Russia’s Regionalists Must Take the Lead in the Fight for Human Rights, Mannanikov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Dec. 20 -- Many representatives of the regions and republics of the Russian Federation, especially in emigration, are mistaken in thinking that the Putin regime is about to collapse, that their goals will thus be achieved quickly and easily, and that they should focus on bold declarations rather than focusing on the hard work ahead, Aleksey Manannikov says.

            The former Soviet political prisoner and a member of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet (1990-1993) and Federation Council from Novosibirsk (1993-1995says those who are really concerned about the future of the country’s regions and republics must recognize the Putin regime is likely to survive a long time even if it loses the war in Ukraine (region.expert/avangard/).

            But that doesn’t mean that regionalists and nationalists do not have work to do, Manannikov continues. They must recognize that their movements will only take off if repression eases and that they have a vested interest in preventing the rise of authoritarianism either at the center or in any of the new countries that may emerge as a result of their action.

            What that means is this: they must take the lead in promoting human rights in Russia as a whole because if Russia does become a more liberal state, it will not long remain within its current borders and the regions and republics now under Moscow’s boot will gain the freedoms that are their right.

             After all, a liberal Novosibirsk or a liberal Tyva are entirely possible; a liberal Russian Empire is and will always be a contradiction in terms.