The nationalist organization “Movement against Illegal Immigration” led a “right march” in Moscow. This demonstration was allowed in spite of the appeal of Russian NGOs to the mayor of Moscow Mr. Luzhkov which had been initiated by Svetlana Gannushkina, the chairwoman of the committee “Civil Assistance”. (read more) (09-NOV-05)
This demonstration had gathered 3000 people who held posters with the slogans “Clean the city of uninvited guests!”, “Russia for Russians!”, “Russia is a Slavic country!”, “Down with the occupants!” There were several incidents when a group of anti-fascists screamed out “Fascism won´t be let through!” and tried to throw water-filled condoms at the nationalist demonstrators. But the police didn’t allow the fighting and detained the anti-fascists.
Fascism won´t be let through!
Human rights activists were indignant to the fact that Moscow-city authorities had allowed the demonstration of xenophobes and those opposed to immigrants. NGOs see the danger in the success of radical-nationalist organizations, particularly in that the authorities had preferred their arguments to lead the demonstration with the slogan “Clean the city of uninvited guests” and had ignored the arguments of human right activists.
The director of the Moscow Human Rights Bureau Aleksandr Brod has said that xenophobia isn’t a localized problem, but a disease gripping the entire country; it is spreading through a variety of ethnic groups. Russophobia has developed in the ethnic republics of the Russian Federation. There is discrimination against Russians on ethnic grounds, particularly, when it comes to employment. Aleksandr Brod said that in the opinion of human rights activists, the authorities should not have allowed nationalist parties to hold a right-wing march in Moscow on Nov. 4, National Unity Day. “There was some kind of shocking connivance by the authorities in this act. We may provoke disturbances like the ones taking place in France,” Brod said.
Statistics
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 the percentage of supporters of xenophobic points of view differed between 50 and 60 percent. Xenophobia towards immigrants is about 40% of the population. Russian people don’t think that immigration is useful for the economy and demographic situation. 60% of Russians think that immigration will only make the criminal situation worse and take jobs from citizens.
During the period of January-June 2005 10 people were killed and more than 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.
Commission for Opposition to Racism and Intolerance
On the initiative of the members of the Council for Assistance and Development of Institutes of Civil Society and Human Rights under the President of the Russian Federation, a Public Commission for Opposition to Racism and Intolerance will be created. Alexandr Auzan (Moscow Carnegie Centre), Svetlana Gannushkina (chairwoman of the committee “Civil Assistance”), Oleg Orlov (“Memorial”), Alexei Smirnov (project director of the Russian Research Center for Human Rights) declared that they are ready to participate in this Public Commission.
Source: http://www.hro.org/actions/nazi/2005/11/07.php
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/11/07/xenophobia.shtml
http://www.antirasizm.ru/english.php
Photo: www.hro.org
