Russian peace activist speaks with DAVE SPENCER A discussion with
.. Could you tell us somethin f the history of your Group!
Jur group was formed in February 198. nd publicly announced in June of tha
There were only ll of us in our - 10 scientists and me, an rtist — and we were based in Moscov Ne came under constant harassment anc surveillance of course, but now we have Groups in 16 cities with over 2,000 supbecause it would be a mistake to keep membership records, as you can understand! The more supporters and activities, the more difficult it is for the KGB to conbecome to join in. 2. What are your main policies? Establishing Trust. We believe in starting detente from below among ordinary peomakers take note. The people of the world establish detente or peace. We look to the International Peace Movement to create relations among rank and file citizens. At the public announcement of our group, we asked people to send us ideas for any project of establishing trust. We received all non-governmental during the holidays, of workers in various
Straight away were harassed non-stop by the authorities 3. What form does this harass-
I myself was put in a Psychiatric hospital for a period. I had my 88 paintings confiscated, my exhibition for Hiroshima Day destroyed. I was under house arrest 14
Amy telephone disconnected. This is of course entirely illegal in the Soviet Union for the police, but it happens every day. It is nothing to find your front door locked or as many as 50 KGB men waiting outside. It you go to visit a friend or even take the dog for a walk in the park, it is a good idea to take a carrier bag with a warm jumper, toothbrush, and a towel in case you get arrested. When I was expell. ed to Vienna, it took me a whole week to be whispering in rooms and writing notes to my friends across the table. That is everyday life for our supporters in the Soviet harassment at the very least, labour camps and Psychiatric bosptials at the worst. There are at the moment political prisoners in the USSR that we 4. Don't you think that if the European Movement
Sergei Batovrin SERGEI Batovrin was one o he founder members of the Soviet Independent Peace Group - For the Establishment of Trust.
In the Autumn of 1982 the West Midlands County Council sent a protest, along with other groups, concerning Sergei's incarceration in a Soviet Psychiatric hospital. In May 1983, Sergei, his wite Natalia, and their daughter were expelled from the USSR after years of harassment.
The KGB will still not let him rest. They have taken hostage his mother-in-law, Mrs. B. Faibisher, threatened her with dismissal from work. subjected her to constant surveillance and interrogation. She has been refused an exit visa despite having no relatives left in the USSR.
Sergei has continued his peace activities from exile in New York by making links with other grups, writing articles, giving lecture tours, and so on. He was recently in the UK, and I was part of a discussion with him organised by Birmingham University publicises this sort of treatment, it could be accused of being anti-Soviet and contributing to Cold War propaganda?
No I do not. The fact is that much of Western Cold War propaganda against society; there are no human rights in the Soviet Union. It is the duty of peace ac tivists to speak out on these matters and not to leave it to the Cold War warriors. Unless the Soviet government is encouraged to open their society, to allow a free exchange of opinion, to grant human rights -there will never be peace in the world. The two questions of Peace and human rights are inevitably linked. It is not a question of being anti-Soviet but of tellinc he truth as it is and drawing the nght con
• that is not of Cold War but of Peace and trust between ordinary people. Socialist Viewpoint, No. 5, April 1985. Page 26
But there can be no trust if we do not say things as they are 5. Do you argue for unilatera nuclear disarmament of th USSR or do you think Russic should keep the bomb while America has it?
That is not really a practical question for us. If we were to blockade an SS20 base, we would be shot on the spot.Io even criticse SS20s is a treasonable offence. We are concerned only with making positive steps for detente from below; we make no criticism of any body or of any government. We do not even protest about violations of human rights since we are trying to practise human rights through our Peace activities. 6. Do you have any connections with other Eastern European Peace Movements?
We know of their existence and their activities of course and this increases our determination and confidence. But there are no formal links as such. Now I am in exile, I have met members of these groups and we can exchange ideas and send information home. Events in Poland were a great inspiration to us and in fact our 7. Has your Group influenced the Soviet Official Peace Movement in any way?
Well it is interesting that the official recently. It has never made a peace proposal or done anything much since it was founded in 1949 by Stalin. But now it i Union. These rallies however are poor af-
You reversed enomina stee or any unauthorised enthusiasm.
We will cary anted Deci sions of the Party" or American Warmongerers" 8. What about the future?
Our movement is growing as I have said. For it to succeed, however, we need the help and support of the International Peace Movement. The Soviet government is very sensitive to criticism and to bad Peble Movement speaks out loudy ton It is very important that the human rights in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. It is not just a matter of elementary justice, it is the only way Peace can be obtained in the world in the long run. The questions of Peace and human rights are inextricably linked.
Sergei Batovrin edits a new bi-monthly magazine Return Address Moscow, available from: 1793 Riverside Drive = SB, New York N.Y. 10034, USA
1926 General Strike: The Lessons for
Bolivia, Sudan and Denmark have brought General Strikes back into the news: but let's not forget our own 1926 General Strike. Its lessons are by no means a matter of history, as TONY RICHARDSON explains. 1926 is most identified in the minds of most workers with defeat. For the most politically educated and class conscious workers it is recognised as a sell-out by the TUC of the day, who called off the