VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0576/01 1671426
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161426Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8746
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS TALLINN 000576 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/NB 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIA: EMBASSY'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE RACIAL 
TOLERANCE 
 
REF: TALLINN 221 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Discussion in Estonia about tolerance 
and integration has focused mainly on the cultural and 
linguistic divide between the Estonian and Russian 
communities.  Looking forward, the GOE intends to 
broaden its Integration Action Plan to include 
initiatives designed to address integration of new, and 
non-European, arrivals.  The timing is auspicious.  In 
the wake of several racially-motivated incidents 
involving Embassy staff and the wider diplomatic 
community, on March 2 the Ambassador initiated a 
Tolerance Action Plan to raise awareness and sensitivity 
with GOE officials, law enforcement, academics, NGOs, 
and with the Estonian public.  On June 6 the issue 
gained prominence when Dutch Ambassador Hans Glaubitz 
reported to the press that he was leaving Estonia due to 
racist and homophobic incidents against his African- 
Cuban partner.  End Summary. 
 
A SMALL BUT GROWING PROBLEM 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) While Estonia?s minority population (of non- 
European descent) is tiny, membership in the EU, rapid 
economic growth, growing tourism, and declining 
birthrates will increase immigration pressure and 
potentially lead to an increase in the number of racial 
minorities (i.e., foreign workers, students, tourists, 
immigrants, etc.).  Reported racially-motivated 
incidents have been relatively limited in number to 
date, and law enforcement officials tell us that there 
is no evidence of a statistical spike.  However, over 
the past year there have been six incidents of U.S. 
nationals being racially harassed and/or intimidated. 
Anecdotal evidence from members of the wider diplomatic 
community, foreign tourists, students, and business 
people also indicate that challenges may lie ahead. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On Feb 21, the European Commission against 
Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) report on Estonia made a 
number of recommendations to improve the atmosphere for 
tolerance.  The report has been criticized in some 
quarters for having been poorly sourced and based on 
incomplete information. However, ECRI made a number of 
recommendations and observations with which we agree: 
 
- Estonia has no hate crime specific legislation, and 
Estonian prosecution of hate crimes has not been 
aggressive.  Punishment for first-time offenders is 
particularly lax. 
 
- More efforts must be made in awareness-raising to 
ensure that law enforcement officials and victims of 
race hate crimes are aware of appropriate provisions of 
the Criminal Code allowing for prosecution of hate 
crimes. 
 
- Estonian authorities ought to add the teaching of the 
benefits of diversity and living in a multicultural 
society in school programs. 
 
- Estonian authorities need to provide support for the 
Press Council of Estonia and the Estonian Newspaper 
Association for training journalists on issues related 
to racism and racial discrimination. 
 
- More training is needed for law enforcement on issues 
related to racism and racial discrimination. 
 
RAISING AWARENESS FROM THE BOTTOM UP 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (U) In March the Ambassador initiated a Mission 
Tolerance Action Plan to begin a conversation with our 
Estonian interlocutors on tolerance issues.  The 
initiative is based on the premise that it is far better 
for Estonia to tackle this problem while it is fairly 
limited than to try to address it later when it may be 
more entrenched.  Our strategy has been to share both 
positive and negative experiences from one of the 
world's most diverse nations, rather than provide a 
preachy laundry list of what Estonia must do to fix the 
problem.  We believe the approach has been appreciated, 
and, given the positive reception from GOE officials, 
NGOs, and Estonian civil society, is hitting its mark. 
 
¶5. (U) To date the Embassy has organized the following 
series of events and activities, specifically targeting 
 
GOE officials, local government officials, educators, 
NGOs, law enforcement, students, and young people in 
order to raise the level of awareness, sensitivity, and 
understanding of tolerance issues. Additional events are 
being planned for the coming months. 
 
- On April 18 Post hosted a DVC between the Southern 
Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and Estonian working-level 
government officials (national and local) and NGOs to 
discuss promoting tolerance in education and sharing 
best practices.  The Estonian participants found the 
SPLC?s relationship with local government and law 
enforcement very informative, and the SPLC has promised 
to share its latest tolerance material for use and 
adaptation by Estonian officials. 
 
- A recently-returned ILVP recipient (February/March), 
Ken Koort, Advisor to Minister of Population and 
Migration Paul Eerik-Rummo, wrote an article on May 20 
based on his experience in the U.S. for one of Estonia?s 
leading Russian dailies.  Koort praised U.S. 
multiculturalism and reflected on what Estonia could 
learn from U.S. diversity. 
 
- Supervisor Special Agent (SSA) Stan Strauss, FBI Civil 
Rights Unit (CRU), offered a presentation on U.S. hate- 
crime legislation, enforcement, and investigation to 
Estonia?s Public Service Academy on May 30.  SSA Strauss 
spoke to an audience of MFA officials, law enforcement, 
and Public Service Academy instructors.  He explained 
how hate crime specific legislation has aided the FBI?s 
work, and stressed that Estonia need not make the same 
mistake U.S. and other European countries had made by 
waiting until the problem became bigger before acting. 
 
- The Ambassador and Embassy staff participated in a 
panel discussion entitled ?Cultural Diversity: Dialogue 
or Conflict?? as part of a conference on Estonian 
minorities on June 2.  The Ambassador spoke on the U.S. 
perspective and experience in promoting racial tolerance 
and diversity, and a diverse group of Embassy staff 
provided views on the theme.  The message was positively 
received and followed by a lengthy discussion on the 
challenges facing Estonia in dealing with its current 
minorities.  Molodjozh Estonii, Estonia?s leading 
Russian-language paper, praised the Ambassador for 
promoting diversity in Estonia.  The Ambassador?s speech 
will be turned into an OpEd for future publication in an 
Estonian-language paper in order to reach the broadest 
possible audience. 
 
- During a six-week exchange program in April and May, 
visiting Fulbright School Administrator Gale Frazier 
helped to increase racial sensitivity and awareness 
among Estonian youth.  Frazier, an African-American 
Director of Education at a private school in Chicago, 
spoke to at least 500 students at more than ten schools. 
In many cases, Frazier was both the first American and 
the first person of African origin the students had ever 
met.  Frazier?s charismatic talks introduced children to 
cultural differences between the United States and 
Estonia, including the racial diversity common in U.S. 
schools. Her talks generated both national and local 
press coverage ranging from Postimees, Estonia?s paper 
of record, to Sakala, a leading regional paper from 
Estonia?s heartland. 
 
- With special funding secured from State/EUR, the 
Embassy is providing $4,000 for the Tartu Black Nights 
Film Festival to screen U.S. films on the theme of 
cultural and racial tolerance. We hope that this film 
festival ? run by Estonians for Estonians ? will help 
generate widespread public discussion on the issues of 
tolerance and diversity. 
- Embassy has requested DS/IP (reftel) to provide for 
Estonian audiences the ?Racial Intolerance? seminar 
presented by Chuck Hunter in Riga in January 2006.  RSO 
is also regularly in contact with the wider diplomatic 
community and the police to remain engaged on this 
issue. 
 
RAISING AWARENESS AT THE TOP 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) On May 30 the Ambassador hosted a private lunch 
for Minister of Population and Ethnic Affairs and 
presidential candidate Paul-Eerik Rummo, Minister of 
Internal Affairs Kalle Lannet, MP Mart Nutt, Minister 
Rummo?s advisor Ken Koort and SSA Stan Strauss to 
 
discuss our tolerance awareness activities and the 
conclusions from these events.  The Ambassador spoke at 
length on the need for Estonia to begin to think beyond 
the traditional and historical Estonian/Russian 
community dichotomy in light of anecdotal evidence of 
recent incidents against racial minorities. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Estonians agreed that with a declining 
birthrate and booming economy, Estonia is likely to face 
increasing immigration pressure and a more multicultural 
society.  With this in mind Minister Rummo said the GOE 
will broaden the next Integration Action Plan to reach 
out to new immigrants.  In the meantime, Minister Lannet 
said the Estonian police and security force were 
grateful for the information Post has provided 
concerning racially motivated incidents involving U.S. 
nationals.  Given the small population, Lannet noted 
that it only took a small number of agitators to create 
a disproportionate amount of trouble and attention. 
(KAPO, the Estonian security police, estimates there are 
100 active skinheads in Estonia, with approximately half 
residing in Tallinn.)  Even a few incidents can create a 
perception of a much larger racial problem, and can 
impact the economy, especially tourism and foreign 
investment. 
 
¶8. (SBU) MP Nutt, Estonia?s representative on the 
European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance, 
noted that whatever problem existed was undoubtedly 
exacerbated by Estonia?s larger problem with alcoholism. 
Most of the instigators of racial incidents were drunk 
at the time, he said.  Minister Rummo directed blame to 
local government leaders who have been far too passive 
on integration and tolerance promotion issues.  Even on 
the Russian-Estonian divide, local leaders have spent 
little political capital to create bridges between 
parallel communities through schools, community 
activities, etc.  It was, therefore, not surprising for 
Minister Rummo that tackling racial intolerance is not 
even on most local governments? radar screens. 
 
¶9. (SBU) There was general agreement that while reported 
racial incidents are relatively limited and non-violent 
in nature, building sensitivity and awareness among the 
population is a long-term process.  As the Estonian 
police are already struggling to maintain the necessary 
number of officers to operate sufficiently (as many 
officers leave the force for better paying jobs in the 
private sector in Estonia or abroad), it is difficult to 
adequately train and sensitize their police on hate 
crime and tolerance issues. 
 
THE DUTCH BOMBSHELL 
------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) On June 6 the Dutch Ambassador to Estonia, Hans 
Glaubitz, informed the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad 
that he was curtailing his tour, complaining of 
persistent and racist homophobic abuse.  Glaubitz said 
that though he and his partner, an African-Cuban man, 
were well received by GOE officials, they were regularly 
insulted when out in public.  Glaubitz said on behalf of 
his partner, ?It is not very nice to be regularly abused 
by drunken skinheads as a ?nigger? and to be 
continuously gawped at as if you have just stepped out 
of a UFO.?  Glaubitz? statement has not only featured 
prominently in Estonian papers, but has also been picked 
up by international news organizations, thereby 
provoking considerable public debate within Estonia on 
the topic of racism and homophobia. 
 
¶11. (U) In the wake of Glaubitz?s announcement, several 
media (Estonian and international) have contacted the 
Embassy for comment (in part because Glaubitz made 
reference to an inter-Embassy security-related email 
citing incidents of harassment against and/or witnessed 
by U.S. Embassy employees).  The Embassy spokesman used 
these requests as an opportunity to say that although 
reported racial incidents in Estonia are relatively few 
in number, it is important for there to be constructive 
and open dialog on the issue before it becomes a larger 
problem. 
 
¶12. (U) The international media coverage has clearly 
embarrassed the GOE and the general public, creating a 
backlash among some Estonian public figures who have 
started questioning Glaubitz?s claim.  The MFA has 
consistently denied it received information on 
Glaubitz?s problems (either from the Glaubitz or the 
 
Dutch Embassy) prior to the announcement.  Moreover, 
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet claimed that Dutch Foreign 
Minister Bernard Bot expressed regret over the whole 
affair and said Glaubitz?s action was ?not a wise thing 
to do.?  Meanwhile, the Estonian Parliament on June 15 
passed an amendment to the Penal Code that will penalize 
incitement of ?hatred, violence or discrimination? based 
on sexual orientation. (The existing law provides 
protection on the basis of nationality, race, color, 
sex, language, origin, religion, political opinion, 
financial and social status.) 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) The controversy over Glaubitz?s departure has 
catapulted the issue of tolerance in Estonia to the 
forefront.  It is unfortunate that Glaubitz?s departure 
is becoming more the focus of the story rather than the 
larger tolerance issues, leading some Estonian 
newspapers to grouse that Estonians do not deserve this 
?smear? on their reputation.  MFA officials have also 
relayed to us their dismay and disappointment with 
Glaubitz?s actions, but have been consistently positive 
on the Embassy?s reporting of racially motivated 
incidents and Embassy-sponsored activities. We believe 
that our approach of sharing rather than lecturing is 
helping to create an open and frank dialogue with the 
Estonians on this important issue. 
 
WOS