About the boundaries of cooperation.

The Moscow Memorial Board deems it necessary explain why our organization has decided not to participate in formation of the Civil Council - a coordinating structure newly established Civil Movement.

The rules for the formation of the Council are completely opaque - and already this makes it doubtful that the Council will be able to carry out its functions.

But something else is much more important. The Civil Council is created for countering election fraud, arbitrariness of the authorities, to protect legality and civil rights. It is certainly worthy and noble goals.

Can these goals be achieved by joining forces with those who calls for violence, discrimination on ethnic grounds, justifies fascism and racism?

Is it possible to fight for these goals together with those who consider participation in legal forums, in "open areas" as cover for the activities of underground structures?

We answer this question unequivocally - no.

Our disagreements with the radical nationalists are by no means limited to to the difference in ideas about the future of Russia. These representations are not coincide with many participants in the Civil Movement - and free elections are precisely what is needed in order to determine the path development of our country.

But we do not see the possibility of developing tactics for the activities of the cells civil society along with radical nationalists, since we have fundamentally different views on how this civil society can and must act today.

A number of leaders of radical nationalists, who, according to accepted in the Civil Movement algorithms will certainly enter the coordinating Council, do not hesitate to promote the idea of ​​covert action nationalist structures.

So, according to one of them, Konstantin Krylov, behind the facade of a supposedly democratic state, a “fascist civil society” embodying racist theories. Krylov in program text "Fascist society as a foundation democratic state" describes it this way:

“ Take, for example, such an important social practice as racism. <...> It is clear that the ruling nation keeps the rest for subhumans. But. This nation holds. Civil, then, society. And the state should treat all citizens as citizens. It looks like this. Racially questionable types don't get good jobs they don’t invite you to clubs, they generally hold you for the second grade ... If about a person knows for sure that he is not his own (well, there, mom - grandmother), and they keep him for someone else.<...> And if he starts spread out - quietly, silently (the most important thing here noiselessness) to help society make the right decision. There are some intelligent services that should help. But to help do not take over. The same goes for everyone else fascist stuff. All this is done in all normal states. But unofficially, quietly, by the forces of civil society.<…> "

Moreover, from the public statements of such "public figures" it follows that openly acting nationalist organizations will be part, the "legal wing" of the general movements - along with another part that practices violence. No wonder in the public correspondence between Vladimir Tor and Natalia Kholmogorova in LiveJournal nationalists convicted of violent crimes are referred to as "partisans".

Such is the "civil society" they are building in our country.

In our opinion, attempts to build a common strategy and tactics with such figures lead Russian civil society to a dead end.

February 1, 2012