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25 October in Russia "The Social Anger Day"

The decision was taken during the Siberian Social Forum of Irkutsk in August 2008 (200 participants from 36 Russian regions) to start the preparation of a national day of united actions of Social Movements. One of the principal initiators of this day is the Soviet Coordination Union (SKS), but the message is supported by a number of other social movements, independent trade unions, associations for the handicapped, retirees associations, inhabitant's unions, anti-fascist organisations, environmental networks and student associations. Political parties are called to give their support all the while letting the Social Movements and Social Claims take the lead roles and first place. Several left-wing groups have joined with local organisation committees. For the moment, the official Communist Party is reluctant.

The principle objective of this action is to proclaim in solidarity the authorities' responsibility in the current pursuit of antisocial and anti-democratic policies, to put forward common claims on the most important social problems.

In the call adopted by the participants of the Siberian forum it is notably declared: "As was shown by the Forum, in all the towns, people come up against the same problems and, despite differing ideologies, rally towards the same objective – to obtain public accountability from the authorities, and with regard to the same values - social justice, control of power by the citizens, respect of democratic rights. But everywhere where people are starting to defend their rights, and these numbers are increasing, they come up against repressions, are treated as "extremists". Yet obstacles just make our citizens, who continue to fight the good fight, double their determination. This is why we have called this day " Social Anger Day ". The main slogans of the Day are expressed as follows: "The power under the control of citizens!" and "For social justice and the rights of citizens!".

Every town is preparing for the day with its own organisation committee and its own priorities. Notwithstanding the Inhabitants' Movements being largely the carriers of this campaign for social rights, the themes that are being given priority in the fliers, newspapers and declarations are about housing and the town.

Regarding this matter, the main social claims come up as:

- the implementation of the right guaranteed by law for a favourable life environment;

- the restoration of old buildings at the expense of the state budget as an acknowledgement by the state of its debt towards its citizens ;

- the halting of the sabotage by the local authorities of the right to self-management of the condominium and the indivisible collective ownership of the land on which the buildings are on;

- the submission of all real estate projects to public opinion through local referendums;

- the banning of all forced evictions, specially with regard to the inhabitants of workers' hostels;

- the banning of arbitrary compulsory expropriation, specially at Sotchi or in the suburb of Moscow (Boutovo);

For the moment, 42 regions have already answered the call and have put in place organisation committees. Geographically it is more than wide: from Kalingrad in the west to Sakhalin to the far east, from Saint Petersburg in the north to Astrakhan and Sotchi to the South.