Section: Policy

She was advised to leave the country in the interest of her own safety. Elizabeth Sweet, professor of  University of Illinois, USA, worked in BGU(Buryat State University) under the Fulbright Program. This project enables them to invite the American professors with grants for lecturing.

After she returned from a picket to support the autonomy of the Ust-Orda on March, 21st,  Fulbright officials from Moscow called and informed  that the international department of BGU(Buryat State University) had canceled her visa. Also her compatriots have advised her to leave Russia quickly in the interests of her own safety.

<< Friends of Ms. Sweet hope that she will return to Buryatia, eventually after some years," Evgenii Hamaganov / Inform Polis

She has been charged with several  accusations among which are a trip to the international games of native people and participation in a conference on ethno federalism.  The last drop for Ms. Sweet became visiting of a  picket in support of Ust-Ordynski district even though there were also other foreigners,"  tells Radjana Dugarova, a teacher at BGU and a girlfriend of Elizabeth Sweet.

The international department of the university denies any connection between her participation in picket and departure of the professor.

"It is our internal affair,"  Galina Halanova, the chief of a department that has declared.  Professor Sweet has finished training and has left for home. We did not accuse her of anything."

In the letter, which BGU has sent to the Fulbright Center, it was spoken that Elizabeth conscientiously carried out the conditions of the program and did not go to faculty meetings of political science.

Nobody ever invited her to faculty meetings.  Jointly with teachers and post-graduate students of BGU she accomplished the research project, which has now been cut to the root," said Radjana Dugarova.

Last week with a one-day visit,  Edward Roslof has visited Ulan-Ude. He is the director of the Fulbright Program in Moscow.

" I can assure you, that from our side no sanctions will be applied related to Elizabeth Sweet and she should not give up compensation of expenses for her stay in Russia," he has declared.

Edward Roslof hopes that this incident will not affect the partner attitudes between Fulbright and BGU in Ulan-Ude, in so far as there is one more grant.

Five years ago, Professor Sweet also got in trouble. Then the Omsk administration of FSB reprimanded the American Elizabeth Sweet while teaching in the Omsk State University. Officers of counterespionage had found out, that it she asked students to study an economic condition of local business. The most part of the industry of this region is connected with defense. FSB has declared, that similar information can damage the image and competitiveness of the enterprises if it will be published abroad, but have not expelled Sweet from Russia, having noticed the truth, that prolongation of her contract for teaching work is in doubt about what "the Russian newspaper" has written.

About the present incident Radjana Dugarova speaks: " This case is the greatest injustice that I have seen in this life.  I hope still, that this injustice will be eliminated sometime and Elizabeth can return to the this land of which she  has grown so fond, and to friends who miss  her."