Svetlana Gannushkina
Chair of the Committee "Civil Assistance"
The main work during the Forum were the round table discussions. Together with Alexander Verkhovsky, Director of the Informational and Analytical center “Sova” I was leading the round table discussion on xenophobia and migration issues. The human rights issues was divided intp four parts – xenophobia and migration, Mass Media, fight against terrorism and civil control. About one third of the participants were Russian, others represented foreign NGOs. That’s why we were discussing problems which are common for all states.
We witness today a very high level of xenophobia due to migration processes. There is a well-known prejudice: the migration influences negatively the crime in the society. But the limitation of migrants number leads to the increase of illegal migrants number, the growth of corruption and crime. All the experts shared the opinion that the respect of human rights should be a basis of fighting international terrorism.
If a state (or a g8 state, particularly) violates human rights it can’t be internal affair of this state. We made a recommendation for all G8 states to give asylum to all migrants, particularly, from G8 states. It is very strange to think that no one wants to escape from G8 countries. Russia is the example of it. In connection with European Union widening the round table experts recommended the G8 states to reconsider the obligations regulating asylum accordance. I hope that during the next summit the human rights issues will be discussed among the priorities.
So we were doing quite a serious job during the Forum. I’ve made everything I intended to do: invited the experts, they analyzed the situation, prepared the final documents which will be passed to G8 leaders. I didn’t attended the meeting with Vladimir Putin but I heard that he said, if someone proves him that the law regulating NGO activities is not good he’ll made amendments to it. But I think it is impossible to prove something to the person who has already approved this law. But as to my foreign colleagues Putin fascinated them.