Apartheid in new EU member

[Erikl]

Latvia: the new apartheid

The goverment has divided the people of Latvia in two categories:"citizens"and "non-citizens".Since 1990,when Latvia declared its indipendence from USSR,at least 1/3 of its residents hadn't been given the new latvian citizenship,with the official explanation that "they came here when Latvia was a member of the Soviet Union".This period is...just 45 years.(end of WW2-1990)

"Anywhere out of Latvia!"

Now,all of these people are considered "illegal immigrants"and they are being pushed to return to the lands that they came from."anywhere out of Latvia!",although they where in Latvia for decades and were working for its reconstruction and its depelopment,and MOST OF THEM WERE BORN & grew up IN LATVIA.Now,those who want to be Latvians in citizenship must take exams(!)in History( Nazi point of view/the administration of Latvia is occupied from Nazi lovers and colaborationallists during WW2),Language and to pledge in the "New State".After this humiliation,a competent comitee will decide if they "deserve to be Latvian"(!!!)Until verdict,they are being deprived of all their human and democratic rights!

"As it was in South Africa!"

According to the "Political Alliance For The Human Rights In A Unified Latvia",which is the 3rd party in the Latvian Parliament and it is against this racial discrimination "there are 50-55 articles in the Latvian Constitution that there are distinctions among the "citizens"and the"non-citizens"".

Restrictions to the political action

All of the public gatherings,marches,even the picket lines are strictly prohibited during the workdays!Prohibited are also the symbols of the "soviet-era" and the "propaganda of communism"(or,whatever they consider as"communistic",you can imagine that this term is very wide to the authorities).At the same time,these who are keen to Nazism and the former collaborationallists to Fascism during the WW2,those who had founded the Latvian "Legion of S-S",act without noone to disturb them and organize activities of hate.

Prosecutions against the Anti-fascists of WW2(!!!!)

Very often there are many political prosecutions and they have been arrested many former partizans,war veterans of the anti-fascist war(WW2).The case of the legendary partizan Vasil Cosionov is very characteristic.During the WW2,he was acting into a special team of sabotaging the enemy and personally he had derailed 14(!) Nazi trains which were transporting ammunition and nazi soldiers.He was prosecuted and condemned to 6 years imprisonment for....war crimes(!!!!)The attempts of his lawyers and the mobilization of the public opinion were not successful.In the end,Vasil Cosionov was forced to resign his Latvian citizenship,became"stranger in his own land",he took the russian citizenship and after the political intervention of Moscow he was saved from imprisonment.Still there are many brief against antifascist veterans of the WW2

Also to mention that...

-the communist party of Latvia is prohibited ,because the parliament decided so.

-the communists,the former members of the communist party,even the members of the old Soviet of the Labour Collectives&,the memebers of the organizations of the veterans of the anti-fascist war(WW2) HAVE NOT THE RIGHT TO BE CANDIDATES for ANY KIND of elections(Parliament,municipal etc.)They cannot ,"of course",be public servants and in general,members of the latvian state administration.For example,Alfred Rubics,former first secretary of the Latvian Communist Party,who was imprisoned for his ideas for 6 years(1991-1997),although now is the leader of the Socialist Party of Latvia and one of the 3 leaders of the "Political Alliance..."which was mentioned before,canNOT be a candidate for the elections.

[Talon]

You know quite a few countries require new citizens to understand the native language and swear allegiance to the country... and you what, I think they have the right to do that.

And as for banning Soviet Symbols, its probably no more radical than Germany banning Nazi symbols, but I don't see you complaining about that

Anyway, Latvia is tiny country and any actions takes hardly justifies the condemning the entire the EU.

[Erikl]

The problem is that those are not new citizens - for example, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldovia etc., which all have Russian minorities which live there for decades just like in Latvia - and they did not build an apartheid regime, canceling citizenship from 33% of the population, which live there for three generations, and creating new laws for citizenship that would create problem for those people to reapply for their birth right citizenship.

Those people who live there are denied the right to vote, to get retirement payments, to get free educationg from age 6 to 18, like all other people who were born in Latvia.

That's called apartheid, in case you didn't know.

And as for banning Communism - hey, I didn't write the story, I just brought it here .

I would be very pleased if Communism would be banned in every country, along with Nazism.

As for letting the EU off the hook - sorry, no can do. They EU accepted this country to be part of itself, gave it's citizens EU citizenship, and the right to decide what would be it's future.

No, the EU is responsible for this apartheid, by accepting Latvia in when this apartheid policy.

[Talon]

And as for banning Communism - hey, I didn't write the story, I just brought it here

If it isn't yur story you should have linked it rather than pass it off as your own words.

As the Russians, I can kinda understand it. They're occupied for a few generations and a substancial population new populations moves in during that time. It could be they feel they can't be truely independent if a 1/3 of their population has ties with the occupying country. And simply want those who did come in during that time and their family's to gain citizenship as if the occupation hadn't taken place.

Not saying its right, simply trying to look at the issue from all sides.

Also for someone who hates his own country's foriegn policy being compared to the Nazis, you shouldn't start calling other country's Nazis' because of their internal policies.

[Erikl]

Also for someone who hates his own country's foriegn policy being compared to the Nazis, you shouldn't start calling other country's Nazis' because of their internal policies.

250562[/snapback]

LOL that was intentionall for creating an ironic twist (just as you like it!) to all youre criticism about Israel being Nazi...

don't go naive on me...

[Talon]

Yet you go balistic when I use it as an ironic twist I'll be sure to remember that the next time

[Erikl]

Yet you go balistic when I use it as an ironic twist I'll be sure to remember that the next time

250592[/snapback]

Now now - there is a difference here.

I specifically did it to let you see how irritating it is.

Again, don't play innocent here...

[Talon]

Now now - there is a difference here.

not really

I specifically did it to let you see how irritating it is.

Wasn't irritating at all I just found the double-standards note worthy

Again, don't play innocent here...

I have no idea what you mean You've just done the exact same thing as I do, so your just as innocent or as guilt as I am