

200. Panamerican and Caribbean Union for Humans Rights PACUHR. Las Américas

201. Paz y Esperanza. Perú

202. People in Need. República Checa

203. Piloneras. Venezuela

204. Prepara Familia. Venezuela

205. Programa Venezolano e Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos. Provea. Venezuela

206. Promedehum. Venezuela

207. Psicólogos sin Fronteras Venezuela. Venezuela

208. Red de Organizaciones de Derechos Humanos del Estado Anzoátegui REDHANZ. Venezuela

209. Red Economía Circular Venezuela. Venezuela

210. Red Organizaciones Vecinales Baruta. Venezuela

211. Remisod. Costa Rica

212. Sabuesos Guerrera A.C. Y Sabuesos Guerras ext Oaxaca. México

213. Senos Ayuda A.C. Venezuela

214. Sinergia Global Consulting Group spa. Chile

215. Sinergia Red Venezolana de Organizaciones de Sociedad Civil. Venezuela

216. Sociedad Civil activa de Yaracuy. Venezuela

217. Sociedad Hominis Iura (SOHI). Venezuela

218. Sociedad Venezolana de Coaching. Venezuela

219. Sociedad Venezolana de Ingenieros de minas y metalúrgicos SVIMM. Venezuela

220. StopVIH. Venezuela

221. The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation. The JHRF. United Kingdom

222. Todos por el Futuro. Venezuela

223. Transparencia Venezuela

224. UCAB. Venezuela

225. Una Ventana a la Libertad. Venezuela

226. Unión Afirmativa. Venezuela

227. Unión Vecinal para la Participación Ciudadana AC. Venezuela

228. Uquira. Venezuela

229. Venezolanos en Quillota. Chile

230. Venezuela Diversa. Venezuela

231. Vicaría de DDHH de la Arquidiócesis de Barquisimeto. Venezuela

232. Voces Q' Suman. Venezuela

233. Voces Vitales. Venezuela

234. Wola (Oficina Washington para asuntos latinoamericanos). Estados Unidos de América

 
 
 

 
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