Movement Against Illegal Immigration
Encyclopedia
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration (DPNI) is a Russian nationalist and anti-Illegal immigration
organization. The organization is led by Aleksandr Belov (Potkin)
a former member of ultra-nationalist Pamyat
. Belov was a press spokesman for Pamyat's leader, Dmitry Vasilyev.
and Central Asia
. The Movement Against Illegal Immigration have organized a number of anti-immigrant rallies throughout Russia. It also takes part in carrying out the annual Russian March
, a Russian ethnic pride display and protest event. Aside from mass protests the movement is active in organizing public pressure to support ethnic Russians
in number of high profile court cases involving crimes committed by the immigrants.
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration is one of the more active political organizations in Russia with about 5000 members in 30 different regions.
legislator Dmitry Rogozin
announced the creation of a political party, the Great Russia Party, from the membership of the Congress of Russian Communities
and the DPNI.
The DPNI has said it would like to see Belarus
ian President Alexander Lukashenko
become President of Russia in 2008. This is not possible under the Russian constitution, as Lukashenko is not a citizen of Russia. Regardless, Lukashenko rejected the offer in early 2007.
, in August-September 2006, the DPNI provided an up to the minute online coverage of the unfolding situation in response to what it saw as the media's politically correct
silence about what was happening there. DPNI representatives arrived in the town shortly after riots had commenced, and were able to largely control the flow of news and events in the absence of any reaction from local authorities or police. The DPNI, led by their leader Aleksandr Belov (Potkin)
, organized an "assembly" and advocated the deportation of Chechen and other migrants within 24 hours. Belov was later indicted for disturbing the peace.
On 22 June, few DPNI members took part in inter-ethnic fighting in the center of Moscow, near the Kremlin, according to Moscow city authorities, resulting in 42 arrests. DPNI leader Belov defended the action as having been provoked by ethnic groups from the Caucasus region (Chechens, etc.) who were dancing and conducting themselves loudly when prayers were to be conducted at the Monument to the Heroes of Plevna. Estimates of participants in the fighting range from 50 to 200; other groups participating included the Slavic Union
, the Russian Public National Union (RONS), and the "St. Georges" youth group ("георгиевцы").
On 26 June 2007, the DPNI announced the formation of armed "People's Self-Defense" groups to defend "indigenous citizens" against "the aggressive actions of criminal migrants." The groups will be trained in hand-to-hand fighting and are required to obtain "legal hunting weapons and handguns." In April 2005, the DPNI had announced creation of "mobile fighting groups", composed of cell networks of five persons each, whose members would have access to automobiles and legal weapons. The 2005 announcement cited a "possible worsening of the internal political situation in the Russian Federation and the likelihood of mass disorders and aggressive actions by foreign states."
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
organization. The organization is led by Aleksandr Belov (Potkin)
Alexander Potkin
Alexander Potkin is a Russian far-right political leader. Potkin is the leader of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration, a nationalist youth movement....
a former member of ultra-nationalist Pamyat
Pamyat
Pamyat is a Russian nationalist organization identifying itself as the "People's National-patriotic Orthodox Christian movement." The group's stated focus is preserving Russian culture.- History :...
. Belov was a press spokesman for Pamyat's leader, Dmitry Vasilyev.
History
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration was created on July 10, 2002, in reaction to ethnic violence between residents of a Moscow's suburb and immigrants from the South CaucasusSouth Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. The Movement Against Illegal Immigration have organized a number of anti-immigrant rallies throughout Russia. It also takes part in carrying out the annual Russian March
Russian March
Russian March is an annual nationalist mass demonstration in several major Russian cities and in other ex-USSR countries. Russian marches usually take place on or around November 4, on the Day of National Unity celebrated in Russia...
, a Russian ethnic pride display and protest event. Aside from mass protests the movement is active in organizing public pressure to support ethnic Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
in number of high profile court cases involving crimes committed by the immigrants.
The Movement Against Illegal Immigration is one of the more active political organizations in Russia with about 5000 members in 30 different regions.
Leadership
- 2002 - 2008: Vladimir Basmanov
- 2008 - 2010: Aleksandr Belov (Potkin)Alexander PotkinAlexander Potkin is a Russian far-right political leader. Potkin is the leader of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration, a nationalist youth movement....
- 2010 - Present: Vladimir Ermolaev
Critics
Some liberal rights activists have filed complaints with the Russian authorities and tried to ban the DPNI because they believe it is "pursuing a fascist agenda", exemplified by slogans such as "Russia is for Russians!".Political activity
In April 2007 former RodinaRodina
Rodina or Motherland-National Patriotic Union was one of the four parties that controlled seats in the Russian legislature in 2003-2007...
legislator Dmitry Rogozin
Dmitry Rogozin
Dmitry Olegovich Rogozin is a well-known Russian diplomat and popular politician, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia. In January, 2008, he became Russia's ambassador to NATO. He was a leader of the Rodina party until it merged with other similar Russian parties to form the...
announced the creation of a political party, the Great Russia Party, from the membership of the Congress of Russian Communities
Congress of Russian Communities
The Congress of Russian Communities is a nationalist political organization in Russia. It was created in the early 1990s initially to promote the rights of ethnic Russians living in the newly independent countries of the former Soviet Union....
and the DPNI.
The DPNI has said it would like to see Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
ian President Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
become President of Russia in 2008. This is not possible under the Russian constitution, as Lukashenko is not a citizen of Russia. Regardless, Lukashenko rejected the offer in early 2007.
Street protest and militia activity
During ethnic riots in the northern Russian city of KondopogaKondopoga
Kondopoga is a town and the administrative center of Kondopozhsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, situated on the coast of the Kondopozhskaya Gulf of Lake Onega, near the mouth of the Suna River and Kivach Nature Reserve, about from Petrozavodsk...
, in August-September 2006, the DPNI provided an up to the minute online coverage of the unfolding situation in response to what it saw as the media's politically correct
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
silence about what was happening there. DPNI representatives arrived in the town shortly after riots had commenced, and were able to largely control the flow of news and events in the absence of any reaction from local authorities or police. The DPNI, led by their leader Aleksandr Belov (Potkin)
Alexander Potkin
Alexander Potkin is a Russian far-right political leader. Potkin is the leader of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration, a nationalist youth movement....
, organized an "assembly" and advocated the deportation of Chechen and other migrants within 24 hours. Belov was later indicted for disturbing the peace.
On 22 June, few DPNI members took part in inter-ethnic fighting in the center of Moscow, near the Kremlin, according to Moscow city authorities, resulting in 42 arrests. DPNI leader Belov defended the action as having been provoked by ethnic groups from the Caucasus region (Chechens, etc.) who were dancing and conducting themselves loudly when prayers were to be conducted at the Monument to the Heroes of Plevna. Estimates of participants in the fighting range from 50 to 200; other groups participating included the Slavic Union
Slavic Union
The Slavic Union is a Russian National Socialist movement, which aims at the creation of a Slavic national state. The Slavic Union is the most active ultranationalist political association in Russia.-Origins:...
, the Russian Public National Union (RONS), and the "St. Georges" youth group ("георгиевцы").
On 26 June 2007, the DPNI announced the formation of armed "People's Self-Defense" groups to defend "indigenous citizens" against "the aggressive actions of criminal migrants." The groups will be trained in hand-to-hand fighting and are required to obtain "legal hunting weapons and handguns." In April 2005, the DPNI had announced creation of "mobile fighting groups", composed of cell networks of five persons each, whose members would have access to automobiles and legal weapons. The 2005 announcement cited a "possible worsening of the internal political situation in the Russian Federation and the likelihood of mass disorders and aggressive actions by foreign states."
Ban
Movement Against Illegal Immigration was banned by the Moscow City Court on April 18, 2011. According to prosecutors, DPNI leaders had repeatedly taken part in events aimed at igniting interethnic hatred. However it did not come to force yet and was appealed. At the same time the 18 February 2011 decree of Moscow Chief Prosecutor about the suspension of the activities of the organization is in force.External links
- Official website of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration
- Galina Kozhevnikova. Autumn - 2006: Under the Kondopoga Banner, SOVA CenterSOVA CenterThe SOVA Center for Information and Analysis is a human rights nongovernmental organization andthink tank that conducts sociological research on development of nationalism and racism in post-Soviet Russia.- History and Structure :...
, 4 January 2007.