Current & Recent Projects

Help Defeat Russia’s Disinformation Campaign at the UN!

Spring/Summer 2006

On behalf of BATUN, I am asking you to help maintain a Baltic non-government organizational presence at the primary human rights forums of the United Nations. Although the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been UN members since 1991 and send governmental representatives to UN human rights sessions, BATUN strongly believes that the independent voice of a non-governmental organization (NGO) can help influence the views of diplomats and other NGO’s to shape a true and positive image of the Baltic nations. Such an influence is still of vital importance today because the government of the Russian Federation continues to misuse the UN and other inter-governmental bodies to spread distortions and outright lies about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. BATUN relies on the support of people like you, both within the Baltic community and beyond, to allow us to organize and fund the participation of Baltic NGO representatives at these meetings. BATUN is still the only Baltic-wide NGO that follows the United Nations system for the purpose of promoting and defending the interests of the Baltic peoples.

BATUN has been working in support of the Baltic cause within the United Nations since 1966, when the Baltic nations were still occupied by the USSR. It has sent delegations to the UN Commission on Human Right annually since 1976. Over the years BATUN has worked to raise Baltic issues at the UN from various angles, including de-colonization, self-determination of people and individual human rights. When the Baltic nations regained independence, many BATUN activists were asked to join the newly formed delegations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to the UN. After 1991 BATUN worked to provide factual background information about current and historical Baltic issues. This work filled a critical void by explaining to UN member delegations, NGO’s, and the world public Baltic policies on citizenship, naturalization, educational reform and other issues stemming from the 50 year legacy of illegal Soviet occupation, colonization and economic stagnation. BATUN also worked in support of the campaign to admit the Baltic States into NATO, which concluded successfully in 2004.

Today the primary focus of BATUN’s work is countering the Russian Federation’s campaign of disinformation against the Baltic nations. Anyone who monitors the statements of Russian diplomats in recent months and weeks can see there has been no letup in attacks on Latvia’s and Estonia’s legitimate naturalization requirements for those who colonized these countries under the Soviet Union’s illegal occupation. Russia also refuses to acknowledge that close to a quarter of these formerly stateless people have successfully applied for and received citizenship in Latvia and Estonia. Since the admission of the Baltic nations into the European Union and NATO the rate of applications has been increasing.

Although Russia does not attack Lithuania over its citizenship laws, Lithuania is targeted when Russia propagates its false history of the Baltic under Nazi and Soviet occupation. The Russian Federation refuses to acknowledge illegality of the annexation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by the USSR and dismisses demands that they be compensated for losses suffered under the Soviet occupation.

The human rights forums of the United Nations are one of the primary venues used by the Russian Federation to spread lies and distortions about the Baltic nations. At the UN the Russian delegation regularly includes language in its statements condemning Estonia and Latvia for discriminating against the “Russian speaking” minority and denying them basic human rights. UN human rights forums are also a focal point of Russia’s efforts to spread a false view of history in the Baltic region under the successive Soviet, Nazi, and Soviet occupation. Russia has cynically and shamelessly made use of resolutions adopted at the UN Commission on Human Rights to falsely portray memorial services at churches and cemeteries in remembrance of fallen Baltic soldiers - drafted and forced to fight on the Nazi side in World War II - as “glorification” of the Waffen SS. This is an integral part of Soviet and Russian campaign to smear all who opposed the Soviet subjugation of Eastern Europe as “fascists” and “Nazis”.

For these reasons BATUN asks for your help so that Baltic non-governmental representatives may continue attending these UN forums. NGO representatives are often freer to counter unjustified Russian attacks on the Baltic nations than are Baltic government representatives. For several years Dr. Algis Tomas Geniušas, president of the United Nations Association of Lithuania, has with BATUN support traveled to the annual sessions of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. His statements before the Commission have defended Estonia and Latvia against Russia’s unfounded accusations of discrimination against minorities. He has supported the demands of Lithuania and its Baltic neighbors that Russia apologize and pay compensation for Soviet crimes against the Baltic peoples. Dr. Geniušas has also repeatedly taken the Russian government to task for its gross violations of human rights in Chechnya and interference in the affairs of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.

Very recently, the UN and others have hailed the transformation of the discredited Commission on Human Rights into the new and reformed Human Rights Council as a great “reform”. In fairness, the old Commission on Human Rights did sometimes play a positive role in the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. But far too often political criteria prevented it from taking action against many of the most egregious perpetrators. Many critics, including BATUN, viewed it as a parody of what it should have and could have been. Among the old Commission’s many deficiencies was that notorious human rights violators were often elected to this body, where they could block discussion of their own human rights records. Advocates of the new Human Rights Council (HRC) claim that new procedures will block the election of human rights transgressors. Regrettably, this hope has not been born out. Of the 47 countries elected to the new body, the respected NGO, Freedom House, rates nine of them as “unfree” and another fourteen as “partly free.” Among the countries elected to the HRC on May 9 are China, Cuba, the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia, all of which routinely violate the rights of their citizens. Latvia and Lithuania both ran for seats on the new HRC but failed to garner enough votes. BATUN will continue following developments closely, especially the promises that the human rights records of all HRC members will be subject to increased scrutiny. Though BATUN is disappointed that the reforms did not go far enough we feel it is important for a Baltic NGO representative to be present at this key time as the new Human Rights Council tries to establish its credibility. This is why BATUN is asking for your support today! Only with the support of people like you can BATUN continue to send Baltic NGO representatives to these important human rights forums.

BATUN is also working on promoting a factual and truthful understanding of the history of the Baltic nations during World War II in other ways. In 2005, the distinguished historian Dr. Andrievs Ezergailis published his latest book Nazi-Soviet Disinformation About the Holocaust in Latvia. Through his numerous books and articles, Dr. Ezergailis has established himself as among the most quoted authorities on the Holocaust and related issues in Nazi-occupied Latvia. His latest book dissects the works of Soviet propagandists in the 1960’s who falsely accused the entire Latvian exile community of complicity in Nazi war crimes and the Holocaust. Dr. Ezergailis shows how these efforts influenced government officials, scholars, various NGO’s, journalists, and public opinion for decades up to the present day. The falsehoods propagated in the KGB-authored pamphlets actually hindered attempts to prosecute real Nazi war criminals. A description of Dr. Ezergailis’ book may be viewed at www.occupationmuseum.lv/eng/services/gramatas.html 

BATUN also supports the United Nations Associations (UNA) of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by helping to pay their dues to the World Federation of UN Associations (WFUNA). Each country’s UNA, although affiliated with the UN, is an NGO run and supported by its individual members. Each UNA sets its own specific goals and objectives, but generally all UNA’s educate the public with a view to promoting interest and civic participation in foreign affairs. Such activities strengthen Baltic democracy.

Last summer BATUN organized a Baltic exhibit for the American public at the historic Warner Library in Tarrytown, NY. Several BATUN members lent items from their personal collections and spent time arranging them to fill five display cases with examples of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian cultural artifacts, such as folk costumes, dolls, jewelry, baskets and wood & leather crafts. Below one case were pictures and books on Baltic themes. We urge all BATUN members to consider organizing such exhibits at their local libraries and other cultural institutions. The Baltic governments still have limited funds for such “soft diplomacy” endeavors and the Baltic community worldwide can do much to promote Baltic culture and history.

Another example of BATUN upholding and defending a truthful and factual telling of history was when BATUN’s letter was published in The New York Times. The letter criticized statements by the noted NGO Amnesty International, which equated the US-run detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with the Soviet Gulag. Although acknowledging Amnesty’s work over many decades in support prisoners in the Soviet Union, and its right to criticize US policies, the letter called Amnesty’s use of the word “Gulag” in this context inappropriate hyperbole that demeaned and trivialized the suffering and deaths of millions of people in the real Gulag. The letter was published May 31, 2005.

With your support, BATUN could do even more! There are other forums at the UN and in other international bodies, both inter-governmental and non-governmental where BATUN could help Baltic NGO-s participate. BATUN also continues to explore other avenues for effective Baltic activism.

I hope we have convinced you yet again that BATUN deserves your ongoing support. To preserve our independence and freedom of action, BATUN receives no government funding of any kind. BATUN relies on you, our members and supporters to keep us going. Please be as generous as you can. Please pass this letter on to others, who may be interested in and want to support BATUN’s work.

Marğers Pinnis, President.

PS: Feel free to send me e-mail: pinnis@banet.net or a letter to the address given in "Contact Us".

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