The publicist proposes to create a mechanism for the expulsion of "colonists" from Latvia.
Publicist Janis Kalns, in an open letter to the Saeima published on the portal pietiek.com, calls on lawmakers to address the "decolonization issue."
"Now that Russia has launched active military operations in Ukraine, it is the right time to start addressing the consequences of occupation and colonization in Latvia. To this end, it would be necessary to purposefully support the repatriation of immigrants who arrived during the colonization period, by creating a more assertive state body that would provide certain support for repatriation to those who do not wish to live here and integrate into Latvian society, to their native lands, which in most cases are now independent states.
Without such state support, the decolonization issue is unlikely to be resolved and will suffocate all of Latvian society as a heavy burden. For those who want to stay here, integration cannot be limited to knowledge of the state language. Such individuals must overcome the imperial and colonial mindset that has been ingrained in the consciousness of the Russian people for centuries, and on an individual level, feel their responsibility for the grave crimes committed by their state. Responsibility in this case has more of a moral than a legal aspect.
Of course, one cannot blame each settler individually for Russia's imperial colonial policy over many centuries, as no authority requires every individual to agree with me if I conquer another country. However, there is no doubt that a significant portion of the responsibility must be borne by those who, as subjects of the conquering state, actively supported such policies of their authority, at least on a personal level.
