#11 - JRL 7227
From: jonesme@rferl.org
Subject: INVITATION: The Plight of Displaced Chechens
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
invites you to a briefing by

Gabriel Trujillo
Head of Mission in Moscow, Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
The Plight of Displaced Chechens
Friday, June 20, 2003
9:00AM-10:30AM
in Conference Room A (4th Floor) at
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
1201 Connecticut Ave NW
[entrance on Rhode Island Ave NW, next to St. Matthew's Cathedral]

Since May 2002, Russian, Chechen, and Ingush officials have increased the pressure for the forced repatriation of displaced Chechen civilians. These refugees fear for their lives if they are required to return to their explosive and unstable homeland. Two tent camps have already been closed, and it is planned that all other camps in Ingushetia will shut down within the next several months.

Gabriel Trujillo, the Head of Mission in Moscow for Doctors Without Borders, will describe the current situation of Chechen displaced persons and review his organization's efforts to help these victims of the war in Chechnya. Trujillo testified before the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe last week on this topic, and is in Washington this week to continue briefing congressional staffers.

Please RSVP by Thursday, June 19 by email to <dc-response@rferl.org>, by telephone to Melody Jones at (202) 457-6949, or by fax to (202) 457-6992.