Activists will remind about Russian chauvinism on the day of “national unity”

On so-called “day of national unity”, November 4^th, activists representing organizations of native peoples in Russia will picket diplomatic establishments of Russian Federation.

National activists of native peoples in Russian Federation declared their intention to conduct an action named “Day of Russian chauvinism”. Event organizers aim to draw attention to chauvinistic national policy  realized by Russian Federation towards representatives of non-Russian peoples/ethnic groups.

Rafis Kashapov, co-founder of Free Idel-Ural civic movement, explains: “How could we celebrate some mythical “national unity” after self-immolation of Alberta Razin, after tragic history of Ramil’ Shamsutdinov that has obvious signs of cruel persecution of ethnic Tatars… it is unalloyed cynicism. Completely chauvinistic national policy is being realized in Russian Federation. Even so-called “day of national unity” is a provocation of blackest dye, in fact the date is dedicated not only to liberation of Moscow from Poles but also to Kazan icon of Most Holy Mother of God, thus glorifying capture of Kazan by troops of Ivan the Terrible”.

Organizers of picketings will demand from Russian authorities not only equal treatment for representatives of all regions and all peoples of Russian Federation but also creation of independent commission at Ministry of defense, which must investigate circumstances of shooting in military base on Transbaikalia as well as other similar incidents in Russian army. Activists consider that United committees of soldier’s mothers of Russia must be presented in this independent commission, as well as PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Right and native peoples’ organizations.

Activists already announced pickets near diplomatic offices of Russian Federation in Ukraine, Finland, USA and Poland.