Europe News
Apr 26, 2007, 23:27 GMT
Riots rage in Tallinn as monument protest boils over (Roundup)
And Also
Similar articles
Latest Headlines in Europe
- 1. Serbia, Macedonia welcome end of EU visa restrictions
- 2. UN to examine legality of Swiss minaret ban
- 3. Europe divided after Swiss vote to ban minarets
- 4. Iran, Russia fail to give Bushehr nuclear plant starting date
- 5. World Bank bars Siemens for fraud, corruption in Russian project
Via BuzzFeed
Older Talkback
page: 1 2
Dear Steve,
No offense, but are you really so naive? The CCCP killed thousands of innocents less than eighty years ago. Do you think that is something people can just forget? Family members were lost. Do you think Estonians are going to just move on when thirty percent of their country are Russians? When they were living with imposed politics and cultural restrictions until 1991? That was less than twenty years ago! They are trying to recover from severe oppression. I don't trust your naive and simple view because you don't seem to really care about Estonian culture. Go back to where you came from. You don't understand the Baltics.
well well, than live of memories forever...and I go back to my country when I want not when you say so stupid idiot. If all the peole investing here like me will leave, like you say, you´ll go back to eat shit like in the 90s (I have been here and I saw it with my eyes). Once you have scared away all the foreigners coming to invest tons of money in Estonia, what you will do ? you will go back to Russia ?????
BTW, the term naive, comes from the Latin word Nativus, which etimologically means 'Not Artificial' or 'Natural' (sorry for the short lesson). Well exactly so, the things I am saying are not artificial and natural because they come from the heart, while I see that the long oppression have unfortunately transformed yours in stones.
Actually, the problem is more far-going as it could seem at the first sight. The relocation of the monument of the Liberator of Europe from Fascism is the last drop which overflowed the cup of non-ethnical people's patience. Estonia has celebrated Fascism from 1992, the year of its 'freedom'. 2/3 of its tiny population are Russian-speakers with various roots, and since its 'liberation' Estonia has started the politics of oppression of these people. Russian was forbidden in establishments, and recently the company for closing Russian schools has begun. The special Inspection was created to kept under observation all those who pretends to obtain a good position but obviously is not estonain. All these are constantly examined in Estonian language until their Estonian was declared to be poor enough to have this or that work. The course of Estonian, by the way, costs 200-300 euro (usual salary 300-500 euro). Estonia didn't give the citizenship to all its people in 1992. Only those who had relatives living in Estonia until 1940 became the citizens. All others (at least 1/3 or more of population) were given ALIEN's passport. Nobody still knows where this country is, I guess somewhere in the universe. What happened last week was no suprise to anybody except Ansip. Sooner or later, the problem should come out.
P.s. one of the favourite estonian carnical costumes is of fascist garment. Just look at the private parties' photos or to estonian magazines.
Russia is igniting internal conflicts in neighboring Estonia
This has happened never before in Estonia, small peaceful country in Northern Europe, member of NATO and EU since 2004.
A Bronze Soldier, the statue in Soviet Red Army uniform standing until last Friday on small green square in centre of capital Tallinn, was for Estonians the symbol of harsh Soviet occupations from 1940 - 1941 and 1944 to 1991. Ten's of thousand people were deported without court decision to Siberia or killed in Soviet state-terror during that regime as a part of ethnic cleansing.
But part of the Russian community, migrated here within same Soviet occupation in search of better and European-style life, is following cold-war time Soviet history concept. For them these events and statue meant memorial of 'liberation' of Baltic States Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as whole Europe in WW II.
Nazi equals Soviet
The problem is that Baltic States, but also Poland have suffered both from Nazi-Germany and Soviet occupations in WW II. And defeating the Nazi-Germany did not mean that Baltic countries were liberated, but that German occupation was changed by other, Soviet occupation, which in some cases was even worse.
Therefore Bronze Soldier was a symbol of Soviet empire and simply could not been tolerated any longer in centre of capital of EU and NATO member country. Especially because within last years it was increasingly used by Putin propaganda-machine as a Russian symbol to generate tension in Estonia between whole society and less integrated smaller part of Russian community.
So it was inevitable to relocate it from Tallinn city centre, leaving still chance for those, who have different opinions, chance to visit the statue on military cemetery in Tallinn, where also the remains of dozen Soviet soldiers will be reburied.
Heavy violent propaganda and co-ordination from Russia
Government planned to relocate the statue last week in peaceful manner with holy memorial ceremony. But about thousand people, demanding not to touch the monument at all as it was symbol of Russian power, started to attack police and throw the stones. This confrontation coordinated by Russian embassy in Tallinn and turned on heavily by numerous Russian TV-channels frequent and unbalanced emotional reports, widespread quickly and turned into street violence, vandalism and shop raiding, never taken place in Tallinn before. Almost everybody and everything, not being Russian origin, was labeled to be 'fascist'. Also, the windows of Estonian National Opera and main square located St. John's Church were stoned.
Shouting: 'Russia! Russia!' the shop raiders were stealing the alcohol, premium brand clothes (Hugo Boss, Giorgio Armani, Gucci shops were raided). About hundred shops were raided and stoned, dozens of cars beaten. As a result, almost 1000 people were arrested in three days, amongst them number of experienced criminals with long track record.
Considering the situation, the Bronze Soldier statue was relocated on Friday morning and is standing now on Defense Forces cemetery where it's accessible to everyone.
But this has not stopped the propaganda war from Moscow.
Massive hostile media campaign from Russia against Estonia has now reached advanced stage, accusing Estonia in re-evaluation of WW II results, of course not speaking a single word about Soviet-run mass crimes, killings and deportations in Baltic States during Soviet occupation. Also, shop robbers are shown in Russian TV as 'fighters for our memory and against fascism' and Estonian government and police are accused by Russian TV as 'state repressive organs, humiliating rights of Russians'. It's No. 1 news topic in all Russian TV channels already for three days.
The fact, that statue of Bronze Soldier has been removed and erected already in new place (Defense Forces Cemetery) where everyone can visit it, has not changed the attitude.
Hysteric reactions from Russia
Russian Parliament has demanded to place the statue back to where it was before, also that Estonian Government has to step down. Needless to say, this is clear interference to Estonian internal affairs by all means.
The Russian state accusations by now (Tuesday, Wednesday) have become absolutely hysterical and expressing complete lies. The member of Russian Parliament, Gosduma, Mr. Kovaljev accused after seeing the monument yesterday on its new location, that 'statue has been sawed and holy memory disgraced'. According to workers, giving an interview in Estonian TV, nothing such has happened as statue was relocated in one unit and as soon as possible.
Also, massive scam and internet attacks against Estonian state authorities’ websites and media channels IT-systems have been started from Russia. 'It's identified now that in some cases IP-addresses are related directly to Kremlin-run organizations and structures related presidential authorities of Russia,' said Urmas Paet, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, yesterday on press conference. Also, it's proven that many people confronting police forces before events went violent, were paid by Embassy-run organizers a 80 EEK (app. EUR 5) per hour.
Estonian embassy in Moscow is on under heavy 24h protest waves, psycho terror and attacks of Kremlin-supported youth organization 'Nashi', getting minimal formal defense from Russian Militia. Estonian ambassador Mrs. Marina Kaljurand was attacked physically today (Wed, May 2) while trying to give a press conference. 'Nashi' even declared that demolition of Estonian embassy in Moscow will start on June 12!
Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Vice Chairman of Russian Parliament said yesterday: 'Russia should organize major military campaign next to border with Estonia. And some troops may be mistakenly happen to be in Estonia and demolishing many cultural and historic sites. After which we will apologize, of course.'
It's important to note that despite all of this, most of the people in Estonia are still calm and there are no cases of violence from Estonian community. The importance of situation is illustrated by fact that almost 2000 people by now in Estonia have applied to become a member of Police Support Organization to protect the country from internal conflicts, coordinated from abroad.
Soviet monuments not relocated, but demolished in Russia
As a curiosity, Russian overreaction is hypocritical because on very same time, WW II monuments for Russian soldiers are demolished (not replaced) in Russia itself. It has happened in Moscow satellite city Himki a few weeks ago, also in Stavropoulos in southern region on last autumn.
So all in all - it's symbolic war against Europe and another clear evidence of former KGB agent Putin tactics to show the world that Russia has not changed and need to show a power.
We hope that all people reading this information will make their move on their home countries by demanding Russia stopping interfering immediately to Estonian /EU internal affairs. Also passing this info to as many people and media channels as you can, because Russian (population 150m people) TV propaganda is exceeding Estonian (1,3m people) explanations.
You forgot to mention that among those 1,3 million of Estonian inhabitants almost half is Russian-speakers :))) So, nothing to do left to those who remained (no million even!)but only go to Uncle Sam, who generously give money for such provocations as removing Soviet monuments and so on.
Totally agree with Steve thoughts! Shame on the Estonian goverment! They don`t care about the people, they care only about their ideology and complexes of being occupated! Living at the present time you should take care about the present life and actual problems, about your people living in the country, russian/estonian/other nationalities. The past is just a history, a memory, you just have to know it and remember in order to avoid the same mistakes again, but you don`t need to make any changes to it! Living in such conditions and treating people like this, the goverment begets anger and hate! Not all people are smart and kind, but the goverment is the face of the country, intelligent people are supposed to rule the country! But what I can say, shame on them!
page: 1 2
Your Talkback on this Story