RSL appeal: Mass statelessness in Latvia

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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 17:52:05 +0300 (EEST)
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Subject: RSL appeal: Mass statelessness in Latvia

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: Aleksandrs Rzavins <[email protected]>

RSL appeal: Mass statelessness in Latvia


Dear Madams and Sirs,

Please, find the Appeal of the Russian Society in Latvia to the UNO,
SCE, EU, CE, OSCE concerning the mass statelessness in Latvia
attached.
 
Yours sincerely,

Aleksandrs Rzavins,
Minority Rights Adviser to the Chairman of the RSL

------------------

??????? ???????? ? ??????
Krievu Sabiedriba Latvija 
Russian Society in Latvia

KSL Sekretariats 
Maskavas iela 68, kab. 400, LV-1003 Riga, Latvija
Tel.: (+371) 7 204344 
Fax: (+371) 7 204678 
E-mail: [email protected]


The appeal of the Russian Society in Latvia to the UNO, EU, Council of
Europe, OSCE and CBSS concerning mass statelessness in Latvia

In the 15 October 1991 Latvian authorities divided equal citizens of
the republic into Citizens of Latvia and stateless persons, so-called
"non-citizens", who were recognised as Aliens of Latvia in 1995. It
should be noted that authorities of Latvia deprived of the citizenship
persons, who elected them!

Under pretence of restoration of pre-war Latvian Republic and in the
name of struggle against "unindigenous" persons, "colonists" and
"occupants" thousands of women, old men and children, including
babies, were deprived of citizenship only because they and their
ancestors did not live in Latvia before 1940. As a result about 25% of
population of Latvia and more than a half of persons, belonging to
national minorities, remain stateless Aliens of Latvia (despite more
than a half of them were born in Latvia) and are totally excluded from
political life of Latvia, i.e. do not have any possibility to
influence Latvian policy with democratic means. For example, only in
Riga, the capital of Latvia, about 280,000 inhabitants, or 37% of
population, are debarred from local elections! Deprivation of
citizenship has led to further deprivations of social, economical and
cultural rights of Aliens.

Number of stateless persons in Latvia has decreased from 940,000 in
1991 to 580,000 in 2001, i.e. on 360,000 persons. Meanwhile, number of
Citizens of Latvia has increased from 1,730,000 in 1991 to 1,780,000
in 2001, i.e. only on 50,000 persons. Why? Because only 40,000
stateless persons (4.5% of all stateless in 1991) have obtained
citizenship of Latvia through naturalisation, whereas 580,000 (or
61.5%) of Aliens of Latvia remain their unique status, and 320,000 (or
34%) have emigrated, obtained citizenship of other states or simply
died. Tens of thousands died unwaited for restoration their rights of
citizenship of the country, where they were born or lived most part of
their lives!

But why only 4.5% Aliens of Latvia went through naturalisation, but
95.5% of Aliens did not do it? From one hand, with legislation tens of
stateless persons lifelong deprived even of naturalisation possibility
based of political or other reasons. From another hand, many stateless
persons believe that they were deprived of Latvian citizenship
illegally. In their opinion it is possible to speak only about
restoration their right of citizenship, and naturalisation should
apply to foreigners only. Aliens of Latvia do not consider themselves
as foreigners, but full rights Citizens of Latvia, who are deprived of
citizenship during dirty political games of Latvian nationalists.

During last 10 years the Russian Society in Latvia and other minority
and human rights organisations tried to convince Latvian authorities
to rehabilitate stateless "Aliens of Latvia" and return them Latvian
citizenship. But Latvian authorities continue to state that the only
way for Aliens of Latvia to become Citizens of Latvia is
naturalisation. Meanwhile, there is no explanation, what crime did
each Alien of Latvia (including babies) personally commit, what he or
she was deprived of the right of citizenship in 1991?

In view of above-stated the Russian Society in Latvia (RSL) calls the
UNO, EU, Council of Europe, OSCE, CBSS and other international and
regional organisations to assist with all accessible democratic means
in order to convince Latvian authorities to give citizenship of Latvia
back to all wishing Aliens of Latvia.

Besides the RSL would like to receive explanation, will stateless
Aliens of Latvia obtain the status of Aliens of the European Union, if
Latvia joins the EU?

3 October 2001
Tatjana Favorska,
The Chairwoman of the Board of the RSL

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