Recent of Socialist look at Russia and its war in Chechnya.
The catastrophic economic situation, increasing politi. ening control of the media have all helped to ensure the led prescal strongman in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin. But there is opposition both in and where.
Recently, ( supporters Workers Aid and the Campaign to Stop the War in Chechnya invited fellowMoscow activists Britain to build solidarity.
publishing the statement and appeal in the Putin latest issue of Checlocchurst (Humanity), a small, left. anti-fascist paper published in Moscow, which opposes the war against Chechnya.
is just a Krotkor, was able to share and ideas meetings with British antiwar and labour movement May. There was much com. mon ground in discussions of the reasons behind the war and its outcome.
•re was as test the broader, albeit small, anti-war human rights organisations The Chechnya roar was key to Putin's election like Memorial ( and the Soldiers' Mothers' Committees, and in these are small demonstrations which have taken place in Moscow.
The May Day demonstratrade unionists here (London Region UNISON has passed a Chubais etc. resolution opposing the war) And discussions trade unions in Kussia and police and the difficulties in combating under Putin.
memorial ( tically backed the war. In this they offer no alterfascist ideologies and forces, but give them credibility.
On Russia's future under Putin, Vladimir had this to organisations. central London: Putinism, protégé We KnOW monopoly oligarchy capitalism has its servants, includ- TCEy ing the big ones. He (Putin) up from of these financia. oligarchies. he's been put there by them populist and they pull the strings ancy kiye tac oract, incy bave the mass media to keep the and they they people believing what they want them to believe. nomic activities, we know about his goating pursuit of the war. Then it is (Caucasians). i people in she kremlin. Petersburg clan Why? Because in our coun- thought.
Moscow March 2000 (Humanity) people, humanitarian outlook. try capitalism is directly conclans fighting amongst themselves, financial/industrial groups and also territorial groups, eg the on for six months. the Leningrad clan of Putin, reduced to ruins. increasing role of the army, special forces cal and economic ambitions of the Russian ruling class bent plaque on reinforcing and redoubling Andropor, a previous KGB its dominance. leader and ruler of the Soviet Despite the official propaUnion, has just been placed ganda claims, this war has nothing to do (secret police headquarters). rorism or "rooting out fundaHe was perhaps the harshest mentalism". On the contrary, persecutor of human rights the federal armed forces, ravaging As for the economic side of and burning just before way, push Chechnya down the recent presidential elections, path to armed revenge - and, Way forcing it economically and nomic measures which were socially back to tre mike popular, e.g. pensions 20 10 324 pcI month, a 10 per cent wage infuence. increase for teachers as well talk about destroying the oligarchy.
authoritarianism in Russia itself. there fact, Putin has no new ecopolicies. And the real threat to the chil the "blacks" basis of that society. allels between Russia and Britain than we might have Solidarity Against War!
From the editorial board of the Russian anti-fascist newspaper Chelovechnost left political organisations, all those who have an internationalist and THE BLOODY war that Russia's rulers have unleashed in north Caucasus, aimed at subjugating the Chechen people - who never voluntary acceoted that they were part of the Tsarist or Stalinist empires, or the Yeltsin "federation" - has already been going Tens of thousands have been killed or maimed, masses of poopie nave beer driven into exile and towns and villages This is the with fighting tereverything in their ages, create the very conditions for reac tionary radical-Islamic political forces to gain The military action, which is no more nor less than genocide against the people of Chechnya, is accompanied by a growth of The attacks on freedom of soeech. the inflammation of hysterical great-power chauvinism. the growing portical designs of the military-police apparatus - all this is a society taking shape movement of working people that forms the murder of civilians, tortures and beatings in Box 32. concentration camps and the "disappearance" of people the regime disapproves of against movements of social protest.
All the political groupings of the Russian dream of returning to the days of Stalin's to the liberals, whose demagogy about numan rents amounts to empty words - have united in support of the colo. nial adventure in Chechnya.
Only a small number of left-wing and human rights groups, who demand the immediate withdrawal of the army of occupation from Chechnya and the right for its people to decide their own future independently, have been consistent in their opposition to the barbaric military onslaught. Praxis centre and the editors of the anti-fascist newspaper set up an action group in Moscow with the aim of starung a carpogi o practical solidarity for the victims of the Chechnya war. This group has already begun the collection of material and financial ald for refugees from their homes, their property and their basic human rights. Ne address to all organisations of working-class people, left political organisations, all those ho have an internationalist and humanitaran outook a call to new the victims or Russian imperialism.
They must know that they are not alone, that the international workers' movement is staying true to the traditions of international solidarty and struggle for the liberation of the oppressed and is on their side!
The Praksis contre Editorial board of the antifascist newspaper Chelovechnost • Contact us on; fax (095)2926511, write Box 385 at top of fax • Postal address: 127434 Moscow,