More on Tajiks in Moscow
To update on Tajik Boy’s post, two Tajiks were attacked in Moscow. Both suffered multiple knife wounds, one fatally.
Tajik Boy wrote that thus far, Russian authorities have not taken notice of the plight of foreigners in their country. If the international press continues to pick up on stories like this, perhaps they will.
on April 25th, 2006 at 7:28 am
In the Canadian national daily Globe and Mail, they are running a series of articles about social, cultural and economic troubles in today’s Russia resulting from population freefall. The first of the series opened in the Saturday, April 22 issue with an article titled “RUSSIA shrinks” that talks at length about the popular suspicion of Russians toward the foreigners. The article says, “Russians are dying younger each year, having fewer children and resisting immigration.”
I think that one of the solutions to the troubles in Russia is to allow greater immigration to take place, as the article suggests as well. But some Russians are afraid their culture will disappear. One of the persons interviewed Olga Zhabko, a resident of Krasnoyarsk says “more and more immigrants will come to Russia and will bring their own culture and Russian culture will disappear”.
Another person interviewed Ilshad Ibragimov, a resident of Ufa, said “we have to shut out the immigrants and increase out birth rate. These Tajiks, Uzbeks and the other migrants, they put pressure on us, they take our jobs”, and he ends up with a popular nationalist line “Russia is for Russians”. It’s weird that he has to say that, given he himself is not a Russian.
on April 25th, 2006 at 7:39 am
An interesting situation unfolding in Russia — few births, many deaths and not enough immigrants — what will become of Russia in the future if the current birth rates stand? The same Globe and Mail article cites The World Bank saying that “the number of Russians could decline from 143 mill. to 100 mill. within the next half-century, a trend line that if extended to its logical, if highly unlikely, end point, would see the Russians die out within five generations.” Looks like, neither I live, nor I let you live???
on April 25th, 2006 at 5:44 pm
Russians don’t have much culture to preserve to be honest. The eternal “question who is considered Russian?” is still open and I doubt it would ever be answered. Plus, I don’t see how kicking out hard-working men who perhaps built the whole Moscow (because Russians felt they were too good for the job?) to its current level should help preserve the national identity.
The current situation, as I see it, is such that immigrant workers travel to Russia to build high-rise buildings and expensive dachas for wealthy Russians while being claimed illegal (which is quite debatable since they all cross the borders LEGALLY) and hence denied basic protection by authorities.
Russia (and Moscow in particular) is a strange place. The country has endorsed Hague’s agreement on basic human rights, which grants basic human freedom to everyone within the country (including the right of free movement), yet it chooses to have its internal set of rules (namely obligatory registration that is not readily available for everyone) that bypass this obligation before the international community.
What I don’t understand is why nobody has so far raised this question and why the real threat of neo-nazism is played down so much by both Russians and the West. History does not seem to serve a lesson here or do you think this is done deliberately so that problem does indeed get out of hand (and require international military intervention which is another way for the world to divide up Russian resources)…
on April 26th, 2006 at 3:13 pm
BTW: the exact name of the human rights document (which Russia signed) is “CONVENTION FOR PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS”. Here is a link to the site that states Russia has signed the convention. Pls pay attention to Protocol#4…. Russia is in direct violation of this one (many times). A few years ago it deported a huge number of Tajiks, which was seen as retaliation to Tajikistan’s new approach to open its doors to the West.
on April 26th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Link: http://www.cpt.coe.int/documents/rus/1998-05-05-eng.htm
on April 26th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Tajik Boy:
Aren’t you a bit harsh saying that “Russians don’t have much culture to preserve to be honest”?
I would also say that it is by no means the whole Muscovite population that is being racist towards minorities, although admittedly, levels of racism might be higher than elsewhere.
It’s interesting for me to hear your opinion, probably also because I am in Odessa at the moment, a city that has historically been truly ‘multicultural’ and seems at ease with its countless ethnic minorities (at least that’s what I could grasp during the last four weeks…).
Also, your last paragraph:
“What I don’t understand is why nobody has so far raised this question and why the real threat of neo-nazism is played down so much by both Russians and the West. History does not seem to serve a lesson here or do you think this is done deliberately so that problem does indeed get out of hand (and require international military intervention which is another way for the world to divide up Russian resources)…”
… Well… I think that’s a little far-fetched, if not, pardon me, plain ridiculous. I am from East-Berlin and we have a big problem with Neo-Nazis there as well. In your logic, that’s being tolerated by other countries because the world hasn’t learnt from history?
I agree that one shouldn’t accept Russian institutionalised racism. But arguing so drastically won’t do any good at all.
on April 26th, 2006 at 10:28 pm
Ben:
Perhaps I was a little harsh saying Russians don’t have much culture to preserve. But my point was in stressing the fact that the whole idea of Russian culture/identity in the country is a little vague. In that respect how can you try to preserve something that you can’t define? Are Tatars Russians? How about Kalmyks and Chukchas? If we take all these nations, they are different from what we know as Russians. They have their own culture, traditions and languages. For some reason Russians don’t think they are threat to the Russian identity even though they permanently live in the country. Tajiks, Uzbeks and etc. come to work and trust me they are not active in introducing their culture into the Russian masses. They are there to work and send their money home. They in no way could be a threat in that way.
“I would also say that it is by no means the whole Muscovite population that is being racist towards minorities, although admittedly, levels of racism might be higher than elsewhere.”
There will always be some differentiation between permanent residents and those who come to a particular city (from what I know western Germans have the same problem with eastern Germans). Before Tajiks, Muscovites pretty much look down upon every Russian from suburbs or outside Moscow (they even coined a term “limita” for them). However, nowhere in history such attitude was accompanied by targeted assassinations of certain ethnic groups (be it Armenians, Azerbaijanis or Tajiks). This is what’s very disturbing.
I have also been in Odessa and I haven’t felt a pressure there although the anti-non-Russian sentiments were also widespread there. I think the problem is created in/by Moscow and then inflated by media through the rest of the country. The tone of the reports is pretty much neutral and in some cases even supportive (of Neo-Nazis). That’s what’s most striking.
Especially since our grandfathers perhaps fought Nazi Germany side by side. Now Russians (who have been killed by thousands because Nazis thought of them as sub-humans) are embracing the very ideology that almost wiped them off the map.
“Well… I think that’s a little far-fetched, if not, pardon me, plain ridiculous. I am from East-Berlin and we have a big problem with Neo-Nazis there as well. In your logic, that’s being tolerated by other countries because the world hasn’t learnt from history?”
Thank you for your feedback, but I tend to think that you have misunderstood me (although your comments don’t exactly show how you tackle Neo-Nazism in your country). What I wanted to know why West consistently ignores the problem in Russia? And why Russia considers ethnically motivated crimes (murder of an 11-year-old Tajik girl) hooliganism??? By this time (as the arrest of Khodorkovsky shows) you and I both know that if the government wants to pursue an issue it will find ways, i.e. if there is a will there will be a way. In the issue of Neo-Nazism the government has been mum and dumb.
I think this should send a signal to the West about what Russia is all about. I am just frustrated that it can get away with so much… Is it all about oil?
I know the US does sometime critisize Russia on the violation of human rights (mostly when it tries to tighten the screws on NGOs), but so far it has continued to pursue its course…
on April 27th, 2006 at 4:24 am
Tajik boy, very good points. It is really frustrating how the authorities in Russia along with much of the mainstream media bundle up the explicitly racial attacks with “hooliganism” and shut their eyes on the rising Neo-Nazim in the country.
Ben, you know what’s ridiculous, and pardon me for saying that …. rediculous is the fact that many sons of the people who fought Nazism are now themselves turning into Nazis, with many poor gastarbeiters finding Moscow and the surroundings as one big battle ground in which they are being attacked, for no other reason than the color of their skin and the stupid assumption that gastarbeiters are taking their jobs. Ben, does it remind you of something?
on April 27th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
Tajik Boy,
I agree that there should be more awareness in the West about what’s going on in Russia. And you are right that describing the murder “of an 11-year-old Tajik girl” as hooliganism is … well, nothing short of horrendous.
“Especially since our grandfathers perhaps fought Nazi Germany side by side. Now Russians (who have been killed by thousands because Nazis thought of them as sub-humans) are embracing the very ideology that almost wiped them off the map.”
The analogy is certainly disturbing.
Manuchehr: It certainly reminds me of something. It reminds me of where I am coming from. And I understand the whole debate quite well. Me and my friends were the constant targets of Nazis just because we looked a little too ‘left-wing’ when we were 14-17 or so. So, I can certainly understand your anger and frustration. I too was shocked when the population in parts of East Berlin seemed to silently tolerate what’s going on, some even openly approved and commended what was going on in the streets.
Tajik Boy: “although your comments don’t exactly show how you tackle Neo-Nazism in your country”
Well, just a couple of days ago, a black man was being attacked in Potsdam outside of Berlin. So, the problem persists, although I would argue that the peak of the ‘movement’ seems - at least from my point of view - over. However, the policies that were put into place to tackle the problem were quite ineffective.
The most effective response to Neo-Nazis’ crimes were large-scale demonstrations, organised by NGOs, political parties and celebreties. I don’t know whether such kind of a civil society response is possible in Russia at the moment, but it would certainly be reassuring to know that it is by no means the entire population that’s being xenophobic.
Also, I’d say that most of us Germans have a different attitude towards Neo-Nazism, obviously historic reasons. Most ‘normal’ people feel compelled to go to the streets and demonstrate against such crimes, although participation of these events varied (and it too often took another murder victim to get people to the streets).
on April 27th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
Ben,
That’s definitely an interesting point of view. And I totally understand how hard it is especially for you, since you may be considered a “traitor” by some elements of society due to your open views.
“The most effective response to Neo-Nazis’ crimes were large-scale demonstrations, organised by NGOs, political parties and celebreties. I don’t know whether such kind of a civil society response is possible in Russia at the moment, but it would certainly be reassuring to know that it is by no means the entire population that’s being xenophobic.”
Well, I am very glad that these demonstrations worked in the West, but from what I know and seen, Russia has a long way to go. I by no means want to generalize but major part of population in Russia (which reads boulevard press and is mainly a mob that could be orchestrated to do anything the media/government wants) is somehow supportive of any suppresive measures towards foreigners. And here we are not talking about central asians. They equally disrespect anyone who comes to Russia from outside.
That said I must point out to a certain portion of population thinks otherwise and would like to see their country as an open and democratic. Most of these don’t like the state of affairs in Russia and prefer to distance themselves from the mainstream. Their liberal views (more so now) are being interpreted as western ideology and counter “russian interests”. By all counts if you are liberal you are pretty much a traitor.
The strangest thing is that in Soviet times we all somehow managed to live and accept each others differences. I think it was the ideology (perhaps a wrong one) that united people and now in the absense of that all people see is differences.
on May 4th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Russian racism ‘out of control’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4969296.stm
on May 4th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
Here is another piece on that:
http://vatanweb.net/forum/11-174-1
on May 9th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Ladies and Genglemen:
Below is Russia’s response to the issue.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4755163.stm
As usual just a couple of rhetorics about the issue. Pretty much similar to what they have said on the murder of the tajik girl. The outcome: 5 years or prison for “Hooliganism”. I doubt they are serious. Moreover, were it not for hosting the summit in St. Pete, the issue would hardly be even mentioned.
But let’s see what follows. BBC, I trust, will keep an eye on developments.