Citizens Against Hatred The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the course of centuries, the Bulgarian people have refused to follow the prophets of hatred. They consciously built their Liberation on the categorical ·Instruction” of Vassil Levski: ·Bulgarians, Turks, Jews, and the like shall all be equal in every respect, be it faith, nationality, civic relations, or anything at all.” Before they even had an independent state, the Bulgarians had offered shelter to Jews running from faraway terror. After the Liberation, they did not exact revenge upon the Turkish population remaining in the country. They accepted Armenians seeking refuge as their brothers. They even stood up against Hitler in order to save their Jewish compatriots. Two generations later, masses of them refused to take part in the so-called ·Revival Process” of forced name-changes of the Muslim population. In contrast to many other nations in the region, Bulgaria had no fratricidal wars with its own during the 1990s. But today, hate speech has penetrated ever more powerfully through the curtain of indifference. Elected to Parliament, in order to work in the interests of the entire nation, politicians from the Attack Coalition have taken it upon themselves to divide the nation into Bulgarians and ·nonBulgarians” - Turks, Gypsies and Jews. Attack’s leader, Volen Siderov, has promised to ·return Bulgaria to the Bulgarians” by the means of ·degypsification” and ·deturkification.” During his election campaign, Siderov made the following pledge: “...At last, Bulgarians will have their own representation in Parliament. It won’t just be full of queers, Gypsies, Turks, foreigners, Jews, and all other types, but there will be only, exclusively, Bulgarians!” His public statements are overflowing with unlawful epithets such as ·the international Jewish elite,” ·fag-lesbo meeting places,” and ·terrorists from the Gypsy ghettoes.” Without a doubt, Volen Siderov and his Attack Coalition have been able to attract support because they point out the imperfections in the Bulgarian state and society’s efforts to construct a modern, diverse, just, developed society. But the words one uses to characterize a problem also provide a definition of the solution one proposes. Dividing the Bulgarian nation into ·Bulgarians” and ·non-Bulgarians” is a sufficiently calculated warning of the looming danger: that of tumbling down into the dark chasm of mutual hatred. Hate speech in itself serves to barbarize societal mores, stimulates violence and tears apart that fragile veneer of civilization that is the only thing that fosters the attainment of peace, development and prosperity. People who hate each other live in poverty and violence. We, the undersigned Bulgarian citizens and organizations, in step with Vassil Levski’s program of ·brotherhood for all, without looking to faith or national origin,” declare, that we decisively and uncompromisingly reject hate speech, which is a disgrace to our country and its history. We shall undertake every effort against hatred and national divisiveness, and we call on all our fellow citizens and civil organizations to join us in these efforts. We shall utilize every opportunity to work, alongside public institutions, for the achievement of a civilized solution to the problems arisen from widespread hate speech and national divisiveness. In the first place we shall turn to the judiciary, and we shall demand that the civil courts prosecute hate speech and declare, via the authority of their judgments, that Bulgarian law forbids such speech. We invite all citizens and organizations who wish to join the Citizens Against Hatred campaign to contact us. Contact person: Margarita Ilieva, 3592 943 4876, 359 887 416523, margarita.ilieva@gmail.com. Citizens Against Hatred Civil Coalition - Initiative Committee: Evgenii Daynov, political scientist; Georgi Lozanov, media expert; Mihail Nedelchev, literary critic; Yordan Popov, Sturshel newspaper; Georgi Dyulgerov, film director; Alexander Kyosev, literary theorist; Georgi Mishev, writer; Teodora Dimova, writer; Dimitar Bochev, writer; Antonii Todorov, political scientist; Anri Kulev, painter; Prof. Tzocho Boyadjiev, philosopher A list of coalition members is given on the next page
Coalition members: Dimitar Gochev, former judge at the European Court of Human Rigths, former Constitutional Court judge Yulian Popov, higher education expert Margarita Mladenova, director SFUMATO Theater Stefan Kitanov, producer Lili Deyanova, sociologist, Sofia University Dennis Pehlivanov, pediatrician, Doctors Without Borders Yulii Stoyanov, film director Vihren Chernokozhev Evgeniya Ivanova, anthropologist Prof. Dr. Isaak Avramov, Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Albena Borissova, journalist Albena Shkodrova, journalist, Balkan Investigative Reporters Network Alexander Andreev, journalist, Deutsche Welle Radio Georgi Papakochev, journalist, Nova Evropa Radio Lili Todorova, journalist Stoyanka Sokolova, journalist Evgeniya Valcheva Valentin Hadjiiski Neli Hadjiiska Yana Domuschieva Svetoslava Tadarakova, journalist Marta Metodieva Evelina Kelbecheva Vassil Kadrinov Els de Groen, member of the European Parliament Martin Demirovski Boris Boyadjiev, psychiatrist Silvia Dimitrova, journalist Svetlana Ivanova, historian, lecturer, Sofia University Mihail Ivanov, physicist, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Hristo Ivanov, attorney-at-law Hristi Hristov, journalist, poet Neva Micheva, translator Organizations and individuals on whose behalf the case will be filed Women’s Rights Organizations Bulgarian Association of University Women Center for Women’s Studies and Policy, Sofia Pulse Foundation, Pernik Kamala Alternative Center for Personal Development, Vratsa Children’s Rights, Social Protection and Education Organizations National Children’s Network Samaryani Association, Stara Zagora Alternative 11, Shumen Knowledge Association, Sofia Foundation for the Children
Organizations of People with Disabilities Center for Independent Living National Association of Disabled Students and Youth Horizons Foundation, Sofia Equality National Association for the Human Rights of Disabled Persons Free to Choose Association, Stara Zagora Reform Organizations Partners Bulgaria Foundation Local Government Reform Foundation ASET Center for Assisting Persons who have Suffered Torture Access Foundation Bulgarian Legal Development Institute Institute for Legal Principles Step by Step Program Center for Social Practices Institute for Liberal Studies SEGA Foundation Satiric Foundation (Sturshel) Resource Center Foundation Youth Association for Peace and Development in the Balkans Integro Association, Sofia Institute for Social Policy and Social Work Grazhdani (Citizens) Association Bulgarian Association of Political Sciences European Law Center Inter-Ethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation Bulgarian Helsinki Committee Center for Human Rights, Karlovo Association for European Integration and Human Rights Euro-Integration Association, Varna Bulgarian Legal Association Miziya 2004 Association, Miziya Minority Integration Assistance Association Center for Nongovernmental Organizations, Razgrad ELSA European Law Students’ Association, Varna Association for the Protection of Religious Freedom Youth Center Circle Foundation Center for NGOs, Kurdzhali Environmental Organizations ECO-SOCIETY FOUNDATION Journalistic and Information Associations Bulgarian Media Coalition Radio Net Foundation Internet Rights Bulgaria Foundation Physicians’ and Health Organizations Health Initiative Foundation Health and Social Development Foundation, Sofia Minority Health Issues Foundation
Roma Health Foundation Ethnic, Religious, and Sexual Minority Organizations Turkish Cultural Center of the 21st Century Shalom Organization of Jews in Bulgaria B’nai B’rith Jewish Women’s Organization Navrez Tatar Association ASABAY Association of Crimean Tatars in Bulgaria Napreduk (Progress) Foundation for Multi-Ethnic Cooperation, Pazardzhik Roma Democratic Union Stolipinovo Coalition of Civic Organizations Razvitie (Development) Community Cultural Center, Razlog Savore Foundation, Samokov Roma World Foundation Drom Organization, Vidin Equal Access Foundation Amalipe Center for Inter-Ethnic Dialogue and Tolerance Roma Youth Organization, Sliven United Roma Union, Sliven Roma Foundation, Lom Dzhanglipe Association, Vidin Tolerance and Mutual Assistance Foundation, Haskovo United Roma Union, Haskovo Lozenets Foundation, Stara Zagora Romani Baht Association, Samokov Roma Media Center Europe Roma Confederation St. George National Roma Center Association, Sofia Neve Droma Foundation, Shumen Social Protection for Roma in Bulgaria Foundation Gemini Bulgarian Gay Organization Queer Bulgaria Foundation Union of Seventh-Day Adventist Churches The United Church of God Christian Center of Sofia of the United Church of God’s National Alliance Citizens of Minority Origin/Orientation Ivan Alexandrov, Honorary Chairman of the Association of the Vlakhs in Bulgaria Kiril Lambov, composer Kremena Budinova, journalist Yuliana Metodieva, journalist Vassil Chaprazov, journalist Catherine Gutman, expert on ·Culture, Education, Ethnic and Demographic Issues,” Plovdiv Regional Administration Gabriella Behar, expert on ·Culture, Education, Ethnic and Demographic Issues,” Plovdiv Regional Administration Dim Dukov, hairstylist Dessislava Petrova Hristo Mollov Aksiniya Gencheva Emil Cohen, sociologist Izzet Ismailov, journalist Silvia Dimitrova, journalist Yordan Kostadinov