Briefing from the International League for Human Rights and the Russian NGO working group
On Thursday 12 October, a Briefing from the International League for Human Rights and the Russian NGO working group on the World Conference against Racism took place led by Alexey Korotaev (International League for Human Rights). Participants wanted to attract attention of Human-Rights activists and State representatives as well as of the public opinion in general to extremely dangerous xenophobic tendencies in the Russian Society and to both policy and specific acts of Russian authorities at all levels, which in fact reinforce these tendencies.

The disturbing situation of ethnic and national minorities in Russia was presented by: Alexander OSSIPOV, Memorial Human Rights Center, Moscow. Boris PUSTINTSEV, Citizens' Watch, St. Petersburg Yuri DZHIBLADZE, Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, Moscow David BERITASHVILI, Centre for Interethnic Co-operation, Moscow Leonid LVOV, Harold & Selma Light Center for Human Rights Advocacy , St. Petersburg Natalia TAUBINA, Interregional Foundation for Civil Society, Moscow Fuad PEPINOV, International Society of Meskhetian Turks, Moscow Nikolai GIRENKO, Minorities Rights Group, Saint-Petersburg association of scientists and scholars, St. Petersburg Aliou TOUNKARA, Union Africaine, St. Petersburg

The tragedy of Chechnya is accompanied on the territory of Russia by numerous violations of Human Rights mainly targeting people of Caucasian and Central Asian origins. Alexander Ossipov and Yuri Dzhibladze draw an impressive picture of how public enemy's image is created and used for justification of the war in Chechnya.

They also spoke about concrete manifestation of xenophobic policies in Russia such as falsified accusations, fabricated by the law-enforcement bodies in order to arrest unwanted persons coming from Caucuses and Central Asia. Those people are caught and some drugs or explosive materials are being discovered in their pockets or luggage (set by police itself) and then get sentenced. They often face insulting human dignity procedures or physical attacks and even tortures in the police stations. The police keep on a total face-control on the streets of Russian cities and especially in Moscow. If one has hair or skin more dark than the others it can cause him/her a lot of troubles.

The procedure of registration ("propiska") according to which every person arriving to a city has to be registered within three days contradicts to Russian Constitution and provokes a real racket by Police often followed by physical injuries of controlled persons. Alexander Ossipov gave some chocking examples illustrating the current situation of oppressed ethnic groups in Russia.

Yuri Dzhibladze précised that the absence of any juridical base or legislations for combating this phenomena known in Russia as Caucasophobia makes the fight for the most basic Human Rights of repressed people almost impossible.

Fuad Pepinov presented the catastrophic situation of the Meskhetian (akhaltzikh - as they call themselves) Turks, now residing in Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan. The most unacceptable conditions are created in Krasnodar region where the repressive measures are supported by local administration. The special laws created there punish only this precise ethnic group. Their cars have to have special numbers, their houses are regularly visited and searched by specially formed informal units (supported by the administration) beating up and insulting people. The local population is permanently brainwashed by mass media creating the image of public enemy (the Meskhetian Turks) of the entire region. The procurature refuse to take any measures against the calumnies of the journalists or even to register complains coming from Meskhetian Turks.

David Beritashvili presented the results of an opinion poll among the leaders of 49 national organizations from different parts of Russia which was made by his organisation just before arrival to Strasbourg. Answering the question "Who do you think is the most responsible for building up intolerance towards other nationalities?" most respondents named the Mass Media, then Government representatives and only the third place was occupied by fascist organizations. He said: "Most leaders asked, especially from the regions, are sure that "it is indispensable to change profoundly the legislative base to fight xenophobia more effectively". Some do not agree with this point, think that first it is important to make people abide by the existing laws. Some leaders said that laws in Russia are very distant from the real life; that's why the official power will always get what it needs without any laws, so it is no use adopting new laws: they will remain a sheet of paper."

Nikolai Girenko presented his point of view on a kind of approach which has been developed in the ex-Communist space for more that 70 years. It's not about everybody's equality but about everybody's sameness which is absolutely not the same. The ignorance of lawyers who take part in the courts on racial discrimination or hate speech has the same roots. The role of NGOs, international community and educational programmes is to educate people to think about their identity and the identity and dignity of the others.

Natalia Taubina presented the on-growing nationalistic organisations and Parties, mainly focusing on Russian National Unity (RNE) the most wide-spread and active nazi group, based in dozen of Russian cities and provoking hatred and tension between inhabitants of Russia. Recently their action got especially brutal character: not longer than 17 of September this year RNE members committed a pogrom of Jewish school in the Russian town of Ryazan.

Aliou Tounkara draw a sad picture of unacceptance of black people by the majority of inhabitants of Russian Federation on different levels. The poll run by Africain Union of St. Petersburg among black inhabitants of Nord-West of Russia showed that no one of asked persons could say that he/she feels respected or even secure in Russia.

Leonid Lvov explained the long-lasting project of educational programmes against prejudices and stereotypes run by Harold & Selma Light Center for Human Rights Advocacy in different towns of North-West of Russia. They are facing incredible difficulties when communicating with city administrations but still working very efficiently. However, the Programme of activities against intolerance was adopted by Russian Premier Minister more than a year ago. This Programme is not even known by the officials and totally ignored. The same people who would actually have to encourage the realisation of this governmental programme are creating difficulties to educational efforts of Harold & Selma Light Center. From the money given by state to support this Programme, only 1% had arrived.

The conclusion of the Briefing, presented by Boris Pustintsev, was rather pessimistic. If the Government of Boris Eltsin was showing a criminal indifference to on-growing racism in Russia, the Government of Putin is actually letting it grow if not provoking it to a certain degree. The fact that Mr. President of Russia V. Putin recently had a personal meeting with a famous chauvinist and nationalist leader A. Prohanov chocked all Human Rights concerned people as well as his statement "to chaise Chechen people up to the toilets".

Representatives of Russian NGOs consider that the latest changes in Russia do not leave the chance to wait for positive development in Russia in the terms of Racism and Discrimination. Therefore, they are especially willing to have a support of International Society by the means of political pressure and support of non-governmental structures.

The NGO' members from Easter and Western Europe expressed a big concern on the fact that the problems of their regions were almost not covered on European Conference against Racism, nor at the NGO Forum. This sad conclusion was unfortunately proved by the amount of people who found it useful to show up at the Briefing.

Alexandra Koulaeva
Memorial St. Petersburg / I CARE team