Human rights defender says Latvia seeks to send Russian population to concentration camps

Aleksandr Gaponenko, a Latvian human rights defender, public figure, the head of the Congress of Non-Citizens, says large-scale persecutions of the Russian population are anticipated in the country. They are going to declare the Russian as “potential separatists.” To stir up hatred towards the national minorities, BBC’s film “World War Three: Inside the War Room” will be demonstrated in Latvia this week, Gaponenko told EADaily.

“In the new military doctrine of NATO, the Baltic States are suggested as a new foothold for an attack on Russia. To that end they choose Latgale, economically and socially the most disadvantaged region in the Baltics.  In addition, the region has quite a big number of Russian residents. It is noteworthy that at a referendum in February 2012, half of the voters in that region support the idea to give the Russian language the status of the second state language. However, instead of satisfying the demands of the Latgale residents for more independence, they slammed them for alleged separatism. Moscow was blamed for the local population’s discontent at the ruling ethnocratic regime. The BBC-staged film demonstrates that insurgency is breaking out in the region and Russia supports it  - the same way as it supported the Russian population of Donbass, when the Kiev authorities launched genocide with regard to it. The authors of the provocative film seek to prepare a wider public in Europe and the Baltic States to severe purge of the Russian activists.  They say the activists were preparing to initiate anti-governmental insurgency…It resembles the mythical chemical weapon of Saddam Hussein that justified the deployment of the U.S. troops in Iraq,” said Aleksander Gaponenko, the author of the book “Latgale: In Search of Another Life” telling about the history of the region.

“That film is not just a joke of the producers!” Gaponenko said. “Last summer, the NATO troops were working out practical steps to “neutralize separatists” in Rēzeknē and other towns in Latgale.  Later, training of U.S. Police security forces was conducted on the same scenario.  The Latvian part of the population was frightened about those virtual threats and will not mind if Russian activists are sent to concentration camps on the example of Chile. Last summer, an online signature campaign was launched for sending non-citizens to concentration camps. Meantime, Russians account for 99% of the non-citizens in Latvia. That signature campaign still continues, as the Security Police have no intention to stop it, though it is evident stirring up of hatred towards national minorities. It appears that the Latvian security services are backing Russophobic and anti-Russian sentiments.  The Latvian ruling elite has easily joined that game, as it turned bankrupt and has no other way to retain power but through playing off the Latvians against the residents of Latgale and Russians.”

It is noteworthy that the film “World War Three: Inside the War Room” demonstrates a hypothetical situation when the Russian-speaking population of Latgale excites rebellion in support of their compatriots in Tallin that clash with Estonian nationalists.  Then, the documentary shows a rebellion of the residents of Daugavpils, Latgale’s largest city. The people get Kalashnikov rifles out of nowhere and seize the building of the city Duma, fire the flag of Latvia, announce the establishment of “the People’s Republic of Latgale” and ask Russia’s support.  The local mayor named Dmitry Vorslav announces a referendum of independence from Riga.  In response, the Riga authorities outlaw Vorslav and his team and try to neutralize them by force. However, the insurgency flares up even more and insurgents seize 20km of the Russian border, through with Moscow later sends them humanitarian aid.   After long hesitations (and after the phrase: “Are we ready to die for Daugavpils?” NATO pulls rapid response forces to Latvia. In response, Russia launches large-scale drills in Pskov region. Then a series of tragic incidents happen and the Russian and NATO troops directly clash. The conflict even results in mutual nuclear attacks.