Paul
Goble
Staunton, February 5 – Tensions between
the unregistered social organization Bashkort and the Bashkir
authorities have been high since the group was organized to defend the
interests of the Bashkir nation. They have deteriorated since Radii Khabirov
became republic head and especially over the issue of allowing mining at a site
sacred to the Bashkirs.
In response, the republic government
has repeatedly warned the group that it is engaging in extremist activities and
now has taken the formal step of going to court and seeking to have the entire
nationalist movement declared extremist and be banned under Russian criminal
law (kommersant.ru/doc/4242860).
What apparently triggered this move
by the authorities is the announcement by Bashkort that it plans to
organize a flash mob on February 23 to protest the government’s plan to allow
for soda mining alongside the Kushtau mountain. An earlier protest there, on
January 4, attracted nearly 1,000 people; and more were expected this time
around.
If the courts declare the
organization extremist, its members say that they will continue to pursue the
same goals albeit perhaps under a different name. But Aleksandr Verkhovsky, the
director of the SOVA information-analytic center, warns that this could lead to
the criminal prosecution of the individuals involved.
The organization has adopted a tough
line (m.vk.com/wall-70958470_341795
in Bashkir; idelreal.org/a/30421147.html
in Russian), and it has the support of the Free Idel Ural movement (idel-ural.org/archives/свободный-идель-урал-требует-от-мос/).
And that confluence suggests that there may very well be an explosion of
nationalist activity there later this month.
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