Information on the above-mentioned subjects could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.

For information on a group called Rebirth that was founded in 1988 and is based in Chisinau, please consult the first four sections of the attachment sent to the DIRB on 8 December 1995 from the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. As per interviews on 1 and 11 December 1995 with the source, the author of the attachment is a research fellow at Oxford University who specializes in the politics of south-eastern Europe; the author is also associated with the Institute of Strategic Studies in London.

According to sections five and six of the attachment:

5. This is almost certainly not the organization you had in mind, i.e., the one supposedly founded in Tiraspol in 1990. I do not know anything about such an organization. But were someone a member of a vocal opposition group in Tiraspol, I have no doubt that they would experience significant intimidation, discrimination and possibly even physical harm form the separatist government there as a result of their affiliation with such groups.

6. As of June 1994, no Tiraspol-based group known as "Rebirth" was registered with the central Moldovan authorities, although it is possible that such a group exists underground in the separatist region (8 December 1995).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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 sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

International Institute for Strategic Studies, London. 11 December 1995. Telephone interview with research fellow.

_____. 8 December 1995. Facsimile sent to the DIRB.

_____. 1 December 1995. Telephone interview with research fellow.

Attachment

International Institute for Strategic Studies, London. 8 December 1995. Facsimile sent to the DIRB.

Other Sources Consulted

DIRB file on Moldova.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports. Daily.

News from Helsinki Watch [New York]. Monthly.

On-line search of media sources.

Oral sources.

RFE/RL Research Reports [Munich]. Monthly.

Transition [Prague]. Bi-Monthly.

Uncaptive Minds [New York]. Quarterly.