ivisak
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War monument move brings riots and Moscow's wrath
Friday, April 27, 2007
A decision by Estonian authorities to remove a Soviet-era war memorial in central Tallinn has sparked rioting, with Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov promising to "take serious steps" against Estonia.
TALLINN, April 27, 2007 (AFP) - Estonian authorites moved a Soviet-era war memorial from central Tallinn under cover of darkness Friday setting off riots that left at least one dead and sparking fury in Moscow.
The leader of the Russian senate called for diplomatic relations with Estonia to be broken because of the removal of the monument. Russia's foreign ministry called the move "blasphemous" and said relations would be examined.
As Estonian authorities cordoned off the central square where the Red Army war memorial has been for decades, about 1,000 pro-Russian demonstrators gathered nearby to protest.
Their demonstration turned into a riot in which police used water cannon, rubber batons, and flash and sound grenades to disperse crowds and prevent youths from forcing their way through a police cordon.
"One person died after being taken to hospital and 43 have been treated for injuries sustained in the violence," Tallinn police chief Raivo Kuut said on Estonian Television.
More than 300 people were detained following the riots which were the worst the Baltic state has seen since restoring independence from Moscow in 1991.
A government emergency commission met during the night and ordered the controversial monument removed from the square to a new location, which is being kept secret, the government press office said.
Ethnic Estonians see the memorial as a symbol of 50 years of Soviet occupation while Russia considers it a symbol of the fight against Nazism in World War II.
"The aim of the government move was to prevent further similar gross violations of public order, which pose a real threat to citizens' health and property," the government said in a statement.
The plan to relocate the statue has caused anger in Moscow, which says the Estonians are glorifying fascism by insisting on moving it.
Sergei Mironov, head of the upper house of the Russian parliament, called Friday for a break in relations with Estonia.
"I urge you to adopt a resolution addressed to the president recommending a break in diplomatic relations with Estonia," he told lawmakers.
Russian lawmakers were to vote on a non-binding resolution on Friday.
A spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry, Mikhail Kamynin, called the Estonian government's action "blasphemous" and "inhuman". He added that Russia would re-examine its relations with the ex-Soviet Baltic state.
The head of the international affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament, Konstantin Kosachyov, also recommended tough measures against Estonia on Friday.
"We will of course demand from the executive the toughest possible reaction to what is happening in Estonia," Kosachyov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. "It's barbaric, it's blasphemous," Kosachyov added.
The Estonian government voted last year to move the monument to a less prominent location after scuffles broke out at the memorial between pro-Russian supporters and ethnic Estonians.
Estonia and its Baltic neighbours were annexed by the Soviet Union at the close of World War II and only regained independence in 1991.
The authorities wanted to conduct excavation work at the site to determine if any fallen World War II soldiers lie buried beneath the statue before moving it.
taken from www.france24.com
-------------------------------------------
In Estonia, there are about 1,3 million people in total, about 300 000 of them are russians. This monument, for me, as an ethnic estonian means death to my relatives and other people who were forced on trains by russian soldiers in 14 june, 1941 and on 25 March, 1949 to Syberia by the command of Stalin himself. Under soviet ocupation, about 122 000 ethnic estonians were victims, 30 000 lost their lives.
Your comments please.
oh, and please excuse me for my bad english.
NB! more info in here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Soldier_of_Tallinn
Friday, April 27, 2007
A decision by Estonian authorities to remove a Soviet-era war memorial in central Tallinn has sparked rioting, with Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov promising to "take serious steps" against Estonia.
TALLINN, April 27, 2007 (AFP) - Estonian authorites moved a Soviet-era war memorial from central Tallinn under cover of darkness Friday setting off riots that left at least one dead and sparking fury in Moscow.
The leader of the Russian senate called for diplomatic relations with Estonia to be broken because of the removal of the monument. Russia's foreign ministry called the move "blasphemous" and said relations would be examined.
As Estonian authorities cordoned off the central square where the Red Army war memorial has been for decades, about 1,000 pro-Russian demonstrators gathered nearby to protest.
Their demonstration turned into a riot in which police used water cannon, rubber batons, and flash and sound grenades to disperse crowds and prevent youths from forcing their way through a police cordon.
"One person died after being taken to hospital and 43 have been treated for injuries sustained in the violence," Tallinn police chief Raivo Kuut said on Estonian Television.
More than 300 people were detained following the riots which were the worst the Baltic state has seen since restoring independence from Moscow in 1991.
A government emergency commission met during the night and ordered the controversial monument removed from the square to a new location, which is being kept secret, the government press office said.
Ethnic Estonians see the memorial as a symbol of 50 years of Soviet occupation while Russia considers it a symbol of the fight against Nazism in World War II.
"The aim of the government move was to prevent further similar gross violations of public order, which pose a real threat to citizens' health and property," the government said in a statement.
The plan to relocate the statue has caused anger in Moscow, which says the Estonians are glorifying fascism by insisting on moving it.
Sergei Mironov, head of the upper house of the Russian parliament, called Friday for a break in relations with Estonia.
"I urge you to adopt a resolution addressed to the president recommending a break in diplomatic relations with Estonia," he told lawmakers.
Russian lawmakers were to vote on a non-binding resolution on Friday.
A spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry, Mikhail Kamynin, called the Estonian government's action "blasphemous" and "inhuman". He added that Russia would re-examine its relations with the ex-Soviet Baltic state.
The head of the international affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament, Konstantin Kosachyov, also recommended tough measures against Estonia on Friday.
"We will of course demand from the executive the toughest possible reaction to what is happening in Estonia," Kosachyov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. "It's barbaric, it's blasphemous," Kosachyov added.
The Estonian government voted last year to move the monument to a less prominent location after scuffles broke out at the memorial between pro-Russian supporters and ethnic Estonians.
Estonia and its Baltic neighbours were annexed by the Soviet Union at the close of World War II and only regained independence in 1991.
The authorities wanted to conduct excavation work at the site to determine if any fallen World War II soldiers lie buried beneath the statue before moving it.
taken from www.france24.com
-------------------------------------------
In Estonia, there are about 1,3 million people in total, about 300 000 of them are russians. This monument, for me, as an ethnic estonian means death to my relatives and other people who were forced on trains by russian soldiers in 14 june, 1941 and on 25 March, 1949 to Syberia by the command of Stalin himself. Under soviet ocupation, about 122 000 ethnic estonians were victims, 30 000 lost their lives.
Your comments please.
oh, and please excuse me for my bad english.
NB! more info in here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Soldier_of_Tallinn
