la aurora, let's define at first where we are coming from. I am an Estonian, but I'm here, on this forum, because I'm a fan of a Russian girl band. Besides this I am fascinated about great Russian literature, I consider Dostoyevski one of the best writers in the whole world, I admire Mikhail Bulgakov’s “Master and Margarita”, I find Viktor Pelevin to be a genius. I can very well make the difference between Russian culture, Russian people and the politics of Russian government. I know,
la aurora, that you are a smart girl, because I liked your posts when you wrote under the nick
sunny posion . Therefore I’m trying to explain the situation further. And also for all the others who are reading this thread.
Russia has never totally accepted that it lost Baltic States in 1991. Estonians were lucky in the early 1990s because we managed to get back our freedom without any blood, although Russian tanks were also in our streets. Throughout 1990s and early 2000s Russia has bullied its neighbouring states separately – Georgia, Moldova, Latvia. Now it was Estonia’s turn.
Read these articles, they give an objective picture of what happened and the political background of it:
http://www.delfi.ee/news/paevauudise...hp?id=15822956
http://www.delfi.ee/news/paevauudise...hp?id=15822932
The infamous monument stood silently in the middle of our city for 15 years. On the 9th May Soviet war veterans gathered there, but Estonians did not pay much attention to it during all these years. Until last year, it was not just old veterans who gathered there, there were also young men with red flags, aggressive and shouting communist slogans. You know, it is not very pleasant sight to see red flags in the capital of an independent state. The monument was politicised suddenly.
This created discontent among Estonians and groups of Estonians started to gather there with Estonian flags, which caused fights and collisions. Soon after that Nochnoi Dozor was created, a organisation of young Russians. Some of the people related to Nochnoi Dozor were also activists of Interfront movement in early 1990s – a organization of Russians who opposed Estonian independence. Nochnoi Dozor was definitely supported by Russian government. The monument became a place that created disturbance and disorder in the city. It was a symbol, but I’m absolutely sure, if there had not been Bronze Soldier, then some another statue or place would have been politicised. So, it became quite obvious already last spring, that Estonia had to move this monument, for showing that Estonia is an independent state. And for showing that Russia does not have power over Estonia, telling us what to do.
The removal of the monument was only a matter of time. Perhaps the timing was not the best, summer would have been better, when people are on vacations.
But, the demonstrations against it were definitely organised by Russia and with the help of local provocateurs. Certainly, there were a lot of people who were present out of curiosity. However, if you look at the videos of the marauders, you see that even young girls rob the shops.
I repeat, the videos that Russian media shows, depict only demonstrations and police. They don’t show the vandalism. Actually, the city was in total chaos, the crazy mass destroyed everything in its way, shouting Rossija! Rossija! And only after that police (in my opinion even too late), attacked and arrested the vandals.
I was abroad during the riots and the information I got from home was really terrifying. My only question was – where is the police? And when the police managed to restore law and order in the city, it was a real relief.
Estonia managed to resist Russia’s plotting this time. In these two days of April, Estonia did not render to Russia’s dictations. We saved our state.