The State of Civil Society in Contemporary Russia

As President Bush said in his remarks in Prague: "Freedom is the best way to unleash the creativity and economic potential of a nation. Freedom is the only ordering of a society that leads to justice. And human freedom is the only way to achieve human rights." The challenge for those of us working on Russia in the State Department is to weigh carefully the most effective way to use our diplomatic efforts and assistance resources to support Russia's civil society in its quest for a truly free and democratic society.

Our friendship with Russia is complex. We have many areas of cooperation with Russia as well as disagreements. Yet we cannot be silent about problems in Russia. We must raise our concerns with the Russians about troubling developments both at home and abroad. As we try to work together with the Russian government when we can, we also must push back whenever we have to. The trick is to find a way to work with Russia and not sacrifice our principles. We will not allow problems to prevent us from working on common interests.

On questions of civil society, the Russian government is neither neutral nor benign, as we've seen in the recent crackdowns at protests. Suppression of genuine opposition, abridgement of the right to protest, constriction of civil society, and the decline of media freedom are all serious setbacks. They are inconsistent with Russia's professed commitment to building and preserving the foundations of a democratic state. The State Department has publicly protested the recent police brutality employed to break up opposition marches in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod and Voronezh. The European Union also protested those actions. I would note that in the last few days opposition protests took place in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Murmansk and faced little harassment.

Official Russia is not monolithic. Human Rights Ombudsman Lukin and Kremlin Civil Society Advisor Pamfilova criticized harsh treatment of protestors at Other Russia protests. They also criticized extreme measures against ethnic Georgians last fall, as did some other Russian officials.

We do not pull our punches with other countries. When human rights abuses occur, turning a blind eye is not the answer. It would be insulting to hold Russia to low standards. The Kremlin is not the only audience. Members of Russian civil society and opposition also count on our voice and our support of democratic principles. Our engagement can make a difference. This was clearly demonstrated when the Russian government modified the NGO law and ended its anti-Georgian measures in fall 2006. We view Russia and its people as our partners. Partnerships need communication; few relationships flower on silence.

So who is the champion of civil society in Russia? The United States? The EU? The international community writ large? I think the answer is the Russians themselves. Despite significant obstacles, civil society is very active in Russia -- you only need look at the thousands of NGOs and civil society groups in Russia, and groups such as the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers. These are home-grown groups that developed to address specific issues in society as they arise.

Our role, and the role of other donors who work with civil society in Russia, is to help bolster individuals and groups that are by no means helpless -- any of you who have worked with these folks in Russia know that they are an impressive and resilient group of people that won't be cowed -- but they absolutely need our support.

The new NGO law is an additional burden for civil society in Russia, but it has not (so far) interfered with the operations of many organizations. Yes, it makes their lives more difficult, but through our assistance we help NGOs monitor and analyze the effects of the law and better help them advocate for democracy.

One trend in civil society which I find extremely troubling is the shrinking pool in Russia of independent television and electronic media, which has fallen increasingly into state hands. The role of independent press is extremely important in a civil society -- people need access to independent information in order to hold their government accountable. And only through an independent press can that information be communicated.

A recent visit by a delegation of over 50 businesspeople from Russia really drove home to me the lack of access to independent information in Russia. Over the years I've met with various delegations of businesspeople brought together by this same organization, but their tone changed notably this year. This most recent delegation offered comments that made it clear that they were getting only one side of the story. The basic thrust of their questions was skewed, as they charged that internal developments in Eurasian countries were being driven by nefarious U.S. Government activity: the U.S. Government was interfering in Russia; the U.S. Government had bankrolled the Orange Revolution; the U.S. Government was supporting pro-Nazi Balts.

It's clear to me that we need to continue our support for independent media in Russia -- over 2,700 journalists have received professional training -- but we need to look for innovative ways to reach out to that sector more effectively. We will also need to take advantage of opportunities as they appear. As I already said, Russia is not a monolith. As we find democratic space in the regions, we must engage, working at the local level and even with some newly appointed governors in limited ways. In FY 2007 approximately $16 million will support NGO coalition building, think tanks, and advocacy groups and approximately $5.5 million will bolster the independence, ethical conduct, transparency, and professionalism of the justice system.

In addition to our regular bilateral assistance for Russiathe U.S.-Russia Investment Fund (TUSRIF) is now in the process of liquidating its holdings and will endow somewhere between $164 million and $320 million into a legacy foundation -- the U.S.-Russia Foundation for Economic Advancement and the Rule of Law. This foundation focuses on advancing rule of law and democratic principles in Russia. Over $17 million in additional funds recovered from previous activities will support the Russian Civil Society Development Initiative to address challenges facing Russian NGOs. The Initiative will provide support for short-term needs stemming from efforts by the Russian government to exert more control over NGOs; and long-term development to strengthen NGO capacity and transparency, and their ability to reach out to large constituencies, build networks, and engage youth.

In the end, freedom will triumph in Russia. Not so much because of what we do, but because it is what the Russian people want.