Comments on: Moscow Police Documents Show Attempted "Proverka" of Georgian School Children

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:48:00 +0000

I agree with Mishuk – you have no idea how much of Caucasian maffia (Chechens, Georgians, etc.) is in Moscow alone! Most major businesses (casinos, night clubs, food and clothes markets, restaurants, etc.) are under their control. It’s about time somebody did something about it.
As for these documents – I’m sure there wasn’t any specific order from Kremlin, it’s an initiative of individual police districts. As Mishuk put it – it’s a job for prokuratura now.
The problem with Rakhmankov is that he was critisizing local authorities (in Ivanovo) and they probably hated him. So when he wrote that article about Putin, they decided it was a chance to finally deal with him. So I’m sure it’s a result a regional conflict, rather than between him and Kremlin. He’s too insignificant (except for local level). But personally I think it was an insulting article. Putin was trying to deal with a serious issue and this guy just let it down to “toilet” humour. In Russia we don’t laugh at people the same way Americans do.

By: La Russophobe

La Russophobe — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 16:03:00 +0000

W. SHEDD:

It's not a silly question, you're just afraid to answer it. You won't draw any boundary for unacceptable Russian behavior because you know, in your heart of hearts, that no matter what you might say Russians could do it tomorrow.

You're quite right though, Russia isn't murdering journalists left and right, it doesn't have one of the highest murder rates in the world, it doesn't hate foreigners at all. Sean is perfectly safe. Or else he's a hero. Or else, you seem to imply, he's so insignificant that the Kremlin couldn't care less (ouch! not very kind).

But Rakhmankov wasn't that significant, was he?

I'll be sure to tell the mothers of Georgian kids in Russia what you said. I'm sure it will help them sleep much better at night.

By: Mishuk

Mishuk — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 07:12:00 +0000

If you live in Russia, escpecially in big cities you encounter ethnic mafia representatives in markets, casinos (mostly spheres concerning the trade). Kondopoga is a good example too.
As a Russians citizen I am glad that Georgian mafia is crushed down. I just don’t like these over-measures regarding schools and famous people like Akunin, Sotkilava, Tsereteli. This is a task for prokuratura.

By: Maya

Maya — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 05:19:00 +0000

I am fascinated by the type of information they are looking for.
Yes sure, they want names, addresses and composition of families, in order to deport the family if they needed to (BTW I wonder if collecting information is not threatening enough, I doubt they need to do much more to make the Georgians fully understand the implications of what they are doing.)

But why do they need behavioural knowledge about the kids? If they assume that the kids are future mafia material, why are they asking about their relations with other kids? Why are they specifically asking if they are abused by other children? In the Soviet context you find similar questions but precisely because they wanted to integrate them.

By: W. Shedd

W. Shedd — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:27:00 +0000

The "remarkable answer of the School Director" is correct. In other words, I was agreeing with Sean's assessment. I should have punctuated my comment more appropriately.

Yes, can't you tell by the s-s-s-stuttering t-t-t-t-typing that Sean is trembling in f-f-f-f-fear!? The oppression is palpable, like a heavy leaden weight that he must wear around his neck. ::cue ??, ?????!::

No, literally - an FSB guard hangs a massive lead weight around his neck as Sean leaves his hotel room. ??, ?????, indeed! ??, ????? is more like it.

Yes, Putin was just waiting to make his big move and squash all hope among the Russian people. He waited until Sean's arrival and his birthday to squash the last remaining beacon of freedom in Russia. You can hear his black evil laugh echoing over all of Russia ... MOOoooooHAHAHAHAhahaha!

The point in inquiring about the police districts involved was exactly what I cited - if it was some overzealous police chiefs using children to chase down supposed illegal aliens (you know, like they have proposed in California) or if it was orders from on high.

No Georgian children were rounded up and either imprisoned in a work camp or murdered. So your silly question about "how many" is just irrelevant baiting. The happenings are disturbing in and of themselves, without you hopefully projecting more evil upon them.

By: johnnie b. baker

johnnie b. baker — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 23:14:00 +0000

I would think Armenia is Russia’s best friend in the Caucasus of actually internationlly recognized states, and has been since the collapse. Russia has continuously supported Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Armenia is the only one of the three South Caucasus states that wants Russian troops on its soil. Russia is also Armenia’s largest Arms supplier and main protector. From what I heard, some of the alleged Russian spies arrested in Georgia were of Armenian nationality. I don’t know that for sure, and an Azeri told me that, so ya never know. I said “Even Armenians need friends.” He kinda just went “Huh?” Fortunately the vodka bottle had already been emptied. Cool looking documents, though. They look just like the ones I’m collecting. And just like some of the ones I’m collecting, they’re about rounding up “the other”.

By: La Russophobe

La Russophobe — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 22:30:00 +0000

SEAN: Aren’t you going to tell us how it FEELS there at ground zero? Do the child roundups and the killing of AP change your view of Russia? Are you seeing any meaningful opposition? Do you feel less safe now? If someone knew you’d written a post praising AP to the sky and blaming the Kremlin, couldn’t you be in danger? How much more Neo-Soviet can they GET?

By: La Russophobe

La Russophobe — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 22:01:00 +0000

"Correct"? You mean if there WAS a "consenting order" then compliance would be just fine with you?

"Isn't clear"? You mean that if "just a few" police districts did so, that's just fine?

I wonder: How many children would have to die (or be sent to a gulag) before you'd be ready to condemn the Russian state? Over a million?

Aren't you going to say something about how American arrested the Japanese, so nobody can criticize Russians? Gosh, what a disappointment!

By: W. Shedd

W. Shedd — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:51:00 +0000

The remarkable answer of the School Director is correct – although my understanding was that at least one school district complied with the request. It also isn’t clear to me if this was just a few police districts taking it upon themselves to collect the names or a broader effort from higher up the chain of command.