MINELRES: UNITED: Fwd: Call for support against extreme-right and neo-fascist manifestations in Russia
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sat Nov 4 12:56:41 2006
Original sender: UNITED <[email protected]>
UNITED E-NEWS 04/11/06:
Call for support against extreme-right and neo-fascist manifestations in
Russia - 4.11 - URGENT!
forwarded message
From: Anastasia Nikitina <[email protected]>
Dear friends!
On the Nov.4 in Moscow and in several other Russian towns massive
demonstrations are planned by extreme right and neo-fascist groups under
the slogans against illegal immigration and struggle for "the rights of
native population".
The so-called Russian Marches are organized by the Movement against
Illegal Immigration, infamous for initiating anti-Caucasian pogroms in
the Karelian town of Kondopoga and trying to consolidate the far-right
under a pretext of "legitimate discussion" on immigration. They are
joined by other neo-fascist groups, including those whose members are
charged with murders and violent assaults on foreigners and antifascist
activists.
We expect violent clashes from right-wing radicals with the police as
well as attacks on migrants and non-Slavic population of Russia on this
day. Antifascist protesters are a target as well, as they are determined
to have counter-protests.
The police will resort to indiscretional violence. The authorities have
promised to disperse any "suspicious gatherings" and make no difference
between neo-Nazis and antifascist protesters.
The scale of violence and the consequences of the Nov.4th in Russia are
unpredictable.
We, as antifascists, ask for your support.
1) disseminate this letter and the appeal below (and attached to this
letter) through your contacts, groups and networks, to the media in
your countries and elsewhere. Feel free to modify the appeal;
2) organize and take part in solidarity actions with Russian
antifascists;
3) protest in front of Russian embassies in your countries against the
rise of extreme-right groups in Russia;
As the extreme-right groups have started to use the topic of illegal
immigration to claim legitimacy and to copy western far-right parties,
several antifascist groups, initiatives and activists have started to
work to respond to their anti-immigrant rhetoric. The protests against
the Russian March are just beginning of our work. We would be glad to
know of your experiences, of your struggles and your initiatives in this
field.
With antifascist greetings,
the initiative group of antifascist counter-actions on November 4th
www.il-legal.info
[email protected]
--------------------------------------
On November 4th 2006 in Russia massive demonstrations are planned by
several extreme right and neo-fascist groups.
The so-called Russian March on the newly declared Day of National Unity
follows last year's example when around 3000 people under the slogan
"Russia against the Occupiers" marched through Moscow. Among the most
noticeable participants was the Movement against Illegal Immigration
(DPNI), which inherits the rhetoric of Western extreme right parties and
tries to hide its xenophobic message under a pretext of "legitimate"
discussion about immigration and "ethnic" criminality. The majority of
the participants were Nazi skinheads who displayed Nazi salutes,
stylized swastikas and shouted Nazi slogans. Among them were members of
"Slavic Union", a radical neo-Nazi group, whose members are figurants of
several criminal investigations into murders and violent assaults on
foreigners and antifascist activists.
This year Movement against Illegal Immigration (DPNI) has officially
declared the so-called Russian March as its priority and promises to
mobilize more than 5000 participants in Moscow and hold similar actions
in other parts of Russia. "Slavic Union", as well as other neo-Nazi
groups, has also declared that they are determined to take part in the
March.
This year the March was supported by at least 15 members of the Russian
Parliament. Several MPs directly participated in the preparatory
activities of the March in direct cooperation with the DPNI and other
neo-fascist groups. All marches, including the Russian March, as well as
several antifascist rallies were banned by city authorities. In
response, the organizers of the Russian March declared that they will
defy the ban and gather underground in a subway station, where it is
impossible to disperse the large numbers of people. Outbursts of
violence against minorities, as well as clashes with the police by
extreme-right radicals are highly probable.
The only way the Russian state knows how to react to this is to use
police measures, that are inadequate to the situation and target not
only fascists and right-wing radicals, but also human rights and
antifascist activists that are determined to have peaceful
counter-demonstrations. The state has failed to react to the resurgence
of extreme-right groups; rather it prefers to use them for its own
political games and to channel discontent. Recent systematic
discrimination against Georgians and anti-immigrant rhetoric,
persecution of political opposition and calls from the President to
support "the native population" as well as reluctant reactions to hate
crimes clearly demonstrate that the state is to blame for the rise in
xenophobia and growing influence of extreme-right groups.
We voice our concerns with the raising level of xenophobia,
anti-immigrant rhetoric and growing influence of extreme-right groups in
Russia which meet little or no reprisal from the authorities.
We consider it unacceptable that representatives of the authorities and
the political establishment support and justify the activities of
extreme-right groups and use xenophobic rhetoric.
We demand that the authorities of the Russian Federation increase their
efforts to combat xenophobia, all forms of discrimination and
manifestations of hatred.
We demand that the Russian authorities stop the practice of banning
non-violent assemblies and allow for peaceful antifascist protests to
take place.
-------------------------------
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