Dokument #1157870
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
Moldova's population of about 4.3 million
is made up of five different ethnic groups; the majority, 65 per
cent, are ethnic Romanians, 14 per cent are Ukrainians and 13 per
cent are Russians. The Gagauz (Christian Turkic) minority
represents about 3.5 per cent and the Bulgarians about 2 per cent
of the population (Country Reports 1992 1993, 853).
According to Country Reports 1991,
ethnic Russian and Gagauz minorities began secessionist movements
in areas where they were the majority (1286). During December 1990
the Russian and Gagauz minorities held independence referendums and
presidential elections (Ibid.). During the elections local
authorities obstructed voting, and there were reports of
intimidation and harassment of ethnic Moldovan voters
(Ibid.). The most violent armed clashes occurred on December
13 when fights broke out between Moldovan and trans-Dniester forces
in Dubossary (Ibid.). Sporadic clashes continued in early
January 1992 (Ibid.). In October 1992 Russian-Moldovan
disputes were resolved and Moldovan treatment of ethnic minorities
proved to be satisfactory (Ibid.). There have been reports
that some prisoners taken during the Transdnistrian fights suffered
mistreatment, including beatings from Moldovan police (Country
Reports 1992 1993, 848). Opponents of the separatist forces in
the Transdnistrian region state that security forces are watching
and harassing them (Ibid., 850).
According to a spokesperson at the U.S.
Helsinki Commission, there are complaints in Moldova that police do
not respond to ethnic violence or harassment (9 March 1993).
Further information is available in the
attached documents. Additional or corroborating information is
currently unavailable to the DIRB in Ottawa.
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices for 1992. 1993. U.S. Department of State. Washington:
U.S. Government Printing Office.
. 1992. U.S. Department of State.
Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.
U.S. Helsinki Commission, New York. 9
March 1993. Telephone interview with spokesperson.
Commission on Security and Cooperation
in Europe. August 1992. "Staff Delegation Trip Report on Moscow,
Georgia, Moldova and Belarus June 25-July 4, 1992," Washington,
D.C., pp. 16-19.
Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices for 1991. 1992. U.S. Department of State. Washington:
U.S. Government Printing Office, pp. 1286-1287.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
(RFE/RL). 1 January 1993. Report on Eastern Europe [Munich].
Vol. 2, No. 1. Vladimir Socor. "Moldova's 'Dniester' Ulcer," pp.
12-16.
Reuters. 18 May 1992. PM Cycle.
Rostislav Khotin. "Moldova's Ethnic Ukrainians Demand Kiev's
Protection." (NEXIS)