Moldavia - Transnistria problem

Cankiri Karatekin University
International Relations
3rd year

International Conflict Resolution



Republic of Moldova
(Moldavia)
Transnistria



Grigorescu Ioana Ana Maria


Parties

Parties concerned in this conflict are Moldova, Transnistria and Russia. The history of this conflict began in 1991, following the disintegration of the USSR when the Moldovan Parliament voted independence of the Republic of Moldova. Following this Transdniestrian separatists influence and power of the Russians, who want to keep control over this area are grouped and begin reprisals against Moldovans.

A strip of land occupied Transnistria in Moldova, on the east side of the river Dniester, and its capital in Tiraspol. Mainly Russian speaking population, although here and meet Romanian speakers. For the Romans, the area became known in the 90s, with the arrest and imprisonment of Ilascu. Chisinau newspapers write today about the terror of Tiraspol and horrors that are undergoing those who dare to think differently from the system. Are persecuted and those who happen to know many languages, being accused of... spying.

Start a war between the "Dnestr Republic" to Moldova. It is a war that Moldova come practically without the army (national army is established only in May 1992) and is probably the only war in the world where a country attacked by powerful armed forces, defend using mainly effective police. On March 28, 1992, established all over Moldova exceptional condition and on 29 March 1992, the Government of the Russian minority in Transnistria Moldova two days to lay their weapons after the government threatened to commence attacks on rebels.

On April 1, 1992, Moldova send groups of policemen from the Interior Ministry in Bender. The attack is the first official act of war between Moldova and the Transnistrian separatists, but Russia vows to protect Russians. On April 5, 1992, Russian Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi requires independence of Transnistria region, and on June 21, 1992 Russian President Boris Yeltsin threatened to intervene militarily if fighting does not stop. On June 22, 1992, Moldova declared war on Russia and focuses more troops around the city Bender, preparing to take the town again in possession.

The war lasted about 6 months, from March to October, when Russia, Ukraine and Romania, under the dome OSCE, constituted team of experts to resolve the conflict. Peacekeeping troops consisting of Russian soldiers, Ukrainians and Moldovans were installed on the border with Transnistria, to prevent combat forces in the field to collide. The situation is today extremely unclear and tense, especially with the new Moldovan president pro-European.






Issues

The biggest problem is corruption and assault in prison and closing of the person who invents criminal cases are everything to them and steal goods companies.
In addition bosses and corrupt policemen who need to bribe, a prisoner's relatives are required to pump money in a parallel system, semi-autonomous mobsters living in prisons.
Unofficial price of freedom is $ 1,000 per year. And if you do not pay, those who reach the arrest militia are practically lost. There for her defense instruments in a state recognized by the international community. Some died.
Invent militia and criminal cases. Having exhausted all methods of physical torture and detainees still refuses to put his signature on false statements, taken as hostages mothers, pregnant wives, children or elderly fathers and chasing them. It's a recipe that does not fail: man, worn out, do whatever is required.
Prison is a basic institution in society Transnistria. Influential people are intimidated and extorted. Young people are being indoctrinated in the military, be brought to jail and retrain. Dictatorial regime lasts as long as the population is gripped by fear.
"In isolation, once a week, someone hangs or self-mutilates. It's something normal "
"Transnistria problem is that this system is institutionalized torture and illegal detention. It is one of the ways in which the state keeps control population, "says lawyer Alexander Zubco. Although there is some official statistics on the average age of prisoners in prisons on the left bank, Zubco files found in current or former inmates that most detainees are young.
"In any authoritarian regime, revolutions start from the younger generation who perceive things differently. To inhibit these impulses must control it somehow. What are the authorities in Tiraspol? They forced enlists in the army, where them pretty brain washed for two years - get weapons, learn patriotic songs, make friends and go out with a fundamentally changed mentality - or close them. Of those prisons, young people do not get out. "
On paper, the Constitution of Transnistria looks like that of any European country. In it clearly specifies a person's right to protection "against torture, cruel treatment or punishment, inhuman and degrading". Furthermore, although the Criminal Code does not set any definition of torture, "torture" is criminalized, being put to seven years in prison. According to the same code of criminal procedure, evidence obtained by violent means would be inadmissible.
But those are stories for asleep EU officials. In reality, prisoners are subjected to the first day of custody forms of physical and mental torture hard to imagine a modern state. The "Report on Human Rights in the Transnistrian region of Moldova" UN expert Thomas Hammarberg notes that it has received "consistent and credible allegations of ill-treatment and torture, particularly during interrogation. Torture methods include severe beatings with fists and batons, including on soles and kidneys, electro, needles inserted under their fingernails. "
At the end of the report, Thomas Hammarberg wrote that the prison system of the so-called Transnistrian Moldovan Republic must be completely reformed.
Vor-v-zakone (thieves in law) forms an underground society of bandits behind bars. Free groups with close ties to organized crime. In Russia, they sometimes extend to political and administrative structures, and in Transnistria working in collusion with prison bosses and employees.
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is working on 15 cases involving issues of maltreatment in Transnistria. All fall under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
If they will prove guilt, Moldovan and Russian governments will have to pay compensation to victims of over one million euros, but that does not mean the release of prisoners. Dozens of cases were sent for examination by lawyers Promo LEX.
But what can the Moldovan government is "awareness": to raise awareness and organizations like the Council of Europe, the United Nations or the World Health Organization.

Transnistria's economy is very weak, although 40% of Moldova's industry is in Tiraspol. Inflation is rising continuously and Transnistrian ruble has no value outside the country. To buy something here, you have to change money in rubles at a rate that nobody knows exactly how to calculate. It is rumored that there are some very rich people in this country, including the son of President Igor Smirnov which owns all stores, gas stations, television, radio and more.
It should be noted that in Transnistria there are no foreign investors and the company of mobile and fixed, and all banks are the state. There is a chain of supermarkets and gas stations named Sheriff, and most products are branded Sheriff in supermarkets. Television and radio are called the same and belong to the same owner, as well as various hotels, bakeries, liquor stores and car dealers - all Sheriff.
The official languages in Transnistria are Russian, Moldavian and Ukrainian and make huge efforts to become the only Russian as official language and spoken by everyone. Russians invest a lot in faculty who teach in Russian and finally recognized diplomas issued in Russia (including Moscow University has a branch here). Moreover, Russians invest heavily in culture in Transnistria, renovating theaters or cinemas the latest trends in technology.
Transnistrian citizens have at least 2 passports (the Transnistrian, which can not recognize anyone and the Moldovan that can apply for visas in Romania and other EU countries). They have the possibility to apply for a Russian passport, but to get Russian citizenship have to give up any other citizenship. Everywhere write in Russian, street names are in Russian and world, including supermarket speaks in Russian, even if they knows Romanian.
Foreigners can not buy land in this country unless you get the Transnistrian citizenship, which must give up any other citizenship, and if you have a relative who died in Transnistria and you are entitled to take possession of the inheritance, you have to take in the Transnistrian citizenship in a very short time; otherwise take possession of state heritage.



Objectives


Moldovan citizens are more free than the citizens of Transnistria, but they sometimes look despite the Transnistrians, it seems that several years are better than in Transnistria in Moldova. Also see Moldovans in Romania hope to a better life; that is why there is now submitted 1 million among Moldovan Romanian citizenship applications. Romanian passport would enable Moldovans to move freely through the EU and the world.

Since September 2006 the Foreign Policy Association of Moldova (APE) conducted the "Transnistrian Dialogues", in which were organized a series of activities involving civil society and socio-political movements, journalists and experts on both banks. Also organized three international conferences and a number of participants visited Brussels where they had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the activities of the major European institutions.

How Russia offers some benefits like free gas and substantial pensions for those concerned, the population thinks not deny these things. Of course there are also opponents who can do anything and everything must accept the good and bad, with threats and military presence everywhere.







Means

I do not know what might begin to solve the serious problems that exist in Transnistria at the moment. And nowadays it seems Russia still has influence in many areas such as Transnistria and Crimea. Russia still wants to become a great power and are keen to draw in the last part of her allies that she has and where the population is predominantly Russian.

The main emphasis will be on facilitating sectoral cooperation between the two sides, thus helping to build confidence between Chisinau and Tiraspol. During project implementation, will hold meetings with representatives of business, finance, media, local authorities, social and political movements and parties.

For now it is not a proper war, threats are just helpless people and that the system wants to jail can take possession of their property.

Because the European Union and other organizations this conflict is still peaceful and only one political, hoping not to advance in military one.









Bibliography


http://casajurnalistului.ro/transnistria-republica-torturii/#

http://www.rostonline.org/rost/nov-dec2004/transnistria.shtml

http://travel.descopera.ro/7701182-Transnistria-a-tara-care-nu-exista