Russian government let citizens down

The Russian nuclear tanker that sank last week and cost 118 crewmen their lives was more than a tragedy of titanic proportions. In this case, the old Soviet style of thinking ruled the actions of government officials.\n The Aug. 21 Washington Post reported the submarine Kursk sank 324 feet in the Barents Sea Aug. 12. But the Russian navy kept the news a secret for a full day and a half before the military said anything to the Russian people, the article said. \nEven when the navy made the announcement, its information was inaccurate, the Washington Post reported Aug. 19. For example, reports said the submarine had "descended" to the sea but that surface ships were providing oxygen and electrical power to the crewmen, the Post said. Later, information emerged saying the sub had crashed into the seabed and neither oxygen nor power had been delivered.\nMore contradictions were on the way. Last week, the naval commander said the crew had enough oxygen to survive until last Friday, according to the Aug. 19 Post article. The next day, he said oxygen would last until Aug. 25. Shortly afterward, the deputy naval chief of staff changed and said oxygen was sufficient for another two to three weeks, the Post reported. Neither the officials nor the navy itself provided an explanation for the differing conclusions. Furthermore, they said the submarine crashed with a foreign tanker, but no evidence supporting their claim emerged.\nMilitary secrecy is nothing new, but the lack of credibility can be traced to the Soviet Union's tradition of secrecy. Admirals and other officials grew up under the old system of authoritarianism where accidents were kept quiet and questioning the government was a punishable crime, the Washington Post reported Aug. 19. In a democracy where the rights of the press are aggressively protected, the rules are different. \nAccording to the Post, news of the sunken tanker splashed across newspaper headlines throughout the country and led TV news broadcasts. The Russian media quickly questioned the government's information and the efficiency of the rescue attempt. Russia did not seek international help until the situation's urgency became obvious. Overwhelmingly, the Russian press dogged the navy and government for their dawdling. \nAccording to a poll in the Post, the consensus among the Russians became clear: If the government had given accurate information and sought help more quickly, the crisis could have been averted. Norwegians succeeded in opening the escape hatch, a vital part of the investigation, though Russians insisted it couldn't be done. In fact, the Norwegians succeeded in less than two days to accomplish what the Russians couldn't do in a week, further undermining Russian confidence in their navy. \nAnger towards the government continues, but it seems democracy is taking hold again. Russian President Vladimir Putin is listening and acting for the benefit of the Russians affected, the Washington Post reported Aug. 21. \nHe has been fiercely criticized and is being blamed for not acting quickly enough, especially for continuing his vacation while the crisis worsened. It's not expected to make a deep dent in his popularity, but Putin ' who is known for being sensitive to public opinion ' is working to ease the situation as best he can. \nHe's defended the government's actions, but also returned to Moscow and is offering help to the families, the Post reported. Throughout the crisis, he gave broadcast reports to the Russians keeping them abreast of the news. \nDespite the government's latest efforts, Russians are finding it comes too late. Now, the mourning process begins and the Russian people are left without their countrymen and faith in their government.