Racist attacks and squabbles over a new law limiting the activities of NGOs have dampened Russia's festive spirit, reports Mona Khalil from Moscow The end of 2005 was marred by appalling incidents of racism and xenophobia in which foreign students were murdered and others attacked in various regions in Russia. The latest episode took place in St Petersburg where 24-year-old Kanhem Leon -- a student from Cameroon -- was killed by a group of youngsters dressed in black. According to local prosecutors, the most probable motive behind the crime is extremism. A few days before, another group of young criminals from St Petersburg were accused of provoking national, racial and religious hostility and sentenced to two and three years of imprisonment. These terrible acts of aggression committed by Russian extremist nationalists are aimed not only at black Africans, but anyone who doesn't look Russian, including immigrants from the Far East (mainly China and Vietnam) as well as representatives of post-Soviet Caucasian and Central Asian republics. And yet, after centuries of co-existence, the territory of Russian Federation has generated a colossal intermixture of dozens of nationalities and ethnic groups, making it impossible to define exactly what is meant by "Russian appearance". Russians themselves tend to name this ugly phenomenon, quite simply, fascism. Several newspapers tried to make sense of the growing fanaticism. In the daily Izvestia Roman Mogilevsky, head of the Agency on Social Information, argued that the incidents confirm the existence of an organised radical underground movement with its own ideologists and sponsors. According to some estimations, the number radical youngsters in Russia reaches up to 50,000 people. Mogilevsky is reasonably sure that the existence of such a movement is absolutely impossible without financial aid. Among those interested in sponsoring extremists Mogilevsky named Russian businesses wanting to overcome competition with foreign banks and companies by any means. Russian bureaucrats and parliamentarians who have linked certain plans with such movements are also to blame. While ethnic radicalism usually directs its aggression against external enemies, it also threatens the foundations of its own state. Mogilevsky predicts that if these radical moods are not repelled immediately they will quickly embrace up to 70 per cent of the population. Increasing extremist aggression in Russia was put down to bitterness over the collapse of the great Soviet empire, feelings of defeat in the Cold War and an injured national pride. According to the authoritative daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta, the disintegration of the socialist camp and the further breakdown of the USSR have led people to revert to primitive mechanisms of ethnic solidarity and an alienation of the other. The newspaper also suggests that conditions of mass frustration, drastic changes, feelings of insecurity and an uncertain future have together aroused a wave of conservative nationalism. The newspaper argues that the only way the level of xenophobia can be reduced is if the weaker groups in society acquire new perspectives or a new source of self-respect. Prominent publicist Maxim Sokolov writing in the above-mentioned Izvestia argues that the only remedy against "little fascists" is to strengthen the political system, support an ideology of free Russia and provide economic growth. Meanwhile, the festive spirit also seemed to have abandoned political life in Russia with a wide-scale debate around the new law on NGOs in the Russian Federation. According to the law, all non-governmental and non- commercial organisations functioning in the Russian territory have to pass through state registration. Izvestia explained that the activities of foreign funds would be submitted to especially tough regulations: from now on they would only have the right to function in Russia as local juridical bodies. Human rights activists spoke out against the new Russian law, saying that it contradicted the European Convention on the protection of human rights. In Izvestia, Rector of the Highest School of Economy Yaroslav Kuzminov identified three main reasons why the new NGO law was initiated: to make NGO activity more transparent in order to prevent money laundering; to prevent the possibility of financing extremist and terrorist organisations through NGOs; and to limit the channels through which Western organisations could influence public opinion in Russia. Internet resource InfoRos quoted Human Rights Watch, which criticised the law, and pointed out that it would inevitably have a negative impact on the activities of human rights organisations in the country. Though Russian officials smoothed over certain points in the final version, the law still obliges NGOs working in Russia to inform state structures about their projects for the coming year and provide details of their budgets and project accounts. InfoRos reminded readers of President Vladimir Putin's insistence that legislative limitations on activity of foreign NGOs are necessary in order to prevent the financing of political activity from abroad. It is no secret, continues the edition, that following almost every "colour revolution" to have taken place in post-Soviet space, representatives of US government have admitted to financing these events through NGOs. Needless to say, US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice expressed severe criticism of the new Russian initiative despite the fact that US intelligence carries out strict control of NGO activities inside America, under the pretext of preventing terrorism. Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported statements made by Deputy Director of Russian intelligence FSB Viktor Komogorov, who confirmed the need for a strict law on NGOs. According to Komogorov, some NGOs are used to monitor the situation in Russia and influence public opinion. "One American NGO -- representing the Agency of International Development -- started to carry out programmes aiming to transform the state regime in Russia and establish of control over Russian information space", Komogorov stressed. He also added that public organisations acting in Russia cooperate with foreign structures, receive financial aid and serve as "transmitters of their political interests". Russian News Agency Ria Novosti quoted the Director of Russian intelligence FSB Nikolay Patrushev as saying that foreign intelligence services are activating non-traditional methods in their work: through the educational programmes of different NGOs they propagate their interests and collect information. Patrushev confirmed that Russian intelligence had discovered that one Western non-governmental organisation had sent approximately $5 million to finance the organisation of the "velvet revolution" in Belarus. Once New Year celebrations are through, Russian Christians will be celebrating Orthodox Christmas on 7 January, while as many as 13,000 Russian Muslims are already heading to Mecca to make hajj. The Patriarch of Russian Orthodox Church Alexi II conducted a special New Year service. The Russian Council of Mufties issued a special statement wishing people happiness and peace. Thus, the New Year remains a major festivity for Russians no matter what religion they profess.
