Opposition Attempts to Unite

By Galina Stolyarova

Staff Writer

Published: April 8, 2008 (Issue # 1363)

Members of the liberal opposition have decided to join forces and form a broad nationwide democratic movement that is expected to hold its founding congress in November 2008.

At a groundbreaking conference titled “The New Agenda for Democratic Movement” in St. Petersburg on Saturday, more than 200 delegates from more than 30 regions in Russia voted to create a movement and passed a resolution to be distributed in the provinces.

In the coming months opposition forces in the regions are expected to discuss the resolution and select delegates for the founding congress.

The conference, which attracted Russia’s most prominent democrats, began by establishing some ground rules aimed at preventing the divisions that have riven previous attempts to unify the opposition.

Nikita Belykh, the leader of the Union of Right Forces (SPS) suggested that personal criticism of fellow democrats be met with censure, while liberal politician Boris Nemtsov — who recently left the SPS — proposed postponing leadership questions. Both ideas were voiced within minutes of the opening of the conference and reflected the two greatest concerns of the delegates.

Democrats have said that unfair political competition, a climate of fear and intimidation created by the state with the use of police violence against civil protests and political persecution of activists who challenge the government, and widespread media censorship are obstacles preventing the creation of a unified opposition.

In speeches at the conference, most politicians acknowledged that the liberal forces have hit bottom. Former Soviet dissident and human rights campaigner Vladimir Bukovsky said the situation is critical.

Belykh compared the liberals’ strategies for attracting public support to winking at a girl in a dark room.

“It is hard indeed to expect a reaction from the girl when she has no clue that you are winking at her,” Belykh said. “The lion’s share of our compatriots have absolutely no idea about what the liberal opposition has to offer. Developing a mechanism of communication is a top priority.”

Discussions were not devoid of self-criticism.

Ilya Yashin, one of the leaders of the youth wing of the democratic party Yabloko, accused liberals of what he saw as a “snobbish attitude.”

“References to the masses as ‘illicit,’ ‘backward’ and ‘dumb’ and generally condescending attitudes must be dropped immediately,” Yashin said. “The Russian people are not stupid. They do not trust us. We have to face it and change it.”

Delegates, however, were unable to reconcile political goals.

Belykh is convinced that liberals should strive to win elections as they stand now. Garry Kasparov, head of the United Civil Front and one of the leaders of anti-Kremlin coalition the Other Russia, however, said that the ultimate goal is to campaign for a fair election.

Most delegates supported Vladimir Bukovsky who argued that the opposition should refrain from trying to create a new political party or any other organization that requires registration.

However, Belykh suggested that in the long run the foundation of a new strong party is essential in order to participate in legal political life.

“A movement is good for partisan methods but if you ultimately seek representation in the parliament then you have to have a party,” Belykh said.

The outsider status of Russia’s liberals makes it impossible for them to deliver many voters’ very basic demands.

“Ordinary people want someone in power who will guarantee them a decent living wage, and the liberal parties, although they make all the right noises, do not give that impression,” said Moscow-based human rights advocate Lev Ponomaryov in a report sent to the conference.

Ponomaryov, who is currently under criminal investigation for highlighting cases of torture in the country’s prisons, was not permitted to leave Moscow by prosecutors.

Ponomaryov pointed out that a core task is to make Russians aware of the connection between corruption, widespread violations of people’s rights and a political regime that most of them say they approve of.

Ponomaryov also recommended closer contact between the politicians and human rights groups.

“Political parties should help even in individual cases of rights abuses: it may seem like a thankless task but it builds a positive reputation,” Ponomaryov said.

Getting the Russian people interested is a Herculean task, said Maria Matskevich, a senior analyst with the Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences.

She argued that most of those who once backed democratic parties and still share liberal values, now simply stay away from the polls.

“There are millions of them but these people prefer to opt out of Russian politics altogether,” she said. “They are making a conscious choice by not taking part in street events and not voting. They want to stay out of it because they don’t see fair competition or open discussion. Whether this silent protest is a constructive method or not is another matter, but it means the potential market for what democrats have to offer is still significant.”