Russian Democratic Party YABLOKOForum against xenophobia and nationalism was conducted in Moscow

IT IS IMPORTANT!

Forum against xenophobia and nationalism was conducted in Moscow

Press Release, November 5, 2013

On November 4, Russia’s National Unity Day, YABLOKO and human rights advocates conducted a Public Forum “Russia’s Unity Is in Solidarity of Its Citizens. Against Xenophobia and Nationalism”.

The forum began with the performance of a national Caucasian dance by the children’s dance ensemble “Samur” and a song in the Tajik language by Akhat Mukhamedov.

Secretary of YABLOKO Political Committee Galina Mkhaleva opened the Forum. “Cross-ethnic tension increases within the society. Our goal is to propose ways of solving the situation. Such problems can’t be solved by introducing the visa regime or by demonstrative deportation of immigrants. Today we’ll try to come to an agreement whether we can work together, get united and resist xenophobia”, she said.

YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhin said that Russia can exist only in the conditions of civil and cross-ethnic peace.

Mitrokhin mentioned that the present authorities are in many ways responsible for the current situation. “We don’t have a decent regional policy which would prevent the large gap between the economic development of the regions of Russia. We don’t have a definite national policy, though cross-ethnic policy is very difficult to introduce. Migration policy doesn’t exist in Russia”.

YABLOKO leader believes that it’s impossible to ignore nationalism and xenophobia in a multi-cultural country. “We want to address the authorities, opposition and society: Stop playing with xenophobia and nationalism! You play with the devil by doing this”, warned Mitrokhin.

Lidia Grafova, Chair of the Migrants’ Organisation, said that a modern person mustn’t suffer with xenophobia. It’s a gregarious feeling typical of primitive tribes. She called the journalists to be objective when touching cross-ethnic problems despite the pressure on behalf of the authorities.

Secretary of Journalists’ Union Nadezhda Azhgikhina said that the main resource of the country are the people. It’s vital to achieve dialogue between different social groups and nationalities.

Chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group Ludmila Alexeyeva said that “every time we are taught to hate someone and to call somebody an outer enemy.” She reminded of the Chechen campaign, “war against oligarchs”, and now the immigrants are announced to be the “enemies”.
“It’s unbelievable that the leaders of the country arouse cross-ethnic hate”, said Ludmila Alekseyeva. She called to stop nationalistic moods in the country whether they concern statements or even jokes.

According to YABLOKO founder Grigory Yavlinsky, the root of the cross-ethnic tension is in the economic policy of the oligarchic system which aims to get extra profit from the slave labour of the immigrants and it also depends on the denial of the authorities to consider the equality of all the citizens before the law. The authorities hide their destructive policy by means of pseudo-patriotism, isolation of the country and arousing hatred toward the citizens of Russia with non-Slavic appearance.

Those who call themselves liberals and the opposition profit from this situation for “their PR personal PR and because of political foolishness,” Yavlinsky noted.
“For their justification they invented the myth of “moderate” nationalism, which is not really the case, since there is no distinction between “moderate” nationalism and outright fascism, between “moderate” nationalism and antihumanism,” he stressed.
All of these problems can not be solved without changing the political and economic system in the country. This can only be implemented by a new democratic opposition, which “will draw a line under the dark years and will really create a modern evolutionary bloodless transition to a civilized European political system,” Yavlinsky concluded.

As a result of the Forum the Committee on United Resistance of Xenophobia was founded. Representatives of YABLOKO, Moscow Helsinki Group, Migration of the 21st century foundation, analytical center Sova, Journalists’ Union, Committee for Civil Cooperation, Migrant’s Organisation entered the Committee on United Resistance of Xenophobia.

Members of the Committee plan to conduct lectures, round tables, exhibitions, concerts, rallies, publish newspapers, videos and other educational materials.