The Baltic states and colonialism

Nov 04, 2009

Dear TBT,

The global financial crisis has affected the Baltic states severely, especially Latvia. Due to heavy involvement by Swedish banks in the country, Sweden has been accused of neo-colonialism by the mayor of Ventspils, Aivar Lembergs. He recognizes the factors of the Western economy from his Soviet-era university courses in capitalistic political economy: 'Rich countries exploit the poor. They attract the well educated and employ the natives from the colonies to do the dirty jobs.'

Latvia has, in practice, ceased to be a sovereign state, its destiny is determined by the foreign lenders. The Estonian president, Toomas Ilves, has criticized the EU for its non-existent common policy concerning Russia due to certain states' dependence on Russian energy.
But honestly, how is the Baltic states' relation to colonialism in their own foreign policy? I would like to draw the attention to a crime against international law in which the Baltic states are involved as supporters of the colony policy the EU is conducting in north-western Africa, where Morocco for 35 years has been illegally occupying western Sahara.

The Baltic governments have had no objections against the support to the occupying power, in the form of the EU fishery agreement including occupied western Sahara, the EU's millions of euros' aid to Morocco and special advanced status for Morocco with the EU. Does this not make the Baltic states colonial powers, led by the EU members France and Spain, still clinging to their colonial past?
Many journalists have been engaged for the liberation of the Baltic nations and those journalists have all informed us on the russification of the Baltic states and of the Soviet exploitation of the Baltic natural resources. The very same treatment now has the Baltic states supporting western Sahara against decisions taken by the International Court in the Hague and the United Nations. According to the UN, Western Sahara is Africa's last colony and Spain is still the colonial power.

I don't want to underestimate the problems the Baltic states today have with their economies, and with a still hostile Russia. These threats must be a priority, but in the long run the Baltic states, as small nations, cannot afford to ignore the threat against international law that the Moroccan criminal occupation constitutes.

Stellan Backlund
Ornskoldsvik, Sweden

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