Vilnija

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Vilnija is a political organization, consisting primarily of Lithuanians (with a token Polish representation),^[1] many living in the Vilnius region; considered by some to be extremist^[2][3][4] and nationalist.^[5][1][6][7] The organization was formed in 1988, and its primary aim was the Lithuanization^[8] of ethnic Poles living in the Eastern part of Lithuania. The organization is composed of ethnic Lithuanians and was created by Romualdas Ozolas^[4] was later joined by marginal Polish organization Association of St. Zita; ^[1] and has been led for many years by Kazimieras Garšva.^[3][7][9] Its program, elaborated in a monograph by Garšva^[10], is based on their belief that the Polish minority in Lithuania are in fact Polonized Lithuanians and that their true identity had been erased by years of foreign occupation^[8]. Although the Polonization of the Vilnius region is proven^{[11] [12]} and it is known that many people who have spoken the special Belarusian dialect "po prostu" (with its many substantial relics from the Lithuanian language), tuteishians, have considered themselves to be Poles^[13], Polish demagogues have stated that all these Poles have been living here "for ages" ("od wieków")^[14] denying any evidence of multi-ethnic descent of the locals. This came up mostly in the aftermath of politics and attendant self worth declining of "tuteishians", what continue to this day^[15]. To counter such situation, the organization proposed that they should be brought back to their Lithuanian roots by removing any trace of alien (that is, Polish or Russian) textbooks, teachers, symbols and traditions ^[8]. The organization's goal is also to counter perceived growing Polish influence in Lithuania, which Vilnija sees as a threat to that nation. ^[8]

The organization is known for controversial actions and statements. In June 1999, it signed a petition defending Aleksandras Lileikis, the former head of Vilnius branch of Lithuanian Security Police (a Lithuanian Nazi-sponsored collaborationist police force that operated from 1941 to 1944)^[16], accused of extermination of Jews and collaboration with the Nazis during the Second World War.^[2] Vilnija has been seen by Polish government and media to often organize or support anti-Polish actions^[9][1][4] and the academic works of its leader,the philologist Kazimieras Garšva, have been very negatively received by Polish government^[17][18], media ^[19][20][21], and on occasion criticized by the Lithuanian government as well^[22].

[edit] Specific controversies

Vilnija takes an interest in the political situation of the Lithuanians of the Vilnius region. Vilnija protests that former Polish autonomists, who it claims illegaly attempted to determine the political autonomy of Poles in May 22, 1991^{[citation needed]}, are still in authority in the Election Action of Lithuania's Poles Party^{[citation needed]} and have not yet received what is sees as a proper legal judgment for their anti-constitutional actions^{[citation needed]}. Vilnija claims that this party is composed of for Communists, and is a dictatorship in the districts with Polish majority— (Vilnius district and Šalčininkai district).^{[citation needed]} It points to the fact that Election Action of Lithuania's Poles regularly receives 80-90% of the votes in Vilnius district, although Poles constitutes only 64% of population there.^[23] Vilnija says the Election Action of Lithuania's Poles party discourages the integration of the national minorities of Lithuania and constantly tries to present the Polish minority as put-upon^[24].

Vilnija often voices concern about the situation of Lithuanian schools in the area.^[25][26], the criticism on the Election Action of Lithuania's Poles party, and the Lithuanian government as well.

As Garšva says that local government propagates Polish schools at the expense of Lithuanian schools. He says that frequently larger amounts of money per pupil are allotted to Polish schools in order to attract Lithuanian students, and claims that such financial support of Poland is an interference in the affairs of the Lithuania Republic. The teachers of the Lithuanian schools of the region also see the attempts to attach Lithuanian schools to the Polish schools to be unnatural.^[27][26] According to him the Lithuanian primary school of Glitiškės with 28 pupils was attached not to the Lithuanian middle school of Glitiškės, but were assigned to the Polish school with 5 pupils and a Polish school principal The middle school of Parudaminis with 46 pupils studying in Lithuanian and 46 in Polish was atached not to the Lithuanian school in Juodšiliai, but to the Polish one.^{[citation needed]}

The counterarguments given represent different view:^[28] "by the decree of the Vilnius Municipality the primary school of Glitiškės (with Lithuanian and Polish languages) was attached to the Glitiškės primary school teaching in both the Lithuanian and Polish languages. There where no potential to have the school attached to the middle school in Glitiškės because of it was subordinate to another body, the administraton of Vilnius County. The school principal assigned was the only person having entered the competition. There were no request to study in Lithuanian in the first grade level in 2004-2005 here."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Notes and references