Russia is criticized for Russification of educational systems in Tatarstan and other national republics

Federalist union of European national minorities (FUEN) appealed to Minister of education of Russian Federation with a request to revise minister’s position on optional study of national languages. Doing so, FUEN reacted on earlier appeal of Free Idel-Ural movement (17.10.2018) about violation of right of native peoples in Idel-Ural to get education in their mother tongues.

Also Union calls State soviet of Republic of Tatarstan to revise its resolution, dated back to November 29, 2017, on study of the Tatar language as obligatory educational discipline in Republic of Tatarstan. According to the document, Tatar language lost its functions as state language in the field of education, its obligatory study was forbidden. On this occasion Razil’ Valieev, Chairman of committee on culture, education, science and national questions of State soviet of Republic of Tatarstan, said, that the issue of “abolition of obligatory study of Tatar language is not to be resolved by State soviet, it is a question to federal Russian ministry of education”.

Free Idel-Ural movement supported FUEN’s statement. At the same time activists expressed hope, that position of Union about realization of right to get education in mother tongue is not just a declarative statement and FUEN will do its best efforts to stop Moscow’s stopped violent Russification of indigenous people – not only Tatars but also all native peoples in Russian Federation.

Activists recommended FUEN to pay attention to the fact that violation of constitutional rights for peoples of Russian Federation is sanctioned by supreme legislative body, State Duma of Russia. In amendments to Federal law № 273-FZ “On education in Russian Federation”, obligatory study of official languages of national republics of Russian Federation by schoolchildren is abolished. This decision caused considerable negative resonance in national republics, including collective statements to local government bodies and protest actions.

“We welcome the statement of FUEN, though understand how much difficult it was to accepted such decision – in fact our appeal was examined almost half-year. We hope at the same time, that FUEN will give up politics of selective attention to violation of right to receive education in mother tongues. We believe that Union will stand for peoples of Russia not less than it stands for language rights of Russian migrants in Latvia, or rights for ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Thus, we expect position of this international organization to be hard – observance of basic human rights must be demanded from Moscow, particularly rights to get education in a mother tongue. Russia must stop to oppress national republics and impose its assimilation policy. We have the right to decide what language to teach our children – and for this purpose we do not need public prosecutor’s verifications in schools”, – Syres’ Boliayen’, co-founder of Free Idel-Ural civic movement, commented.