Ella Pamfilova (C) warned Civil G8 members not to include human rights issues into G8 agenda.
Photo: Valery Melnikov
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Russian NGOs Decide not to Bother G8
// by discussing human rights in Russia
Civil G8 International NGO forum, organized by pro-government Russian NGOs, opened in Moscow yesterday. Its participants are expected to conceive public suggestions for G8 summit agenda. The suggestions will be ready today, but NGOs have already said they will not include issues of human rights in Russia into G8 agenda. Human rights activists and opposition believe the forum “carried out the task given to it by the Kremlin—to discuss away the issue”.
Civil G8 opened yesterday in Moscow World Trade Center. Over 600 NGOs from G8 member states and other countries take part in the forum. The participants will work out the suggestions for G8 agenda, and give them to President Putin, who will join the forum, later in the day.
Civil G8 is formed by pro-government Russian NGOs. Its first forum in March 2006 discussed three issues only—energy security, education, and spread of infectious diseases. Human rights and status of NGOs in Russia was not touched upon at all. Opposition and human rights activists announced they will hold an alternative forum, “Another Russia”, which is already called anti-G8.
However, Civil G8 eventually decided to discuss human rights and NGO situation in Russia. Four round tables were devoted to such issues as NGO-government interaction, overcoming xenophobia, civil control over law-enforcing system, and violations of human rights while fighting against terrorism. Yet, members of the forum do not conceal that these issues will hardly be discussed during the G8 summit.
“The main objective of this forum was to discuss away the issue of human rights in Russia,” said Garri Kasparov, leader of United Civil Front and co-chairman of “Another Russia”. “This is precisely what the forum was organized for.”
Andrey Kozenko
All the Article in Russian as of July 04, 2006
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