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Inhabitants threatened with eviction in Sochi Region stage a protest

Protestation des habitants menacés d’expulsion dans la région de Sotchi (RU), RUSSIA, december 2009

Protesta de los habitantes amenazados de desalojo en la región de Sotchi

On 6 December 2009, more than 500 people gathered in front of the Olympic stadium being constructed at Adler (Sochi-Krasnodar region) to protest against threats of eviction. They are protesting against the confiscation of their land with a view to preparing the Sochi Olympics to be organized in 2014. The financial compensation offered for land and buildings is considered to be well below their market value.

Protestation des habitants menacés d’expulsion dans la région de Sotchi (RU), RUSSIA, december 2009

Protesta de los habitantes amenazados de desalojo en la región de Sotchi

On 6 December 2009, more than 500 people gathered in front of the Olympic stadium being constructed at Adler (Sochi-Krasnodar region) to protest against threats of eviction. Most of the protesters were inhabitants of Imeretia Plain whose homes fall within the area earmarked for the Olympic construction project. They are protesting against the confiscation of their land to prepare for the Sochi Olympic Games of 2014. The financial compensation offered for land and buildings is considered to be well below their market value.

Representatives of the local authorities honored the rally with their presence. They include Djamboulat Khatouov, vice governor of Krasnodar region, Anatoli Pakhomov, mayor of Sochi, and Alexandre Jigalko, head of administration in Adler and vice-chairman of the public corporation responsible for preparing the Olympics, Olimpstroï .

Despite efforts by the authorities to discourage inhabitants from participating in the event (three days before the rally, public servants had displayed precipitate zealousness, visiting many inhabitants of Imeretia Plain), the rally went ahead. This is proof positive of the inhabitants’ capacity for resistance. However, the tone of the speeches was very restrained. According to one inhabitant of Adler, Ekaterina Primakova, the list of speakers and the content of the speeches were closely monitored by the authorities. “Before the rally, the mayor’s office organized a meeting with our leaders and asked to be kept informed of the issues to be addressed in the speeches. Representatives of the local administration were standing near the rostrum and following the speakers closely”, she explained.

The inhabitants of Imeretia are particularly concerned by the absence of official information on the conditions of relocation, the intended fate of public infrastructure, and environmental protection (this is a unique natural site).

Members of the organizing committee had intended to announce the onset of a hunger strike after the rally but they decided to postpone their action, having extracted the promise of a meeting between the inhabitants and Governor Tkatchov or Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

It is hard to believe such promises, but the inhabitants did decide to wait before pursuing their protest action.

In addition, regional administrative representatives promised the protesters that monthly meetings would henceforth be organized in Imeretia Plain and inhabitants would be informed of progress in the construction works.

The protesters indicated their satisfaction that the threat of a huge protest had compelled the authorities to engage in dialogue with the inhabitants. One of the protesters writes in his blog: “This rally has proven that the authorities were afraid of protest action, especially as this would invite the disapproval of the federal authorities. This is why we must not be afraid; nothing venture, nothing gain. We the people must not act like a herd that obeys bureaucrats; we must get organized and make our voices heard! We are the citizens of our State!”

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El(la) siguiente Traductor(a) Voluntario(a) por el derecho a la vivienda sin fronteras de la AIH colaboró con la traducción de este texto:

Rosemary Ekosso