BBC Monitoring - 08.15.2002

 

Russian Politicians, Artists Appeal to Putin Over Anti-Semitic TV Programme

Source: Centre TV, Moscow, in Russian 1000 gmt 15 Aug 02

BBC Monitoring

A group of politicians, artists and sportsmen sent an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin today. The cause is "Antideza" programme broadcast by Moscow Region Channel 3 on 28 July. 

The letter says that the programme was announced as an attempt to look into the recent anti-Semitic incidents [in Russia], but in fact became anti-Semitic in character and was reduced to a simple conclusion that anti-Semitism plays into hands of Jews themselves and moreover that Jews generate the phenomenon by their own behaviour. 

The letter says that the map of Russia is like a multicoloured blanket - representatives of over 140 ethnic groups are living in Moscow alone and if those stirring up enmity between people living in the country are not stopped, it may lead to ethnic clashes. The authors of the letter are surprised at the fact that the Press Ministry did not produce any reaction to the obviously provocative programme although it is within the ministry's duties to make sure that TV channels and peoples' minds are not polluted by such products dangerous for society. 

The letter was signed by 17 people. Among them are president of CSKA basketball club Aleksandr Gomelskiy, Marshal of the Soviet Union Viktor Kulikov, Moscow mayor Yuriy Luzhkov, editor-in-chief of Literaturnaya Gazeta newspaper Yuriy Polyakov, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Yevgeniy Primakov and pop singer Alla Pugacheva.