KERALA MONITOR SPECIAL REPORTS

More Indians face Neo-Nazi attacks in Russia

 By the Editor, Keralamonitor.com

 Neo-Nazis in Russia have intensified attacks against Indians and Arabs. According to informed sources, the Neo-Nazi movement in Russia is becoming more violent as the followers of Hitler are celebrating hi  birthday. Three Indians, including a Malayali medical student from Kollam district, Kerala and Tamlian medical students have been attacked in the last one week.A medical student from Sri Lanka and an Arab student are known to have faced similar physical assaults from the Neo Nazi groups in and around  St. Petersburg area. Reports from other parts of Russia also indicate that the movement is causing  fear among the Indian community in Russia.

“While a Srilankan who faced the Nazi attack made a formal police complaint, Indian students are scared even to do that. We have not got any help from the Indian embassy or the government in Russia. Such complaints are not useful,” says an Indian student in Russia. An Arab student is also attacked by the Neo-Nazis in Russia, according to informed sources. One student was attacked near a market place in St. Petersburg. Indian students are scared even to make police complaints about such attacks as they fear the worst is yet to come.

 A Srilankan student studying in a leading Russian Medical college was beaten up in front of his hostel by a group of Neo Nazis who are targeting the Asian community, especially Indians. “One student from Tamil Nadu was slapped on his face. However, he ran away there is not much injury,” say sources. One of the students who faced the attack is said to have sustained injuries.   It is high time that the Indian authorities take proper action to safeguard the life and property of thousands of Indians, especially helpless students doing professional courses in Russian Universities.

 After the collapse of communism and Bolshevik government in Russia, the country is facing total chaos as the number of criminal gangs and crime syndicates have mushroomed in different parts. The emergence of a strong Neo-Nazi movement is causing further problem and insecurity syndrome among the Indian community in Russia. Keralamonitor seeks the immediate intervention of the Government of India, and the Indian embassy to contain such heinous crime against Indian students who have gone to far off places to pursue higher education and professional courses. If such attacks are left unnoticed and the Indian government keeps silence, similar attacks will be encouraged in other parts of the Western World, especially in Germany, the U.K and other West European countries where the movement is spreading like a wild fire. 

This series of attacks against Indians is starting after Keralamonitor.com reported two cases of Neo-Nazi attacks against Indian students in Russia. While these cases have come to our notice, how many such incidents are going unnoticed? 

One of the most apparent changes in Russia today has been the marked increase in Russia's crime rate. The once predominantly crime-free country has begun to mount fairly substantial numbers. "In the summer of 1994, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) estimated that 25% of the Russian gross national income was derived from organized criminal activities". This same department also believes there to be 5600 major criminal organizations in existence in Russia. These groups are involved in a wide range of illegal activities ranging from capital/money laundering drug business, to extortion. These groups are also believed responsible for the almost 500 contract murders in Russia in 1994 and 300 kidnapping in Moscow alone. Organized criminals are not the only ones committing these crimes. Splinter groups from all over the country and the Baltics have played a part in some of the most spectacularly violent crimes ever witnessed. Any group who is dissatisfied with the current system in Russia seems to feel a need to express their feelings through the use of high explosives or the like.

 According to one report,  starting in 1988 and progressing until 1993, Russia's number of crimes per 100,000 population has about doubled: 830 in 1988, 1096 in 1989, 1240 in 1990, 1462 in 1991, 1857 in 1992, and 1885 in 1993. The figure has been reportedly increasing. While these numbers show a marked increase in total number of crimes, there are several types of crimes which are the fastest growing. The biggest problems in modern-day Russia include organized crime, drug crimes, violent crime, acts of violence, and smuggling.

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