Arvids Turlajs: Latvian “axe” narrows Latgale territory every year

Disorder of the Soviet Union and coming to power of extreme nationalists in its some former republics led to that the most real repressions were developed against the so-called “ethnic minorities” living here by centuries. The people were deprived by not only nationality, but also language and national self-identification. And “civilized” Europe is silent... It is interested in the rights of gay communities more.

And here the Latgallians, living in the territory of Latvia, made the sharp statement:

The statement of community “Union of Latgallians” to the people and Seym of Latvia about discrimination of latgalian language and culture:

Latgale's congress solved in 1917: “We are the Latvians of Latgale, joining hands with Latvians of Kurzeme and Vidzeme, we will have the self-government, language and belief”. Since then nearly hundred years passed. Any of these solutions of congress is realized.

Latvia was formed as the unitary state, though it is stipulated in “Satversme” that Latvia consists of Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale. The rights of Latgale aren't stipulated in “Satversme”: the right on self-government, latgalian language and on trust. At the time of Ulmanis Latvia the latgalian language degraded to adverb level, forbade to study it at schools, the latgalian names, surnames, names of the district, the rivers and lakes were translated into the Latvian language. In 1960 the Latvian communists entered “Regime of united language” which exists to this day. Nearly hundred years the ethnocide concerning the latgalian language proceeds. 99 percent of Latgallians became illiterate in the native written language. They still speak and don't know a written language.

Population census of 2000 showed that nevertheless there are the Latgallians who didn't lose the identity. In the free column “native language” they noted “latgalian” and in the column “nationality” specified “Latgallian”. These censuses were forged and all were made as Latvians. That in the future not to forge the results of census in 2008 PKM was accepted urgently by which approved the qualifier of the nationalities the purpose of which is one - to forbid the Latgallians to self-identify. Under pressure of society a question was included in the last census: “do you use the latgalian language in a family?”. Mixed families and lonely people were out of census. Despite such muffled question about 168000 respondents answered “yes”.

“The European commission on racism and intolerance” specified that Latvia deprives the citizens the right to self-identification. In 2012 Latvia withdrew the column “nationality” from passports. In 2013 it again entered, but only on the qualifier.
Latgale's identity is destroyed also by administrative reform on which the villages as the cultural heritage of Latgale are destroyed and it is entered the names of farms as in Kurzeme and Vidzeme. Latvian “axe” narrows Latgale's territory every year. Latgale as the region has no borders. Finally to resolve “latgalian issue” the new constitution is developed. There are no already Latvian people there and there are title special state people – Latvians. For increase in number of Latvians, by means of the qualifier of nationalities, new Latvians – Latgallians violently rank there.

This world didn't see yet that one people would have to endow for the sake of another. Latgallians have to refuse the schools, names, surnames, thousand-year place names, a way of life, that is refuse from themselves. Successes and impunity of assimilator of Latgallians inspired violators of human rights on new feats. Now they want to forbid the Russian studying as native.

The natives of Latgale are among “latyshizator” mainly who hold the leading posts in the state. They easily refused the native language and despise those who doesn't do it. They develop a new ban.
Satversme of the Latvian Republic, the Law on language and a set of resolutions of the Cabinet contradicts the solutions of Latgale congress of 1917. Support of the people of Latvia and the international public is necessary to stop violent assimilation of Latgallians and other nationalities living in Latvia.