Svetlana Gannushkina, the chairwoman of the committee “Civil Assistance” had worked out an application to the mayor of Moscow Mr. Luzhkov to not allow a demonstration by radical-nationalist organizations on the 4th of November holiday which was signed by almost all Russian NGOs. Russian NGOs asked Mr. Luzhkov not to dishonor Moscow with this racist march, which could entail disorder and racist trouble on the streets of Moscow. (04-NOV-05)
In the past the nationalist organization the “Movement against illegal immigration” distributed appeals for leading a “right march” in Moscow with the slogan “Clean the city of uninvited guests”. This organization appealed to Muscovites to join them in leading this demonstration, particularly in the residential areas, where large numbers of people from ex-soviet Republics and ethnic minorities live.
Russian NGOs believe world experience has shown that marches by the “Klu Klus klan” could entail serious consequences which could create serious tension in Moscow and the country. According to the Moscow bureau for human rights’ report “Racism, xenophobia, ethnic discrimination, anti-Semitism in the Russian Federation (January-June 2005)” during this period 10 people were killed and more then 200 people suffered as a result of this crime based on the racists’ background. Neo-Nazis threatened human rights activists who defend the human rights of immigrants and condemn xenophobia. (read more) This appeal from NGOs sounds more persuasive, when based on the resent events in Voronezh.
Background
On 9 October 2005 fifteen people attacked three foreign students and one Russian student who was with them. As a result of his wounds a student from Peru died. Other students were taken to the hospital with cranial-cerebral trauma.
We want to live, we want to be friends
On the 11 of October, on the Centre square in Voronezh, 300 foreign students lead an unapproved protest because of the murder of the Peruvian student Anhelis Urtado Enrique. They passed through the streets of Voronezh screaming: “We want to live, we want to be friends”. The head of the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs spoke with them saying that he had taken the investigation of this murder under his own responsibly and promised to punish the murderers and organize the control under the activity of Neo-Nazis in Voronezh.
Stop Nazism!
On 15 October 2005 in Voronezh nearly 200 people marched against hatred. There were representatives of civil, anti-Nazis, human right organizations, political parties and simple people. Every body held hands and screamed: Stop Nazism! The citizens of Voronezh wanted to show that they felt not only shame for this murder but a sense of solidarity with those who were suffering from the neo-Nazis.
Russian NGOs insist on the prohibition of the Neo-Nazis demonstration in the streets of Moscow and other Russian cities and ask Mr. Luzhkov to not allow the provocation of fights and murders based on these racist groups and assist in closing these radical-nationalist organizations.
Source: http://www.antirasizm.ru/english.php
http://www.hro.org/actions/nazi/2005/10/nopni.php
http://www.grani.ru/Politics/Russia/activism/m.97654.html
Photo: http://www.hro.org
