In the opposition

Games of human rights activists

May 14, 2008 Alexander Podrabinek

The “strange” seemed to Alexander Ryklin the silence of human rights activists that the power of everyone once again deceived. She promised not to touch the protesters on May 6 and deceived. She promised on May 5 at a meeting of representatives of law enforcement agencies with representatives of another Russia and a number of well -known human rights activists in the Moscow Central Internal Affairs Directorate, and cheated on May 6 on the streets of Moscow and even in the apartments of potential participants in the rally.

So nothing strange, dear Alexander, is in this silence. As in the very deception. Both that and the other is a familiar matter.

In general, a strange picture - human rights activists and oppositionists come to the main police office of Moscow in order to beg to not violate the constitutional rights of citizens on May 6. Allow them to conduct at least a rally, okay, God with him, with this procession. Promise to observe human rights. Yes, what about, police chiefs are perplexed. If there is no procession, but only a rally, we will not take any tough measures, good police officers assure honest human rights defenders. That's wonderful, and everyone is happy. Human rights activists demonstrate their remarkable agreement and ability to influence power. And the authorities demonstrate its human face and loyalty to the laws.

Of course, agreements do not apply. On May 6, the leaders of the "disagreements" and those who entrusted the authorities of human rights activists in full agreement with the authorities urge their supporters to disperse. Some "disagreements" with these calls do not agree and arrange mini-gaps. The police rakes everyone in a row - both the participants in the shares, and those who did not even have time to get out of the apartments. The authorities simply deceived - a common thing.

Maybe someone is in shock? Someone is amazed at the insidiousness of the Moscow authorities? I doubt. It is necessary to have life experience of a younger school student in order to trust the promises of the Moscow authorities. I believe that human rights activists from the Moscow Helsinki group and other human rights organizations have slightly more life experience.

Yes, and the point is not at all deception. The fact is that everyone agrees with him in advance. The inconvenience of the current situation is only that promises and their violation are divided by just a few days. Either the case, for example, is a civil forum in the Kremlin - hundreds of participants, pomp at the highest level, correct and excited speeches, L. Alekseev accepts flowers and congratulations from President Putin. May holiday, name day of the heart. The remarkable declarations and the modest charm of state human rights activists - we will seek that these declarations come true. And everyone is happy. Result? Zero! The authorities, for their own need, had to play civil society, and human rights activists should be noted in the proximity to power and the ability to influence it. What are you saying? It didn't work? Well, another time it will work out. In the worst case, they say, adjusted to the wall: "We believed them." It is better to look naive than crafty.

In the last 8-10 years, the same has happened with the human rights movement as with a democratic opposition. A significant part of both of them closed with the authorities. They went to the Kremlin to agree on survival; They were included in the public councils under the executive branch in order to receive status and protection; They line up for grants from the Public Chamber. All these games are far from human rights activity, and, thank God, many human rights activists do not participate in these shameful events and the deed of the Kremlin handouts. And those who participate will continue to be silent. This will not hurt their reputation.