LITHUANIA: EXTREMISM IS CONTAINED, BUT INTOLERANCE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 001029 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NB, R AND P E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2014 TAGS: PREL KDEM KPAO EAID PHUM KMPI LH SUBJECT: LITHUANIA: EXTREMISM IS CONTAINED, BUT INTOLERANCE ISN'T REF: A. STATE 159129 ¶B. VILNIUS 706 ¶C. 04 VILNIUS 1402 ¶D. VILNIUS 574 ¶E. VILNIUS 959 Classified By: POL/ECON OFFICER GREGORY L. BERNSTEEN FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D) ¶1. SUMMARY. (U) Manifestations of extremism in Lithuania are infrequent, mostly localized, and rarely virulent. Extremists exist, but their political clout here is minute. Expressions of intolerance, including anti-Semitism, are more common than acts of violence or vandalism, although infrequent acts of violence do occur. Promoting tolerance and acceptance of diversity is a top Mission priority. We strive to raise awareness through formal programs, and stress tolerance as a theme in press opportunities and public speeches. The GOL usually takes a strong stand against intolerant expressions and acts, and sponsors programs and organizations that promote cross-cultural understanding. END SUMMARY. Extremism in Lithuania -------------- ¶2. (U) Extremism is rare in Lithuania, a racially and religiously homogeneous country that is 98 percent Caucasian and over 85 percent Christian. Religious minorities, including various pagan groups, Muslims, and Jews, together constitute less than three percent of the population. These minority communities are mostly secular and their members are well integrated in society. Acts of intolerance against racial and religious minorities sometimes occur. Such incidents most often reflect a current of anti-Semitism that runs through all levels of society. The most troubling recent episode of anti-Semitism occurred when the second largest daily paper published a series of editorials, complete with cartoons reminiscent of Nazi propaganda, claiming that Jews and homosexuals "rule the world" (ref B). High-level GOL officials immediately denounced the editorials. ¶3. (U) Several nationalist groups exist in Lithuania, although their numbers are small. Their leaders periodically make public statements, often virulently anti-Semitic in nature. These groups have virtually no political power. Unabashedly racist groups like the Siauliai United National Workers Party rarely even come close to winning an election, and racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric is the exclusive refuge of minor and/or disgraced politicians. Embassy Initiatives -------------- ¶4. (U) One of the central elements of our strategy to strengthen democracy and human rights in Lithuania is to promote tolerance. This commitment is emphasized in our Mission Performance Plan. Significant recent Mission initiatives in this regard include the following: - The Ambassador regularly speaks out against intolerance and includes material supporting tolerance in virtually every public speaking engagement. - We monitor the press and political scene for incidents of hate speech and intolerance. We proactively respond to these incidents, where appropriate, by raising them with the GOL and by making public statements supporting tolerance and condemning anti-Semitism and other manifestations of extremism. - The Ambassador hosted an Iftaar dinner in 2004 celebrating Ramadan for 20 prominent members of the Muslim community (ref C). - We organized a tolerance program for high school students to discuss diversity and the lessons learned from World War II (ref D). - We award small Democracy Commission grants to organizations that support tolerance-related issues. In FY 2005, we implemented several programs for NGOs working with minority groups in Lithuania, a program to increase intercultural understanding in rural regions, a seminar to teach kindergarten teachers about gender equality, programs to publish books on the Roma and Jewish communities, and a seminar and a radio program on prevention of ethnic hatred and xenophobia. - We coordinate an annual Holocaust teacher-training program in cooperation with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. This summer, three high school teachers traveled to the United States for a week of training in Holocaust education. - We organized an interfaith memorial service for victims of terrorism at a Lutheran Church in Vilnius on September 11, and recruited the Russian, British, Turkish, and Spanish embassies to co-sponsor the event. The event was the first large-scale interfaith service ever held in Lithuania. Representatives of six different religious groups and over 175 attendees, including President Valdas Adamkus, participated. National media covered the event, and it was the lead story on several television news programs (ref E). GOL Efforts -------------- ¶5. (U) The GOL attempts to reduce intolerance through education programs and support of racial and religious minorities. No groups overtly incite violence in Lithuania, although some people may make more extremist comments privately. -- (U) Lithuania is a functioning democracy with a lively press and burgeoning Internet usage. Spaces for open intellectual debate are freely available. -- (S) The GOL, through its law enforcement entities, regularly works to identify and monitor persons who might incite violence. Law enforcement agencies track the membership of mosques and monitor the actions of certain individuals and foreigners present in Lithuania. -- (U) Lithuania has universal public education, with equal access for females. Lithuania's higher education system is fully integrated as well, with a recent Statistics Department report finding that females now comprise 60 percent of students pursuing higher education. -- (U) The GOL developed a formal Holocaust curriculum in 2000, addressing the history of Jewish culture, Jewish life in Lithuania, the Holocaust, and the role of Lithuanians in the Holocaust. All students study the Holocaust in three different grades. -- (U) Senior GOL members speak out publicly against anti-Semitic and other acts of intolerance when they occur, but occasionally we need to prompt officials to do the right thing. -- (U) Just this week (September 26, 2005),the Lithuanian Parliament amended the Lithuanian Administrative code to impose financial penalties on those found guilty of discriminating by age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, race or ethnic origin. Previously, the code only penalized gender discrimination. -- (U) The GOL materially and financially supports quasi-governmental "public institutions" whose goals are to promote tolerance, including the Department for Ethnic Minorities, the Tolerance Center, and the Commission for the Evaluation of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes. -- (U) Lithuanian universities are strong in engineering and science. The GOL promotes scientific learning, and Lithuania is becoming a well-known center for laser technology. Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Extremism remains confined to the squalid fringes of Lithuanian society. The country's ethic and racial homogeneity means that most Lithuanians see people from other cultures as curiosities rather than threats. Although immigration is increasing, most immigrants come from other countries in the region, such as Belarus and Ukraine, and are unlikely to import extremism. Because intolerance and anti-Semitism remain persistent problems here, however, the importance of tolerance will continue to feature prominently in the Embassy's public diplomacy efforts and bilateral dialogue with the GOL. MULL