This afternoon it was announced that the chairman of the Sami Parliament of the Kola Peninsula Valentina Sovkina http://7x7-journal.ru/blog/Совкина was attacked. She was supposed to represent Russia at the World Conference in America, but was never able to get to the airport in the Norwegian town of Kirkenes. Correspondent «7x7» repeatedly contacted her, but Valentine was giving testimony, and finally managed to record a telephone interview.
- Tell us where you were going. And what happened?
- We had planned a trip to the World Conference of Indigenous Peoples of the world held by the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. I had to take part in it as a representative of the Russian Saami. Tickets were bought and this morning we (with colleagues) had to arrive from the village of Lovozero in the Norwegian town of Kirkenes, where we had to catch a plane. In the morning when we went out to sit in the car, it turned out that all the wheels of transport were cut. We changed the car and with a delay of half an hour still left. On the road Lovozero - Olenegorsk we were stopped by the Road Patrol Service. One staff member was wearing uniform, the other one - civilian clothes. Maybe because we were in a hurry, and was speeding, but the police began to check the passengers allegedly it was necessary to establish the identity. I asked on what grounds, and was told that the car was registered as stolen, and then they said, "in relation to Ukraine; you're taking weapons maybe?". I required to file a report – but I was told that "if you continue to balk – you’ll waste your time, and you are in a hurry." When I said, "we leave the car and call a taxi" - they let us go. And a little later we were stopped again by the RPS, who asked to open the hood. I started complaining, saying, "you have no right", photographed them; they told me: "All right, now we’ll tell our colleagues not to stop you again." Later at the entrance to the town of Polarny we were stopped by the RPS again, and we stood with them for 2 hours.
- Did someone explain you the reason for detention?
- No, first they started talking that "the car is in the hijacking", our driver answered that we were stopped previously, and were told that we’ll never be stopped again. They replied that it was another area, we were close to the border now, and they need to check us. They again asked for a passport, my fellow travelers have given a passport, but I refused. "Then you will drive to the police". Then I showed a Russian passport, they looked and asked for an external passport. I didn’t give and said, "on what grounds? Draw up a report on seizure of documents". And as I began to talk on the phone, consult with people about what had happened, suddenly ran up a young man in civilian clothes and tried to take my bag. He knocked me to the ground, some woman came to help me, she began to scream, my driver rushed to rescue me and began to detain him. Employees of the RPS saw it all, and when he broke forth, and Volodya (driver of Sovkina - Ed.) caught him, twisted, the RPS ran up, grabbed Volodya, twisted his hands, the man broke free and ran away, and Volodya was kept.
- So the man who ran up to you, he didn’t introduce himself? Do you know who is he?
- He did everything in silence. Just ran up and began to snatch the bag. And then I called the police, told about an attack. The funny thing is that when the policeman ran after the offender, his partner had left and we were alone. No passports, no papers, sat and waited. Of course, we missed the plane. Then came the RPS, returned our passports, asked to write a statement about the attack, and we went to Zapolyarny because it has been particularly nowhere to rush. We "f at about 20:00.
Valentina Sovkina is on the way home now. Later, she promised to share photos of their abusers. Read all the details as information becomes available on the site «7x7».
Alexander Borisov, «7x7»
