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Russian National Unity (Всероссийское общественное патриотическое движение "Русское Национальное Единство" or All-Russian civic patriotic movement ''"Russkoye Natsionalnoye Edinstvo"'') is a Nationalistic Political Party and Paramilitary organization based in Russia and operating in states with Russian-speaking populations. It openly advocates the expulsion of non-Russians and an increased role for traditional Russian institutions such as the Russian Orthodox Church . IDEOLOGY AND TACTICS Founded by the Russian Right-winger Aleksandr Barkashov in 1990 , RNU grew in the face of the economic and social difficulties faced by Russians after the fall of the Soviet state. Promoting the notion of "Russia for the Russians and compatriots", members of the party (sometimes called "Barkashovites") endorse policies including the expulsion of "minorities that have their homeland outside Russia", especially Jews and migrants from the Caucasus and other countries. All population of Russia is devided into priviledged ethnic Russians and "compatriots" - non-Russians that live in Russia and have their national homeland there, including indigenious populations of Far East, North, turkic and other minorities. "Compatriots" considered respectful part of Russian population. RNU cndemns any inter-ethnic and inter-racial marriages "because it makes psychological troubles for self-identification for children from such marriages". Although RNU supports Russian officers, accused and being tried for aleged atrocities in Chechnya against civil population, organizes meetings and public advocacy for them, many view the position of RNU as pro-Islamic. The main principle of the organisation is anti-Semitism and as such, it supports islamic anti-Semitic activities, including full support for Arab nationalists in fight against Israel. It also had close ties with extremly-antisemitic "Russian Islamic Comittee". The aim of the party is to expulse all Jews to Israel and then destroy the state and push all Jews into the sea. Dispite the extreme anti-Semitism, the organization cannot be called extremly anti-American or anti-Western and even its official website is hosted in the United States. Many followers speak English, German and other Western and Asian languages. RNU conducts large work with youth, mostly hidden, educating them in anti-semitic manner. Regular lectures, classes, demonstrations of films, physical training take place. The instructors dispel naive nationalist, racist, anti-Islamic and anti-Semitic views of young followers, providing well-established ideology instaed. For example, the instructors does not describe the "Protocols of Elders of Zion" as authoritive document, just the opposite, they recognize it as maked up, making the views of the followers less vulnerable for anti-fascist arguments. Israeli and Jewish press, liberal analysts also allowed and sometimes recommended for reading not only in negative aspect, so for those who does not know the ideology, the organization may seem non-antisemitic at first view. One of signicant principles of the organization is relative freedom in political and religious views and discussions of the followers. For example, followers can be supporters of Hitler or Stalin, be anti- or pro-Western, be Orthodox, neo-Paganist, Buddhist or Muslim. Often an instructor watches over discussion of followers allowing their anti-Semitic views to develop freely and does strictly intervene only to avoid some mistakes in understanding of the party's ideology or to turn the discussion into the proper direction. There is also wide work with buisiness, state officials, military and secret services. The supporting buisinessmen are awarded certificates of merit and other honours. The organization's tactics is to avoid direct violence of the law at present stage of fight. There even took place some facts that officials allowed RNU to take part in street patrooling and other collaborations with police, military training facilities also were used. Often state and industrial officials give RNU places for meetings, such as conference-halls, help to print literature, make uniforms with industrial standards, make badges, stickers, buckletes, copy CDs and video cassetes and other materials. Several arts of war classes with RNU instructors associated with state schools were opened. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES In 1993, the organization was registered as a "a club for military and patriotic upbringing" and later was reconized by local officials as "a volunteer people's self-protection unit". Members have been reported to wear black uniforms and the group adopted a red and white Swastika logo and there have been open expressions of admiration for German National Socialism and public celebrations of the rise of the Nazis, although the organization officially denies any support of Nazi ideology. The group is active not only in Russia, but also in Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , and Ukraine . In pursuing its goals, the RNU has developed a cadre of armed paramilitaries, known as "Russian Knights", who train in the use of small arms and explosives. Activists have engaged in physical assaults and claimed responsibility for a May 13, 1998 bomb explosion outside a Moscow Synagogue that injured three. According to the Saint Petersburg Times, new recruits (''storonniki'', literally: "supporters") to the organization have traditionally been required to serve as low-level functionaries in the organization, acting as drivers and handing out leaflets, as well as attending instructional sessions on the group's philosophy and beliefs, many of which are derived from a book written by Barkashov. As members advance, they may attain the rank of ''spodvizhniki'' (literally: archaic, high-style for "co-workers"; "co-endeavourers") and are entitled to wear the insignia and participate in paramilitary training. The most dedicated members advance to the ranks of the ''soratniki'' (literally: "comrades-in-arms"), who serve as the leadership of the group. More recently the RNU has encountered difficulties. In 1999, the Moscow headquarters of the group was closed and the organization banned there. Barkashov was apparently expelled from Russia in September 2000. The RNU contested the 2001 municipal elections in Latvia, but failed to win any seats. SEE ALSO REFERENCES |
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