[lbo-talk] Russia Tightens Rules on Migrants

[Michael Givel]

RUSSIA TIGHTENS RULES ON MIGRANTS 16/11/2006- The deputy head of
Russia's migration service has called for limits on the concentration
of ethnic minorities in towns and cities across the country.
Vyacheslav Postavnin said their numbers should not exceed 20%, to
prevent "enclaves" emerging in which native Russians were
outnumbered. Russia's Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov on Wednesday
unveiled plans to limit the number of foreigners. Officials put the
figure at 10-12 million, most of them illegals. "According to our
calculations, compact habitation by citizens of another country in
any district or region of the country should not surpass 17% to 20%,
especially if they have a different national culture and religious
faith," said Mr Postavnin, quoted by the Vremya Novostei daily.
"Exceeding this norm creates discomfort for the indigenous
population."

Labour restrictions On Wednesday, Mr Fradkov said that from January
2007, the government would bar foreigners from certain retail
sectors, including the sale of alcohol and pharmaceutical goods. And
from April next year, the ban will be extended to cover foreigners
working in all markets and street kiosks. They are among the most
important sources of employment for migrant workers, along with the
construction industry. These measures are the toughest yet in a
campaign against illegal immigration, says the BBC's Russia analyst
Steven Eke. The Russian government says it needs to take control of
the huge number of foreign workers - many of them in Russia
illegally. But human rights activists say many of the measures are
pandering to widespread racism. They say such measures help fuel
xenophobia, by portraying foreign workers from the former Soviet
republics - typically from the Caucasus and Central Asia - as
responsible for crime and social problems.

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