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I believe the Russian minorities in quite a few of the former Soviet States are pretty much in the same boat as in Estonia.  I don't know the stats (should be possible to obtain some "semi reliable" ones, but I recall hearing similar tales of woe regarding poor treatment, disenfranchisement, loss of opportunity to obtain/retain jobs. One has to feel for these minorities who often have nowhere to go.

It also should not be difficult to find similar situations throughout the world historically. As often repeated, two wrongs do not make a right; however, avoiding the first wrong would often preclude the later one. Alas, human nature is what it is.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Fri May 9th, 2008 at 09:01:07 PM EST
From my understanding, what's special in Latvia and Estonia is the large number of stateless ethnic Russians.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Sat May 10th, 2008 at 06:18:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Yes, I believe you are right.  There were problems in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and perhaps others.  We were surprised by the numbers of Russian speakers in the  former Soviet States when we visited most of them several times 1995-99.  One could pretty much get along in Russian, but the problems were building even then.  

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears
by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Sat May 10th, 2008 at 09:27:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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