No suffering is alien to us.

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 life-threatening 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 large-scale 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:

A.C. Asamblea de Educación. VenezuelaA.C. Casa del Nuevo Pueblo. VenezuelaA.C. Radar de los Barrios. VenezuelaAC Amigos de Sotillo Edo. Monagas. VenezuelaAC Anzoátegui Sin VIH – SIDA. VenezuelaAC Ciudadanía Luna Nueva. VenezuelaAC. Concentroccidente del Grupo Social Cesap. VenezuelaAC Conciencia Ciudadana. VenezuelaA.C. Médicos Unidos de VenezuelaAcceso a la Justicia. VenezuelaAcción femenina. VenezuelaAcción Solidaria. VenezuelaACCSI. Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA, Venezuela. VenezuelaAgenda Social AC. VenezuelaAlianza Venezolana por la Salud. VenezuelaAMBAR Asociación Civil. VenezuelaAmérica Diversa Inc. Estados Unidos de AméricaAmigos Trasplantados de Venezuela. VenezuelaApauna. VenezuelaApucla. VenezuelaApufat. VenezuelaAquí Cabemos Todos. VenezuelaAsociación Cauce. VenezuelaAsociación Civil Centro Campesino El Convite. VenezuelaAsociación Civil Compromiso Ciudadano. VenezuelaAsociación Civil de Ciudadanos Luna Nueva. VenezuelaAsociación Civil Vida y Luz (Asoviluz). VenezuelaAsociación de Profesores de la UCV. VenezuelaAsociación de Profesores de la UNELLEZ. VenezuelaAsociación de Profesores de la Universidad de Carabobo. VenezuelaAsociación de Profesores de la Universidad del Zulia APUZ. VenezuelaAsociación de Profesores de la Universidad Simón Bolívar. VenezuelaAsociación de Profesores Jubilados UPEL Maracay. APROJUPEL. VenezuelaAsociación de Vecinos de Santa Paula ASOPAULA. VenezuelaAsociación de Venezolanos en Paraguay-PACUHR. ParaguayAsociación Fe y Derechos Humanos – Puno FEDERH. PerúAsociación Nuevos Horizontes. GuatemalaAsoprovital. VenezuelaAteneo Ecológico del Orinoco. VenezuelaAula Abierta. VenezuelaAVESSOC. VenezuelaAzul Positivo. VenezuelaBanco del Libro. VenezuelaBandesir Lara. VenezuelaBanho de Cidadania Recife Pacurh. BrasilCADAL. ArgentinaCafé DDHH. VenezuelaCaleidoscopio Humano. VenezuelaCampo ONG. VenezuelaCaracas Ciudad Plural. VenezuelaCaracas Mi Convive. VenezuelaCecavid. VenezuelaCedice Libertad. VenezuelaCentro de Animación Juvenil. VenezuelaCentro de Atención Integral Psicopedagógica Individual (CAIPI). PerúCentro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Metropolitana. VenezuelaCentro de Desarrollo Humano Sustentable. VenezuelaCentro de Formación para la Democracia CFD. VenezuelaCentro de Información y servicios de asesoría en salud. NicaraguaCentro de Investigación Social Formación y Estudios de la Mujer CISFEM. VenezuelaCentro LGBTIQ+ de Mérida. VenezuelaCentro Nicaragüense de Derechos Humanos, CENIDH. NicaraguaCentro de Justicia y Paz. Cepaz. VenezuelaCircuito Gran Cine. VenezuelaCiudadanía Activa. VenezuelaCiudadanía con Compromiso AC. VenezuelaCivilis Derechos Humanos. VenezuelaClima21 – Ambiente y Derechos Humanos. VenezuelaCoalición de Organizaciones por el Derecho a la Salud y la Vida. Codevida. VenezuelaCocomacia. ColombiaColectiva Feminista Las Malcriadas. NicaraguaColectiva de Feministas Rurales Occidente. NicaraguaColegio de Enfermeros del estado Carabobo. VenezuelaColegio de Médicos de Monagas. VenezuelaComisión de DDHH de la Federación Venezolana de Colegios de Abogados del estado Apure. VenezuelaComisión de derechos humanos de la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas de la Universidad del Zulia. VenezuelaComisión de Derechos Humanos. COMISEDH.  PerúComisión Ecuménica de Derechos Humanos. EcuadorComisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela – Lara. VenezuelaComisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela – Mérida. VenezuelaComisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela – Táchira. VenezuelaComisión para los Derechos Humanos del Estado Zulia. Codhez. VenezuelaComité Azul y Blanco Estelí. NicaraguaComité de Derechos Humanos de la Guajira. VenezuelaComité para la defensa de los derechos humanos parroquia Coche. VenezuelaComités para la Defensa de los DDHH. VenezuelaComunidad en Movimiento AC. VenezuelaConciencia Ciudadana AC. VenezuelaConfederación Sordos de Venezuela. CONSORVEN. VenezuelaConsejo Comunal de la urb. Santa Paula. VenezuelaConvite AC. VenezuelaCooperativa Financiera Valera. VenezuelaDefensActiva. VenezuelaDefensor derecho humano voluntario. NicaraguaDriectia de desarrollo económico de Cortázar, GTo. MéxicoEpikeia Derechos Humanos. VenezuelaEquipo de Proyectos y Asesoría Social-EDEPA. VenezuelaEspacio Civil a.c. VenezuelaEspacio Público. VenezuelaExcubitus DHE. VenezuelaFe en Venezuela. Estados Unidos de AmericaFe y Alegría. VenezuelaFederación de Asociaciones de Profesores Universitarios. Venezuela. Fapuv. VenezuelaFederación de Estudiantes Universitarios por los DDHH (FEDEHU). VenezuelaFederación Médica de Monagas. VenezuelaFederación Nacional de Sociedades de Padres y Representantes FENASOPADRES. VenezuelaFederación Venezolana de Abogadas. FEVA. VenezuelaForo San Antonio. VenezuelaFrente Nacional de Mujeres. VenezuelaFuerza Ecológica Calabozo – FECOLCA. VenezuelaFuerza Liberal. VenezuelaFuncamama, Fundación de lucha contra el cáncer. VenezuelaFundación Agua Sin Fronteras. VenezuelaFundación Aguaclara. VenezuelaFundación Aylwin. ChileFundación Basura Cero. VenezuelaFundación CIIDER. VenezuelaFundación Ciudadanía y Desarrollo. EcuadorFundación Civitas. VenezuelaFundación Comunidades Ciudadanas. VenezuelaFundación CONSTRUIR. BoliviaFundación Cultivar. VenezuelaFundación Cultural Simón Bolívar-PACUHR. ColombiaFundación de Derechos Humanos Anzoátegui. VenezuelaFundación Diáspora venezolana. FUNDIASVE. VenezuelaFundación Emprendedores Solidarios. VenezuelaFUNDACIÓN INCIDE. VenezuelaFundación La Gran Victoria Monagas. VenezuelaFundación Lucelia. VenezuelaFundación Manos solidarias. VenezuelaFundación Migración en Positivo. ColombiaFundación para el Debido Proceso Fundepro. VenezuelaFundación para el Desarrollo Integral FUNDESI. VenezuelaFundación para la Prevención de la Violencia contra las Mujeres. VenezuelaFundación Parkinson Carabobo. VenezuelaFundación Ramón Devia. VenezuelaFundación Renacer Ciudadano. VenezuelaFundación Rio de agua viva, uniendo fronteras – Pacuhr. ColombiaFundación Sin Fronteras Manizales FSFM. ColombiaFundapden Internacional. Paraguay/VenezuelaFundación Punto Ecológico. VenezuelaFundaRedes. VenezuelaFundaval. VenezuelaFUSADES. El SalvadorGaia, Centro de las mujeres. VenezuelaGeografía Viva A. C. VenezuelaGobiernaTec. VenezuelaGrupo Social Cesap. VenezuelaHearts On Venezuela. VenezuelaIndigenous Women Legal Awareness Group (INWOLAG). NepalInstituto de Prensa y Libertad de Expresión IPLEX. Costa RicaInstituto de Promoción y Educación Popular. Comisión de Justicia Social IPEP CJS Chimbote.  PerúInstituto Mead de Venezuela AC. VenezuelaIpys Venezuela. VenezuelaJPT. VenezuelaLa Choza del Espíritu Santo. VenezuelaLa ONG. Organización Nelson Garrido. VenezuelaLaboratorio de Paz. VenezuelaLatinoamérica Sustentable. EcuadorManos Solidarias. VenezuelaMás Acciones Más Planeta. Venezuela/ ArgentinaMédicos Unidos Venezuela. VenezuelaMédicos Unidos de Venezuela capitulo Carabobo. VenezuelaMesa de Educación. Plan País. VenezuelaMonitor de Derechos Humanos. VenezuelaMonitor Social A.C. VenezuelaMovimiento de Educadores Prieto Figueroa. VenezuelaMovimiento Ciudadano @Dale_letra. VenezuelaMovimiento Creando Ciudadanos (MOCRECI). VenezuelaMovimiento Manuela Ramos. PerúMovimiento Por la Democracia. VenezuelaMovimiento San Isidro. CubaMovimiento SOMOS. VenezuelaMovimiento Soy Pico Rojo Nicaragua. NicaraguaMovimiento X El Ávila. VenezuelaMUDCA. América LatinaMujer y Ciudadanía-Chile. ChileMujer y Ciudadanía A.C. VenezuelaMujeres por la Democracia. VenezuelaMujeres por la libertad. VenezuelaMulier Venezuela. VenezuelaMultirecicla CA. VenezuelaObservatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de los Andes. VenezuelaObservatorio Venezolano DDHH Mujeres. VenezuelaObservatorio Venezolano de Libertad Sindical. VenezuelaObservatorio Venezolano de Prisiones. VenezuelaOC Las Carolinas. VenezuelaONG El Despertar Ciudadano. VenezuelaONG No Permitas Malos Tratos. VenezuelaONG Venezuela sin Fronteras – Pacurh. ColombiaOrganización Comunitaria Brisas de Guacarapo Edo. Sucre. VenezuelaOrganización Comunitaria La Choza del Espíritu Santo Edo Monagas. VenezuelaOrganización Comunitaria La Gran Victoria Zona 10. VenezuelaOrganización Comunitaria Las Carolinas Monagas. VenezuelaOrganización Comunitaria Las Vírgenes Edo Monagas. VenezuelaOrganización Comunitaria Luna Nueva estado Monagas. VenezuelaOrganización Humanitaria Zona 10. VenezuelaOrganisation Trans d’Haïti, OTRAH. Haití.Padres Organizados de Venezuela. VenezuelaPanamerican and Caribbean Union for Humans Rights PACUHR. Las AméricasPaz y Esperanza. PerúPeople in Need. República ChecaPiloneras. VenezuelaPrepara Familia. VenezuelaPrograma Venezolano e Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos. Provea. VenezuelaPromedehum. VenezuelaPsicólogos sin Fronteras Venezuela. VenezuelaRed de Organizaciones de Derechos Humanos del Estado Anzoátegui REDHANZ. VenezuelaRed Economía Circular Venezuela. VenezuelaRed Organizaciones Vecinales Baruta. VenezuelaRemisod. Costa RicaSabuesos Guerrera A.C. Y Sabuesos Guerras ext Oaxaca. MéxicoSenos Ayuda A.C. VenezuelaSinergia Global Consulting Group spa. ChileSinergia Red Venezolana de Organizaciones de Sociedad Civil. VenezuelaSociedad Civil activa de Yaracuy. VenezuelaSociedad Hominis Iura (SOHI). VenezuelaSociedad Venezolana de Coaching. VenezuelaSociedad Venezolana de Ingenieros de minas y metalúrgicos SVIMM. VenezuelaStopVIH. VenezuelaThe Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation. The JHRF. United KingdomTodos por el Futuro. VenezuelaTransparencia VenezuelaUCAB. VenezuelaUna Ventana a la Libertad. VenezuelaUnión Afirmativa. VenezuelaUnión Vecinal para la Participación Ciudadana AC. VenezuelaUquira. VenezuelaVenezolanos en Quillota. ChileVenezuela Diversa. VenezuelaVicaría de DDHH de la Arquidiócesis de Barquisimeto. VenezuelaVoces Q’ Suman. VenezuelaVoces Vitales. VenezuelaWola (Oficina Washington para asuntos latinoamericanos). Estados Unidos de América