Russia concerned about rise of Nazism

RBC, 19.12.2005, Moscow 19:03:32.The UN General Assembly has adopted an anti-Nazi resolution, initiated by Russia. Some 114 countries supported the document, with 4 states against and 57 abstentions. The resolution expresses a serious concern about the growing activity of extremist, racist and xenophobic organizations in the world. The Russian Foreign Ministry is concerned that some countries (i.e. the US and Japan) voted against the document, while many countries (all EU members) abstained. States such as Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia abstained as well, although these nations suffered a lot during World War II, the ministry's information and press department claimed.

http://www.rbcnews.com/free/20051219190332.shtml

On google too.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=anti-Nazi%20resolution%2C&btnG=Google+Search&sa=N&tab=wn

I couldn't make this stuff up. Can I go beat my head against a wall now?

Todd in Beerbratistan :banghead: :banghead:

But we're not supposed to ADMIT it!

It doesnt make sence at all to me.

E.g., do the Russians plan to use this against the Chechen independence movement?

Whom do they intend to condemn, specifically?

Most of the EU abstained. It was probably a move by the Russians to take a stab at the shift to the Right Europe and the US has taken.

Having said that - over one hundred countries voted for it - which is interesting.

Reading through the summary, the proposal apparently called for the destruction of MONUMENTS to the war. German war cemetaries would have to be bulldozed if this were accepted, which would infuriate a great number of people. Battlefield monuments marking any site where the Germans won would also have needed to have been destroyed. That kind of erasing of history is highly objectionable.

It's not suprising that many minor nations did vote for this though. Many nations had no involvement with the Nazi's on either side during WWII, so this measure doesn't affect them one way or the other. Politically, however, they show themselves to be allies with Russia by voting yes, hoping to curry favor for future deals.

FWIW, I do object to the concept of banning anything Nazi. Once you make thoughtcrimes a reality, it's simple incrementalism to expand them to other subjects. Thoughtcrimes aren't merely a slippery slope, they're a well-oiled cliff face topped with 1,000 different special interests waiting for their chance to push you off.

Do you have a link?

As far as I can tell they are talking about new monuments... not old ones.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

INFORMATION AND PRESS DEPARTMENT
_______________________________

32/34 Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl., 119200, Moscow G-200; tel.: (095) 244 4119, fax: 244 4112
e-mail: dip@mid.ru, web-address: www.mid.ru



Unofficial translation from Russian
PRESS RELEASE

Adoption in Third Committee of the 60th Session of the UN General Assembly of a Resolution on the Inadmissibility of Certain Practices Which Contribute to Fuelling Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
2437-18-11-2005

On November 17, in New York, the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, at the Russian Federation's initiative, adopted a resolution on the inadmissibility of certain practices which contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Our draft was cosponsored by Belarus, Tajikistan, Cuba, Venezuela, the Republic of South Africa, Nigeria, Sudan and the DPRK. The vote was 97 in favor, 4 against and 63 abstentions.

The resolution, citing the Nuremberg Tribunal Judgment and the outcome documents of the World Conference against Racism (South Africa, 2001), expresses serious concern over the rise of extremist movements and political parties advocating racism, ethnocentrism and xenophobia and engaging in the dissemination of ideology of fascism and racial superiority.

The resolution condemns the glorification of the Nazi movement and of former members of the Waffen SS organization, inter alia through the and by public demonstrations to glorify the Nazi past, the Nazi movement and neo-Nazism. In the document adopted by the Third Committee, it is especially stressed that the erection of monuments in honor of SS men, the holding of their marches and other such actions are an outrage upon the memory of the innumerable victims of fascism, have an adverse effect on the rising generation and are absolutely incompatible with the obligations of the UN member states.

In addition, the resolution stresses that such actions do not represent the exercise, but a clear and obvious abuse of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, as well as of the right to freedom of belief and to freedom of expression. Moreover, in the opinion of the General Assembly, such acts may fall within the purview of Article 4 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which requires that all the states party to the Convention prosecute them criminally.

It is stressed that such practices fuel contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia and aid the spread and multiplication of various extremist parties, movements and groups, including neo-fascists and skinheads.

Thus, following the UN Commission on Human Rights the General Assembly adopted an important thematic resolution on the problem of contemporary forms of racism. At the same time, any theme unfolds not in a vacuum, but in particular countries, which should take appropriate measures. Unfortunately, in a number of cases this does not occur, but quite the opposite takes place. We hope that this resolution will give a clear signal that the appropriate measures must be taken. It seems that genuine solidarity at the international, regional and bilateral level must consist in joint efforts to remove such manifestations, not in attempts to hush them up and to so present matters as if nothing happens. The resolution orients states towards cooperation and dialogue. Democratically mature countries should be ready for such dialogue and cooperation.

It is extremely bewildering and regrettable that some countries (the United States, Japan, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands)

voted against this document, and a number of countries, including all members of the European Union, abstained in the vote on the draft resolution, supported by an overwhelming majority of the UN member states.

http://www.diplomacymonitor.com/stu/dm.nsf/dn/dn50927D832DC4BB83852570BD0057C895

The U.S. has crossed the line, and our U.N. representative (Mister Moustache himself, John Bolton) , as well as our entire administration, is nazi to the bone.

:kick::kick::kick:

This year's resolutions is not up on the UNGA website yet,
but a Russian embassy press release says that it is the
same resolution against intolerance as last year.

http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N04/486/88/PDF/N0448688.pdf?OpenElement

The document's goal is laudable, but the action plan may give pause
even to some American liberals. The recommended prohibition
against speech based on intolerance, xenophobia, etc. is a non-starter.
The proposals for promoting civil societies will also rub many Americans
the wrong way.

That link is dead. Nothing here either...

http://en.rian.ru/

In light of today's news that's rather ironic. I think promoting a civil society might not be a bad idea.

I have been to their ministry of foreign affairs and found it in Russian but not English. I translated with ALTAVISTA. It's bad. But they don't have a press release out in English yet.

Here is the Russian page

http://www.ln.mid.ru/brp_4.nsf/sps/91690165C3AC5413C32570DC00526713

and the translation.

COMMUNICATION FOR THE PRESS On the adoption by the 60th session of the General Assembly of the UN resolution "the inadmissibility of those determined it is specific the practice, which contribute to the escalation of the contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, ksenofobii and intolerance connected with them"

2699-19-12-2005

On 16 December the General Assembly of the UN on the initiative of the Russian Federation accepted resolution "the inadmissibility of those determined it was specific the practice, which contribute to the escalation of the contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, ksenofobii and intolerance connected with them", that previously approved by the third committee of General Assembly.

The co-authors of our project became Belorussia, Tadzhikistan, Cuba, Venezuela, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, Nigeria, Sudan and PDRK - PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF KOREA.

For the resolution it voted 114 states, against it came out 4 delegations and 57 countries with the voting restrained. Attention is drawn to the fact that in comparison with that taking place on 17 November the number of states, which came forward in favor of Russian initiative, increased by voting within the framework of the third committee, and the number of those was reduced, who abstained (results of voting in the third committee: 97 "for", 4 "against" even 63 those restraining). In the resolution, accepted per year, when humanity notes the 60- anniversary of victory in World War II and World War II, with the reference to the sentence of Nuremberg tribunal and the concluding documents of world conference on the fight against the racism (REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, 2001 g.) is expressed serious apprehension by the lift of extremist motions and political parties, which propagandize racism, etnotsentrizm and to ksenofobiyu, that are occupied by the propagation of the ideology of fascism and racial superiority.

Resolution condemns the glorification of Nazi motion and former members of organization "Vaffen- ss", including by the discovery monuments and memorials, and also conducting of public demonstrations for purposes of the glorification of Nazi past, Nazi motion and neo-Nazism.

In the document accepted it is separately emphasized that the erection of monuments in the honor of SS men, conducting of their processions and other similar actions they defile the memory of the countless victims of fascism, negative they act on the growing up generation, they are the UNITED NATIONS absolutely incompatible with the obligations of member states. Furthermore, in the resolution it is emphasized that similar actions are not realization, but the clear and explicit abuse of rights to the freedom of peaceful meetings and associations, or by right in the freedom of persuasions and in their free expression. Moreover, in the opinion of the general assembly, such reports can fall under for the action of article 4 international convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, which requires of the participating governments of convention pursue them in the criminal order.

It is emphasized that of this type the practice makes up the contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination and ksenofobii and contributes to propagation and multiplication of the number of different extremist parties, motions and groups, including neo-Fascists and "shaven-headed". Causes extreme bewilderment and regret the fact that, as in the third committee, some countries (USA, Japan, Micronesia and Marshall islands) voted against this document, and the number of states, including all the terms of the Continental Alliance, they restrained with the vote on the draft resolution, supported by the overwhelming majority of states - the members OF UNITED NATIONS.

We also focused attention on the fact that in favor of Russian initiative they refused to vote Georgia, the Ukraine and Moldavia, whose peoples in the years of World War II battled against the fascism. Thus, following the commission OF UNITED NATIONS on the rights of man the general assembly accepted important subject resolution on the problems of the contemporary forms of racism. At the same time, any theme is developed not in the vacuum, but in the concrete countries, by which it is necessary to undertake the appropriate measures.

Unfortunately, in a number of cases of this it does not occur, but occurs reverse. We hope that this resolution will give clear signal, that the measures must be accepted. It seems that the authentic solidarity at the international, regional and double-sided levels must consist in the joint efforts for the elimination of such manifestations, but not in attempts at their ignoring and idea of the matter so that nothing it occurs. Resolution orients toward the collaboration and the dialogue. The countries ripe in the democratic plan must be ready to this collaboration and dialogue.

19 December 2005

This statement dated November 18 was on the web site
for the Russian embassy in South Africa:

http://www.russianembassy.org.za/statements/text/nov05/un-adoption181105.html

and that's the ongoing glorification of the SS that never seems to end. These right-wing MFs never seem to run out of time or energy to shove their crap down our throats, and always have an audience full of "morans" who are willing to glorify anything.

Cheers

BH

we are now a nation that supports facism, racism, torture, genocide, and war

Thank God we have a good Christian president to restore good wholesome values to America!
(extreme :sarcasm:)

As much as I hate groups like WAR, the KKK, and Stormfront, resolutions like this would necessitate seriously curbing their constitutional rights. The protection of even the most heinous speech guarantees the protection of all speech.

and it probably deserved either a 'no' vote or an abstantion.

But, since when the hell did this administration care about such things as free speech rights? Maybe, this administration is made of Nazi sympathizers.

The resolution, citing the Nuremberg Tribunal Judgment and the outcome documents of the World Conference against Racism (South Africa, 2001), expresses serious concern over the rise of extremist movements and political parties advocating racism, ethnocentrism and xenophobia and engaging in the dissemination of ideology of fascism and racial superiority.

Canada has hate speech laws. That's how Ernst Zundel was deported back to Germany for Holocaust related issues.

nuts if I reported the way the world and the US is now. Completely utterly nuts.

It is extremely bewildering and regrettable that some countries (the United States, Japan, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands) voted against this document, and a number of countries, including all members of the European Union, abstained in the vote on the draft resolution, supported by an overwhelming majority of the UN member states.

Russia wouldn't bother if the neo-Nazis weren't strong enough to pose a threat. They can't seem to stop them by appeals to common sense or even to the Great Patriotic War past - their numbers and their sophistication are growing. It's well beyond just gang activity - the neos are a political force, and this type of resolution is an attempt to get backing to help put down a political threat.

Just my opinion :-) I am heavily biased, because my undergraduate honors thesis was about the rise of neofascism in Russia.

I agree with the US and Japan on this. Yes, hate speech is repulsive but we have a first amendment that protects even the most heinous speech.