Russian civil rights groups see threat in Putin oversight

Critics argue the new NGO rules are part of a Putin-era pattern that has included the gagging of independent TV networks, electoral controls that have reduced parliament to a Kremlin rubber stamp, and the arrest of oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who had funded opposition groups. Now, they say, the Kremlin is aiming to straitjacket independent groups that work in human rights, environment, press freedom, and military affairs.

"The situation in Russia has really changed. There are no more independent media or political parties," says Dimitry Bentsis, press secretary for the Moscow-based Movement for Human Rights, which is almost entirely funded from Western sources. "Putin said he supports dialogue with Russian citizens, but it has in fact come to an end," he says. "We think this spells the end of democracy in Russia."

Mr. Bentsis says his group is increasingly under fire from Russian officials for accepting grants from abroad. But "Rus- sian sponsors are afraid to support human rights groups," he says. "They fear that if they give money, they'll end up like Khodorkovsky."

Sergei Markov, head of the Kremlin-connected Center for Political Studies in Moscow, admits that some in the Russian government may be hoping to restore a Soviet-style civil society composed of state-controlled front organizations. But he insists that Putin genuinely desires a strong civil society to help press the cause of reform. "The Kremlin wants groups that will criticize bureaucracy. It wants democracy that really works," he says.

The main problem with many foreign-funded human rights groups, Mr. Markov suggests, is that they still have the Soviet-era mentality of absolute, unbending opposition to the state. "Not only the government should move toward compromise, but some of these civic groups should take some steps to cooperate with the state as well."

Marchenko says that Mothers' Right, which is funded by several Western foundations, doesn't feel any need for the "illusion of cooperation" with government. "The way the state is treating public organizations is terrible. We've got nothing to talk to them about," she says.

She says Mothers' Right will go on assisting soldiers' families with death benefit and pension disputes - something the Russian military is often loathe to provide - even if the new rules do portend a crackdown on independent groups. "Anything can happen in Russia. But we still remember how tough things were when we got started" in the early1990s, she says. "If we get squeezed out of our office, we'll just go back to working in our kitchens. We're certainly not going to give up."

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