{"id":498,"date":"2021-06-02T14:25:31","date_gmt":"2021-06-02T11:25:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/inyazoro.info\/?p=498"},"modified":"2021-06-02T14:25:32","modified_gmt":"2021-06-02T11:25:32","slug":"estonia-turns-erzya-away-from-viii-world-congress-of-finno-ugric-peoples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inyazoro.info\/?p=498&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Estonia turns Erzya away from VIII World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/span>

Erzya delegation will not take part in VIII World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples.<\/span> This was reported by Syre\u015b Bol\u00e4e\u0144,<\/span> Inyazor <\/span>(Chief elder)<\/span> of Erzya people.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span>

<\/span>“18 months ago in January 2020,<\/span> I sent an official letter to Consultative Committee of Finno-Ugric Peoples <\/span>about composition of Erzya delegation<\/a><\/span>. For a few months I could not get an answer.<\/span> Only after repeated appeals and phone calls to Estonia I received an answer by phone that my letter is received.<\/span> Because pandemic reasons the Congress was postponed from 2020 to 2021.<\/span> Already this year I decided to appeal repeatedly,<\/span> because status of delegates still was not confirmed officially.<\/span> And after numerous letters and calls with a requirement to confirm status of our Erzya delegation officially,<\/span> after my address to <\/span>Eva-Maria Liimets<\/a><\/span>, Estonian minister of foreign affairs,<\/span> I got an official answer from the Consultative Committee.<\/span> The letter informed me that our applications to the Congress are improperly documented&<\/span>#8221;<\/span>, <\/span>\u2013 Bol\u00e4e\u0144 explains.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span>

The response of the Consultative Committee says that they decided to provide further clarifications,<\/span> which indicate that official letter from chief elder of Erzya people was not a sufficient reason for delegates to be registered;<\/span> in order to register properly Erzya delegation should provide a scanned copy of minutes of their formal meeting with the results of the general vote.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span>

<\/span>“In my numerous and\u00a0 lengthy negotiations with Jaak Prozes,<\/span> Niina Sinko,<\/span> Tatiana Kleerova and other representatives of the Consultative Committee and Fenno-Ugria Foundaton improperly document applications were never a problem.<\/span> This so-called <\/span>“problem&<\/span>#8221;<\/span> have appeared two weeks before the Congress,<\/span> when it is impossible to secure our visas in time.<\/span> Today is registration deadline for the Congress.<\/span> We believe that it is not appropriate to visit the Congress without the right to vote,<\/span> without possibility to influence decisions of the Congress.<\/span> Any computer and broadband internet would be enough just to read the adopted resolutions of the Congress at home&<\/span>#8221;<\/span>, <\/span>\u2013 Inyazor of Erzya people comments the situation.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span>

He believes that decision of the Consultative Committee is somehow influenced by active public position of some members of the delegation.<\/span> &<\/span>#8220;Bureaucratic issues are just an excuse.<\/span> We were turned away because of knowing that we\u2019ll raise sharp political questions on the Congress,<\/span> that Estonia is afraid to talk aloud not to anger Moscow:<\/span> violent policy of assimilation against indigenous peoples in Russia,<\/span> Russification of secondary and higher education,<\/span> persecutions of activists of national movements,<\/span> Albert Razin\u2019s self-immolation,<\/span> interference of Russian authorities in the activities of Erzya elders\u2019 council,<\/span> recent prohibition of traditional Mari religion and so on.<\/span> Eventually,<\/span> we had other,<\/span> fully certain suggestions for the Congress,<\/span> that I will not prematurely pronounce.<\/span> I\u2019m very sorry that in this fight Estonia have chosen not the Erzya side,<\/span> not the side of Albert Razin&<\/span>#8221;<\/span>, <\/span>\u2013 Bol\u00e4e\u0144 explains.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span>

Also Inyazor of Erzya people declared his intention to hold a briefing for Estonian media in Tartu on June 16,<\/span> opening day of VIII World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples,<\/span> where he is going to inform about current position of finno-ugric peoples in Russian Federation as well as address to Estonian officials.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span>

Earlier Consultative Committee of Finno-Ugric Peoples asked Syre\u015b Bol\u00e4e\u0144 to agree on the composition of the Erzya delegation with Nikolai Khramov,<\/span> ex-Deputy Minister of culture and tourism in Russian government,<\/span> and Mikhail Yakunchev,<\/span> a member of Assosiation of Fino-Ugric Peoples of Russia <\/span>(AFUN)<\/span> Presidency.<\/span><\/p><\/span>\n\n<\/span>\n\n<\/span>

In April 2021 Assosiation of Fino-Ugric Peoples of Russia <\/span>(AFUN)<\/span> had officially withdrawn from participation in VIII World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples.<\/span> AFUN accused Congress of politicizing and <\/span>\u201cplaying a finno-ugric card\u201d<\/span> to put pressure on Russia.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/span>\n