Only about 80% of Russian population are ethnic Russians. There are more than 180 ethnic groups in Russia.
Besides Russia has become a major center of migration in the Eastern hemisphere and the second largest migratory flow in the World after United States. Every year more than 12 million ‘gastarbeiters’ (guest workers) arrive in Russia. This German word “gastarbeiter” has became very popular in Russia today. According to scientists, Russia dependency for migrant labour in the coming decades will increase since the loss of their own manpower will exceed 18-19 million men to 2025.
The Russian nationalism is on the raise. Conflicts between representatives of different ethnic groups are becoming a big problem. The Putin’s government is trying to deal with the problem in many ways. Last week government’s official newspaper Izvestia reported that the Interethnic Youth Commission is going to be created under the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs.
This report became the major sensation and the subject of hot debates in Russian media. The reason for it is the personality of the proposed head of the Commission, Alexander Bosykh. Bosykh, 33, rose to public attention in March when he was photographed punching feminist documentary filmmaker Taisiya Krugovykh in the face.
“She is not human”, – explained his actions Alexander Bosykh,– “She is a creature defending feminists”.
Now Alexander Bosykh is the director of youth policy for the nationalist Congress of Russian Communities and an aide to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin,
Here are some quotes from published utterances of Bosykh:
“I would happily knock out a beggar – Gypsy woman – they all cheat and steal, sell drugs. I’ll spit to a prostitute’s face. She is not a woman, she is а thing. I’ll spray gas into the eyes of a homeless – not to let him stink and spread diseases. They all are rubbish, these people are parasites, enemies. The same goes to all other trash: all kinds of defenders of human rights, “tollerantists”, homosexuals, drug addicts, alcoholics. It is disgrace to call these people human. If the law does not allow me to remove this debris — why shouldn’t I at least be happy that somebody else removes them?”
“Muslims slauter journalists. Some see here a problem. May be the problem is that only Muslims do it? Why me – Russian orthodox can not do the same? It is unfair. Who can be sorry when those dirty loudmouths are killed? It’s a problem of authorities. If they can’t punish this trash, people would do it themselves”.
“Yes, I identify myself as a Russian above all. For me Russian people are better then all other peoples. I want to have Russian children and I wouldn’t accept any inter ethnic affairs.”
“The worst crime, worst betrail of his ancestors, that a Russian Orthodox person can commit is to be tolerant to liberal scam.”
“Tolerance is a road into the ass hole!”
After a week of heated discussions of the Bosych’s appointment to the position of the official youth leader, finally press–attache of the Prime Minister Medvedev made statement that the Izvestia announcement was based on misinformation. Nobody can believe it, as Izvestia is the official government’s paper.
Why was the scandal created by the government?
Some Russian observers think that Putin wanted to scare the opposition, show them that in order to stop protesters he is ready to take the most drastic mеаsures. Others believe, that he tried to probe if defenders of democracy would tolerate this agrrovation. The third opinion is: Putin is so frightened by opposition’s activity that he became hysterical and his actions are irrational.
EDITOR: Slava Tsukerman comments that, although the incidents described above have been reported in certain progressive Russian media, he is unaware of any English publications that have carried a report. That is almost as disturbing.
