Paul
Goble
Staunton, May 14 – In another case
of blowback from Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, activists in Karelia are seeking
international recognition of the occupation of their republic and the holding
of a referendum on independence, a step they say will end the genocide the
Russian authorities have inflicted on the region and restore historical
justice.
On their own site, “Stop the
Occupation of Karelia,” and in a petition on the site of the US White House,
the Karelian activists appeal to the international community to “help return
the territory of the Ukhta Democratic Republic into the legal field and to
recognize the fact of its occupation” (nazaccent.ru/content/11624-karelskie-aktivisty-poprosili-mirovoe-soobshestvo-priznat.html).
In
their appeal and petition, the activists also call for an end to “the genocide
of the indigenous population of Karelia which has been organized by the
authorities of Russia” via the imposition of “unbearable conditions” on the places
of “the historic settlement of Karels, Finns, Wepsy and Saami peoples.”
And
they also call on all residents of Karelia to view as “illegitimate” the
Moscow-imposed authorities in the republic and to set elections for a new
president and council of ministers and to support a referendum on restoring the
existence and sovereignty of hteUkhta Democratic Republic.
That
republic, which was proclaimed on April 1, 1920, was recognized by Finland, the
activists note, but it was suppressed by the Russian Red Army together with
Finnish communists shortly thereafter.
This
is the third such proposal advanced by groups within the borders of the Russian
Federation since Moscow organized voting in Ukraine’s Crimea. In St.
Petersburg, democratic activists sought a referendum to show that referenda don’t
work in Russia. And in Kaliningrad, regionalists called for one on the
restoration of that exclave’s historic name, Koenigsberg.
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