Romanian-language schools in the Transnistrian region need support. A campaign was released this week and aims to collect signatures and messages of encouragement for the students and teachers from the left bank of Dniester. On this occasion, in Chisinau, were exposed a series of pictures taken in the eight schools from the region by the young Romanian photographer Octavian Balea.

For 12 years, the High School “Stefan cel Mare” from Grigoriopol is in refuge. Daily, four coaches with students cross the border to reach the Dorotcaia High School, where, in the second half of the day, they have lessons. A whole generation of students went through this schedule, fierce for some, when, often, were held in customs, searched or even turned away for not having certain documents. “These children suffer because they do not have space at home. We have a particular schedule, we return home around 18.00. It’s strestfull that, for 12 years, we fail to have premises at home. It’s unfortunate that adults ambitions do not enable children to get up in the morning and go to school in the morning like the others”, says, through tears, Romanian language teacher from Grigoriopol High School, Svetlana Jitariuc. “It’s painfully hard, but we are doing it for children. We are a handful of teachers, but resistant. It’s a shame not to give children knowledge, and those who have prevented them, who have degraded them I think they will respond. We also believe that our work will bear fruits. Sometimes we need even a supportive word, to know that we are not alone”, adds, excited, the teacher.

“To learn the Romanian language, you have to fight”

The situation also remains tense in Corjova. At festive events at the beginning and end of each year, there is pressure on the school administration and they are forbidden to sing the anthem and raise the flag of Moldova. Due to this, many times their electricity has been disconnected. “In Corjova, there is no pressure on the students, there is pressure on the parents. At the kindergarten they have been prevented to give children to schools with Cyrillic script. In writing, no parent wants to say that. At some factories come lists that people have to sign that they support the independence of Transnistria”, says director of Corjova gymnasium, Constantin Sucitu.

In Tiraspol, children’s right to learn in Romanian is a fight literally, says Diector of High School “Lucian Blaga”, Ion Iovcev. “In order to learn in Romanian language, you have to fight. For the language you risk your life in the full sense of the word. For that enormous tricolor on the second floor of the Hgh School, is worth living. Although we’ve been through so much to keep this school, they won’t success to ruin it. We will do our best Romanian schools to exist and on 1st of September their doors to be opened, over the years to have beautiful buildings, and these schools will say their word”, notes Ion Iovcev.

“The more disfigured, the more it is Moldovian”

The start of the campaign “Save the schools in Transnistria” was given by a photo exhibition of the Romanian young photographer Octavian Balea, who currently resides in Finland. In the assembly hall of the National Library, were exposed about 60 photos from thousands that the author has made during several visits over the left bank. Meanwhile, was also presented the illustrated book with photos by the same author and written by Romanian journalist Dan George, entitled “Transnistria – prison of Romanian language”. “At one point, I saw on the internet some pictures of Transnistria and I thought they are from the ’60s and ’70s. When I understood that they are current, I told myself I must get there. I remembered the ’90-’92 years, when my parents sat with their ears glued to the radio, saying that Russians are coming over us”, tells Octavian from where began his interest in Romanian language schools, from Transnistria.

He tried to reach Tiraspol in 2010, but was stopped at customs and forced to return to Chisinau. In 2012 came back and managed to get there. “Because it was before Christmas, I didn’t get to meet people. I photographed buildings, however, because my passion are portraits, I always had the frustration that I do not have pictures of people. Last year, in December, I made a route to all schools. I want to talk and show the situation from there in other countries. Abroad, few have heard of Transnistrian problem”, mentiones Octavian.

“The picture of this young man shows what does the Tiraspol regime with us. Just as it does with the Romanian language. The more disfigured, the more Russian words, the worse spoken, the more it is Moldovian. They want the people to talk less, think less, but we want our children to have a future”, comments Ion Iovcev.

 “These schools are islands of the Government from Chisinau”

The campaign “Save the schools in Transnistria” urges society to express support for teachers and students studying in the eight schools studying in Latin script, from Transnistrian region. “We need to talk as much as we can about the problems those children have, who are still learning in Romanian language in a territory that Moldova has no control. We hope that through this campaign those who did not know by now, to know and be aware that this issue must be resolved”, mentions lawyer of Promo-LEX Association, Pavel Postica.

According to the lawyer, alleged Tiraspol authorities are turning their efforts to minimize the presence of Romanian speakers in Transnistria. In the meantime, their unilateral actions can lead to situations difficult to predict. “We’re talking about an administration that do not work in the legal field. It does what it wants and when it wants. We can not exclude that tomorrow anything can happen. Teachers are followed, persecuted. These schools are islands of the government from Chisinau in that uncontrolled region, and the Government should show support for these people. We have around 50 000 young people who learn in all schools in the Transnistrian region, of them are only about 8000 who learn in Romanian and in “Moldovan” with Cyrillic script. There’s a kind of linguistic purge going on and we should not admit it”, adds Pavel Postica.

Also the Ministry of Education comes with the urge to be alongside these schools, which in the opinion of the Deputy Minister Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei are models of dignity and courage. “When we think about those over the Dniester, we think of dignity. Because the way they work, how they live is a model of dignity. Another thing that I think is important when thinking about these schools is optimism. If there are optimistic people, those from there are also a model here. They still believe that the day will come when they will not have to live under pressure and there will be no need to call and say what happened”, mentions the Deputy Minister of Education.

The campaign “Save the schools from Transnistria” is initiated by the Promo-LEX Association and the portal Moldova.ORG and aims to inform citizens from the right bank of Dniester about the situation of the alike from left bank of Dniester, who are persecuted and can not enjoy the same rights. On the internet is also avaliable a solidarity petition, through which are gathered signatures of all those who want to express their support for the students and teachers from the eight schools teaching in Latin script from the region.

Raisa Razmerita