Azeris in Moscow fear to be next after Georgians

An uneasy mood pervaded Moscow's markets as at least one was shut down and traders from several other former Soviet republics said they feared they could be next.

"What's happening is frightening. The government's raising of the whole topic of nationality and market traders is a dangerous game," one trader outside Dorogomilovsky market said Saturday.

"We are Azeri, but we could face the same thing. I am afraid they will come for us next," said the trader, who, like all migrants interviewed for this report, asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.

Outside the Cheryomushkinsky market on Sunday, an Azeri trader said the clampdown was affecting many Caucasus traders. "This isn't just against the Georgians. This is affecting us too," said the trader, who gave his first name as Matlab. "We fear this is just going to grow and grow."

Ethnic tension at markets has led to several incidents. Police suspect that an explosion at the Cherkizovsky market in August might have been a hate crime.

The Cheryomushkinsky market has been closed for the past three days after police shut it overnight, traders said. A sign on the market's padlocked gates says the closure is due to "disinfection day." But traders -- and one guard -- milling around the closed gates in hope they would be opened again said authorities were probably trying to "clean" the market of its Georgian director. None of the traders questioned were able to give the director's name.

"It's clear to me this is against the Georgians," an Azeri trader said. "What has this got to do with us? We are losing money. Our goods are rotting in there every day the market remains closed."

Conversations with the traders were repeatedly interrupted as police walked by and traders fell silent, saying they feared arrest.

/The Moscow Times/