No mention of an organization called "Mostoran", and of its security chief, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, a book authored by Timur Muzaev, published in 1999 in Russian under the title Etnicheskiy Separatizm v Rossii (Ethnic Separatism in Russia), states that there was an organization called Mastorava in the Republic of Mordovia.

Mastorava or the Mordovian Society for National Rebirth, or "Mother Earth", was founded in 1989 as an ethno-cultural organization. The chairman of this organization was Professor Dimitri Nadkin of the Mordovian State University. Its major goals were the rebirth of the Mordovan people and the promotion and development of their culture, language and traditions.

In 1991-1992, the Society's leaders engaged in protestant evangelism among Mordovians. The Erzian and the Mokshan evangelical church communities were established at the initiative of Mastorava.

Until 1992 the Society virtually did not participate in the public and political life of Mordavia. In March of 1992, the first Mordovian People's Congress (Inekuzho) was convened at Mastorava's initiative and criticized the russifying policies of Mordovian President V. Guslianikov. The leader of the Society supported the decisions of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic to eliminate the position of President of Mordovia and to remove V. Guslianikov from office.

By 1994 the movement had disappeared for all practical purposes, following the death of its founder. However, in early 1994, a new organization called The Council for the Rebirth of the Mordovian people (SUMN) was created on the foundations of Mastorava. The new organization was governed by a 17 member executive council chaired by Mikhail Mosin. Its main goal is to promote the creation of conditions that would foster the preservation of the Mordovian languages, its culture, and the rebirth of a traditional lifestyle and rituals.

The SUMN plays no active role in the political life of Mordovia. It strives to preserve the unity of the Mordovian people and is against their division into Erzes and Mokshes ethnic sub-groups. In March 1995, the leader of the SUMN took part in the organization of the second Mordovian People's Congress which confirmed the orientation of the Mordovian national movement as a cultural rebirth movement.

However, a third organization called Erzian Mastor (the Erzes Movement for Equal Rights and Development), a movement created in 1993 by a group of dissident Mastorava activists, under the leadership of Valentyn Desyatkin and Raisa Kemaikina, calls for the recognition of the Erzes Mordavian sub-ethnic group as a distinct group and for the creation of its own autonomous region in Mordavia. In the opinion of the movement's representative, the Mordovian Republic should become a Federation of Erz and Moksh autonomous regions. The movement newspaper, Erzian Mastor, is published in the city of Saransk.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Muzaev, Timur. 1999. Ethnicheskiy Separatizm v Rossii. Moscow: Panorama.

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet resources, including:

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)

Union Council of Soviet Jews (UCSJ)

Russia Today

World News Connection (WNC).