2006.01.30. – Parliamentary Assembly
crimes of totalitarian communist regimes…….
10765
16 December 2005
http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?link=http://assembly.coe.int/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc05/EDOC10765.htm
Need
for international condemnation of crimes of totalitarian communist
regimes
Report
Political Affairs Committee
Rapporteur: Mr Göran Lindblad, Sweden, Group of the European
People’s Party
——————————————————————————–
Summary
The totalitarian
communist regimes which ruled in Central and Eastern Europe in the
last century, and which are still in power in several countries
in the world, have been, without exception, characterised by the
massive violation of human rights.
The Parliamentary
Assembly is of the opinion that the public awareness of crimes committed
by totalitarian communist regimes is very poor.
It strongly
condemns human rights violations and calls on all communist or post-communist
parties in its member states which have so far not done so, to reassess
the history of communism and their own past, clearly distance themselves
from the crimes committed by totalitarian communist regimes and
condemn them without any ambiguity.
It also urges
the Committee of Ministers to set up a committee composed of independent
experts with the task of collecting and assessing information and
legislation related to violations of human rights under different
totalitarian communist regimes and to adopt an official declaration
for the international condemnation of the crimes committed by totalitarian
communist regimes.
The Assembly
calls on the Council of Europe member states which had been ruled
by totalitarian communist regimes to introduce a memorial day for
victims and establish museums documenting crimes.
I. Draft resolution
1. The Parliamentary
Assembly refers to its Resolution 1096 (1996) on measures to dismantle
the heritage of the former communist totalitarian systems.
2. The totalitarian
communist regimes which ruled in Central and Eastern Europe in the
last century, and which are still in power in several countries
in the world, have been, without exception, characterised by massive
violations of human rights. The violations have differed depending
on the culture, country and the historical period and have included
individual and collective assassinations and executions, death in
concentration camps, starvation, deportations, torture, slave labour
and other forms of mass physical terror.
3. The crimes
were justified in the name of the class struggle theory and the
principle of dictatorship of the proletariat. The interpretation
of both principles legitimised the “elimination” of
people who were considered harmful to the construction of a new
society and, as such, enemies of the totalitarian communist regimes.
A vast number of victims in every country concerned were its own
nationals. It was the case particularly of peoples of the former
USSR who by far outnumbered other peoples in terms of the number
of victims.
4. The Assembly
recognises that, in spite of the crimes of totalitarian communist
regimes, some European communist parties have made contributions
to achieving democracy.
5. The fall
of totalitarian communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe
has not been followed in all cases by an international investigation
of the crimes committed by them. Moreover, the authors of these
crimes have not been brought to trial by the international community,
as was the case with the horrible crimes committed in the name of
National Socialism (nazism).
6. Consequently,
public awareness of crimes committed by totalitarian communist regimes
is very poor. Communist parties are legal and active in some countries,
even if in some cases they have not distanced themselves from the
crimes committed by totalitarian communist regimes in the past.
7. The Assembly
is convinced that the awareness of history is one of the preconditions
for avoiding similar crimes in the future. Furthermore, moral assessment
and condemnation of crimes committed play an important role in the
education of young generations. The clear position of the international
community on the past may be a reference for their future actions.
8. Moreover,
the Assembly believes that those victims of crimes committed by
totalitarian communist regimes who are still alive or their families,
deserve sympathy, understanding and recognition for their sufferings.
9. Totalitarian
communist regimes are still active in some countries of the world
and crimes continue to be committed. National interest perceptions
should not prevent countries from adequate criticism of present
totalitarian communist regimes. The Assembly strongly condemns all
those violations of human rights.
10. The debates
and condemnations which have taken place so far at national level
in some Council of Europe member states cannot give dispensation
to the international community from taking a clear position on the
crimes committed by the totalitarian communist regimes. It has a
moral obligation to do so without any further delay.
11. The Council
of Europe is well placed for such a debate at international level.
All former European communist countries, with the exception of Belarus,
are now its members and the protection of human rights and the rule
of law are basic values for which it stands.
12. Therefore,
the Parliamentary Assembly strongly condemns the massive human rights
violations committed by the totalitarian communist regimes and expresses
sympathy, understanding and recognition to the victims of these
crimes.
13. Furthermore,
it calls on all communist or post-communist parties in its member
states which have not so far done so to reassess the history of
communism and their own past, clearly distance themselves from the
crimes committed by totalitarian communist regimes and condemn them
without any ambiguity.
14. The Assembly
believes that this clear position of the international community
will pave the way to further reconciliation. Furthermore, it will
hopefully encourage historians throughout the world to continue
their research aimed at the determination and objective verification
of what took place.
II. Draft recommendation
1. The Parliamentary
Assembly refers to its Resolution 1096 (1996) on measures to dismantle
the heritage of former communist totalitarian systems and to Resolution
… (2006) on the need for international condemnation of crimes
of totalitarian communist regimes.
2. The Assembly
is of the opinion that there is an urgent need for an in-depth and
exhaustive international debate on the crimes committed by totalitarian
communist regimes with a view to giving sympathy, understanding
and recognition to all those affected by these crimes.
3. It is convinced
that the Council of Europe, being an organisation which stands for
the rule of law and protection of the human rights, should take
a clear position on the crimes committed by the totalitarian communist
regimes.
4. Therefore,
the Assembly urges the Committee of Ministers to:
4.1. set up
a committee composed of independent experts with the task of collecting
and assessing information and legislation related to violations
of human rights under different totalitarian communist regimes;
4.2. adopt an
official declaration for the international condemnation of the crimes
committed by totalitarian communist regimes and to express sympathy,
understanding and recognition to the victims irrespective of their
nationality;
4.3. launch
a public awareness campaign on the crimes committed by totalitarian
communist regimes at European level;
4.4. organise
an international conference on the crimes committed by totalitarian
communist regimes with the participation of representatives of governments,
parliamentarians, academics, experts and NGOs;
4.5. urge the
Council of Europe member states which had been ruled by totalitarian
communist regimes to:
4.5.1. establish
committees composed of independent experts with the task of collecting
and assessing information on violations of human rights under the
totalitarian communist regime at national level with a view to collaborating
closely with a Council of Europe committee of experts;
4.5.2. revise
national legislation with a view to making it comply fully with
Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation Rec(2000)13 on a European
policy on access to archives;
4.5.3. launch
a national awareness campaign about crimes committed in the name
of communist ideology, including the revision of school books and
the introduction of a memorial day for victims of communism and
the establishment of museums;
4.5.4. encourage
local authorities to erect memorials as a tribute to the victims
of the totalitarian communist regimes.
III. Explanatory
memorandum by Mr Lindblad
1. Introduction
1. The fall
of communist rules in central and eastern European states in the
early nineties of the twentieth century raised numerous discussions
concerning political and legal assessment of actions and crimes
committed in the name of communist ideology. The responsibility
of the perpetrators and their possible prosecution has become an
issue. In all former communist countries national debates on the
subject were held and in several countries specific laws on “decommunisation”
and/or lustration have been passed1.
2. In all countries
concerned this question was considered as part of a broader process
of dismantling the former system, and transition to democracy. It
was perceived as an internal matter, and the guidance from the international
community, and in particular from the Council of Europe was focused
on the prevention of possible violation of human rights.
3. In this spirit
two reports of the Parliamentary Assembly on measures to dismantle
communist totalitarian systems were elaborated on by Mr Espersen
and Mr Severin on behalf of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human
Rights respectively in 1995 and 1996, the former was referred back
to the Committee after a debate in the Assembly, the latter resulted
in the adoption of Resolution 1096 (1996).
4. So far, however,
neither the Council of Europe nor any other international intergovernmental
organisation has undertaken the task of general evaluation of communist
rules, serious discussion on the crimes committed in their name,
and their public condemnation. Indeed, however difficult it is to
understand, there has been no serious, in-depth debate on the ideology
which was at the root of widespread terror, massive human rights
violations, death of many millions of individuals, and the plight
of whole nations. Whereas another totalitarian regime of the 20th
century, namely nazism, has been investigated, internationally condemned
and the perpetrators have been brought to trial, similar crimes
committed in the name of communism have neither been investigated
nor received any international condemnation.
5. The absence
of international condemnation may be partly explained by the existence
of countries whose rules are still based on communist ideology.
The wish to maintain good relations with some of them may prevent
certain politicians from dealing with this difficult subject. Furthermore,
many politicians still active today have supported in one way or
another former communist regimes. For obvious reasons they would
prefer not to deal with the question of responsibility. In many
European countries there are communist parties which have not formally
condemned the crimes of communism. Last but not least, different
elements of communist ideology such as equality or social justice
still seduce many politicians who fear that condemnation of communist
crimes would be identified with the condemnation of communist ideology.
6. However,
the Rapporteur is of the opinion, that there is an urgent need for
public debate on the crimes of communism and their condemnation
at international level. It should be done without any further delay
for several reasons. Firstly, for the sake of general perception
it should be clear that all crimes, including those committed in
the name of ideology praising the most respectable ideals like equality
and justice, are condemned, and there is no exception to this principle.
This is particularly important for young generations who have no
personal experience of communist rules. The clear position of international
community on the past may be a reference for their future actions.
7. It seems
that a sort of nostalgia for communism is still alive in some countries.
That creates the danger of communists taking over power in one country
or another. This report should contribute to the general awareness
of the history of this ideology.
8. Secondly,
as long as victims of communist regimes or their families are still
alive, it is not too late to give them moral satisfaction for their
suffering.
9. Last but
not least, the communist regimes are still active in some countries
of the world, and the crimes committed in the name of communist
ideology continue to take place. In my opinion, the Council of Europe,
the organisation which stands for the human rights has no right
to remain indifferent and silent even if those countries are not
Council of Europe member states. The international condemnation
will give more credibility and arguments to the internal opposition
within these countries and may contribute to some positive developments.
This is the least that Europe, a cradle of the communist ideology,
can do for these countries.
10. It should
be stressed that there is no question in this report of any financial
compensation for victims of communist crimes, and the only compensation
which is recommended is of a moral nature.
11. The 15th
anniversary of the fall of communist rules in many European countries
provides a good opportunity for such action. The Council of Europe
is well placed to carry out this task as almost half of its member
states have experienced communist rules.
12. In the framework
of the preparation of this report, the Committee organised a hearing
with participation of eminent personalities, whose expertise on
the subject has contributed largely to the preparation of the present
report. (See Programme for the Hearing in Annex 1). I have also
carried out fact-finding visits to Bulgaria (16 May 2005), Latvia
(3 June 2005) and Russia (16-17 June 2005) (See attached Programmes
of the visits in Annexes 2-4). I would like to express my gratitude
to the national parliamentary delegations of these countries for
their assistance in the preparation of these visits.
13. I wish to
stress that this report is by no means intended to be an exhaustive
account of communist crimes. Historic research should be left to
historians, and there is already quite a substantial amount of literature
on the subject, which I used when preparing the present report.
This report is designed as a political assessment of the crimes
of communism.
2. General overview
of communist regimes
14. The communist
regimes, as the ones under scrutiny in this report can be defined
by a number of features, including in particular the rule of a single,
mass party committed, at least at the verbal level, to the communist
ideology. The power is concentrated within a small group of party
leaders who are not accountable or constrained by the rule of law.
15. The party
controls the state to such extent that the boundary between both
is blurred. Furthermore, it expands its control over the population
in every aspect of everyday life to an unprecedented level.
16. The right
of association is non-existent, the political pluralism is abolished
and any opposition as well as all attempts of independent self-organisation
are severely punished. On the other hand, mass mobilisation channelled
through the party or its secondary or satellite organisations is
encouraged and sometimes even forced.
17. In order
to enforce its control over the public sphere and prevent any action
beyond its control, such communist regimes expand police forces
to an unprecedented degree, establish networks of informers and
encourage denunciation. The size of police formations, numbers of
secret informers have varied at different times and in countries,
but it has always exceeded by far numbers in any democratic state.
18. Means of
mass communication are monopolised and/or controlled by the state.
Strict preventive censorship is applied as a rule. In consequence,
the right to information is violated and free press is non-existent.
19. Nationalisation
of the economy which is a permanent feature of the communist rule
and stems directly from the ideology puts restrictions on private
property and individual economic activity. As a consequence, citizens
are more vulnerable vis-à-vis state which is the monopolising
employer and the sole source of income.
20. Communist
rules lasted over 80 years in the country in which they first came
into being, namely in Russia then renamed as the Soviet Union. In
other European countries it was about 45 years. Outside Europe communist
parties have been ruling for more than 50 years in China, North
Korea and Vietnam, more than 40 in Cuba, and 30 in Laos. Communist
rules reigned for some time in different African, Asian and South
American countries under the then Soviet influence.
21. More than
twenty countries on four continents may qualify as communist or
under communist rule over some period of time. Besides the Soviet
Union and its six European satellites, the list includes Afghanistan,
Albania, Angola, Benin, Cambodia (Kampuchea), China, Congo, Cuba,
Ethiopia, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Mozambique, Vietnam, South
Yemen and Yugoslavia.
22. The number
of population living under the communist rule accounted for over
1 billion before 1989.
23. The longevity
and geographical expansion have implied differences and modifications
in practice of communist rules in different countries, cultures
and times. The communist regime has evolved, resulting from its
inner dynamics or in response to the international circumstances.
It is difficult to compare communist rules in Russia in 1930, Hungary
in 1960 or Poland in 1980.
24. However,
despite the diversity, one can clearly determine common features
of historic communist regime whatever country, culture or time.
One of the most evident characteristics is the flagrant violation
of human rights.
3. Crimes of
communism
25. The communist
rules have been characterised by the massive violation of human
rights since the very beginning. In order to achieve and maintain
power, the communist regimes have gone beyond individual assassinations
and local massacres, and have integrated crime into the ruling system.
It is true that several years after the establishment of the regime
in most European countries, and after tens of years in the Soviet
Union and China, terror has lost a little of its initial vigour.
However, “memory of terror” played an important role
in societies, and the potential threat substituted real atrocities.
Furthermore, if need arose, the regimes have resorted to terror
as illustrated by Czechoslovakia in 1968, Poland in 1971, 1976 and
1981 or China in 1989. This rule applies to all historic and present
communist regimes irrespective of the country.
26. According
to cautious estimations (exact data is not available) the number
of people killed by the communist regimes divided by countries or
regions can be made up as follows2:
– the Soviet
Union: 20 million victims
– China: 65 million
– Vietnam: 1 million
– North Korea: 2 million
– Cambodia: 2 million
– Eastern Europe: 1 million
– Latin America: 150 000
– Africa: 1,7 million
– Afghanistan: 1,5 million
These figures
include a variety of situations: individual and collective executions,
deaths in concentration camps, victims of starvation and deportations.
27. The figures
quoted above are documented, and if they are only estimations, it
is because there is justified ground for suspicion that they should
be much higher. Unfortunately, restricted access to archives, in
particular in Russia, does not allow for the proper verification
of exact numbers.
28. The important
feature of communist crimes has been repression directed against
whole categories of innocent people whose only “crime”
was being members of these categories. In this way, in the name
of ideology, the regimes have murdered tens of millions of rich
peasants (kulaks), nobles, bourgeois, Cossacks, Ukrainians and other
groups.
29. These crimes
are direct results of the class struggle theory which imposed the
need for “elimination” of people who were not considered
as useful to the construction of a new society. A vast number of
the victims were nationals.
30. In the late
twenties, in the Soviet Union, the GPU (former Czeka) introduced
quotas: every district was obliged to deliver a fixed number of
“class enemies”. The figures were established centrally
by the leadership of the communist party. Thus local authorities
had to arrest, deport and execute concrete numbers of people; if
they failed to do so, they themselves were subject to persecution.
31. In terms
of numbers of victims, the list of the most important communist
crimes includes the following:
– individual
and collective executions of people considered as political opponents
without or with arbitrary trials, bloody repressions of manifestations
and strikes, killing of hostages and prisoners of war in Russia
in 1918-1922. Lack of access to archives (and also lack of any documentation
on numerous executions) makes it impossible to give exact figures,
but the number of victims is in the tens of thousands.
– starvation
of approximately 5 million people in consequence of requisitions,
in particular in Ukraine in 1921-1923. Starvation was used as a
political weapon by several communist regimes not only in the Soviet
Union.
– extermination
of 300 000 to 500 000 Cossacks between 1919 and 1920
– tens of thousands
of people perished in concentration camps. Here again, lack of access
to the archives makes the research impossible.
– 690 000 people
arbitrarily sentenced to death and executed as a result of the “purge”
in the communist party in 1937-1938. Thousands of others were deported
or placed in the camps. In total, between 1 October 1936 and 1 November
1938, approximately 1 565 000 people were arrested, and out of this
figure 668 305 were executed. According to many researchers these
figures are underestimated and should be verified when all the archives
become accessible.
– massive assassinations
of approximately 30 000 “kulaks” (rich peasantry) during
the forced collectivisation of 1929-1933. A further 2 million were
deported in 1930-1932.
– thousands
of ordinary people in the Soviet Union accused of relations with
“enemies” and executed in the period preceding the second
world war. For example, in 1937, approximately 144 000 people were
arrested and out of this figure 110 000 were executed after being
accused of contacts with Polish citizens living in the Soviet Union.
Also in 1937, 42 000 people were executed on the grounds of relations
with German workers in the USSR.
– 6 million
Ukrainians starved to death following a deliberate state policy
in 1932-1933
– assassinations
and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Polish, Ukrainians,
Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Moldavians and inhabitants of
Besarabia in 1939-1941 and 1944-1945;
– deportation
of Volga Germans in 1941, Crimean Tartars in 1943, Chechens and
Ingush in 1944;
– deportation
and extermination of one fourth of the population in Cambodia in
1975-1978;
– millions of
victims of criminal policies of Mao Zedong in China and Kim Ir Sen
in North Korea. Here again, lack of documentation does not allow
for precise data;
– numerous victims
in other parts of the world, Africa, Asia and Latin America, in
countries which call themselves communist and make direct reference
to communist ideology.
This list is
by no means exhaustive. There is literally no country or area under
communist rules which would not be able to establish its own list
of suffering.
32. Concentration
camps established by the first communist regime as early as in September
1918 have become one of the most shameful symbols of communist regimes.
In 1921, there were already 107 camps which accommodated over 50
000 detainees. The extremely high mortality in these camps can be
illustrated by the situation in Kronstadt Camp: out of 6500 detainees
placed in the camp in March 1921, only 1500 were alive a year later.
33. In 1940,
the number of detainees amounts to 2 350 000 accommodated in 53
concentration complexes, 425 special colonies, 50 colonies for minors
and 90 houses for new-borns.
34. Throughout
the 1940s there were on average 2,5 million detainees in camps at
any time. In light of the high mortality rate that meant that actual
number of people who were placed in camps was much higher.
35. In total,
between 15 and 20 million people passed through the camps between
1930 and 1953.
36. Concentration
camps have also been introduced in other communist regimes, notably
in China, North Korea, Cambodia and Vietnam.
37. Invasion
by the Soviet Army of several countries during the Second World
War was systematically followed by massive terror, arrests, deportations
and assassinations. Among the countries most affected was Poland
(an estimated 440 000 victims in 1939, including the assassination
of the Polish officers prisoners of war in Katyn, in 1940), Estonia
(175 000 victims including assassination of 800 officers which amounts
to 17,5 % of the whole population), Lithuania, Latvia (119 000 victims),
Besarabia and North Bukovina.
38. Deportations
of whole nations were a common political measure particularly during
the Second World War. In 1940-41, approximately 330 000 Polish citizens
living in the areas occupied by the Soviet Army were deported to
Eastern Soviet Union, mainly to Kazakhstan. 900 000 Germans from
Volga region were deported in autumn 1941; 93 000 Kalmouks were
deported in December 1943; 521 000 Chechen and Ingushetian people
were deported in February 1944; 180 000 Crimean Tartars were deported
in 1944. The list would not be complete without mentioning Latvians,
Lithuanians, Estonians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Armenians from the Crimea,
Meshketian Turks and Kurds from Caucasus.
39. Deportations
also affected political opponents. Since 1920, the political opponents
in Russia were deported to the Solovki Islands. In 1927, the camp
built in Solovki contained 13 000 detainees representing 48 different
nationalities.
40. The most
violent crimes of the communist regimes like mass murder and genocide,
torture, slave labour, and other forms of mass, physical terror
have continued in the Soviet Union, and to a lesser extent in other
European countries until the death of Stalin.
41. Since mid-1950s
terror in the European communist countries significantly decreased
but selective persecution of various groups and individuals has
continued. It included police surveillance, arrests, imprisonment,
fines, coerced psychiatric treatment, various restrictions of freedom
of movement, discrimination of employment often resulting in poverty
and professional exclusion, public humiliation and slander. The
post-Stalinist European communist regimes have exploited the widespread
fear of potential persecutions well present in collective memory.
In the long term, however, memory of past horrors has gradually
weakened having less influence on young generations.
42. However,
even during these relatively calm periods, communist regimes have
been capable of resorting to massive violence if necessary, as illustrated
by the events in Hungary in 1956, Czechoslovakia in 1968, or in
Poland in 1956, 1968, 1970 and 1981.
43. The fall
of communist rules in the Soviet Union and other European countries
has facilitated access to certain archives documenting communist
crimes. Before 1990s, these archives were completely inaccessible.
The documents which can be found there constitute an important source
of information on mechanisms of ruling and decision making, and
complement the historic knowledge on the functioning of communist
systems.
4. Conclusions
44. It seems
to be confirmed that the criminal dimension of communist regimes
has not been the result of circumstances but rather the consequence
of deliberate policies elaborated on by the founders of such regimes
even before they took power. Historic Communist leaders have never
hidden their objectives which were the dictatorship of proletariat,
elimination of political opponents and categories of population
incompatible with the new model of society.
45. The communist
ideology, wherever and whenever implemented, be it in Europe or
elsewhere, has always resulted in massive terror, crimes and large
scale violation of human rights. When analysing the consequences
of the implementation of this ideology, one cannot ignore the similarities
with the consequences of the implementation of another ideology
of 20th century, namely nazism. Although mutually hostile, these
two regimes shared a number of common features.
46. However,
whereas the criminal and condemnable character of the Nazi ideology
and regime has been uncontroversial, at least for half a century,
and its leaders and many perpetrators were held accountable, the
communist ideology and regimes have not encountered a comparable
reaction. The crimes have rarely been subject to legal prosecution,
and many of the perpetrators have never been brought to justice.
Communist parties are still active in some countries, and they have
not even distanced themselves from the past when they supported
and collaborated with the criminal communist regimes.
47. Communist
symbols are openly used, and public awareness of communist crimes
is very poor. This is particularly obvious when compared to public
knowledge of nazism crimes. The education of young generations in
many countries certainly does not help to decrease this gap.
48. Political
and economic interests of particular countries affect the degree
of criticism of some still active communist regimes. It is particularly
visible in the case of China.
49. As Rapporteur
I am of the opinion that there should be no further undue delay
in condemning the communist ideology and regimes at international
level. This should be done both by the Assembly at parliamentary
level and by the Committee of Ministers at intergovernmental level.
Personally, I do not share the position of some colleagues that
a clear distinction should be made between ideology and practice.
The latter drives from the former and sooner or later the initial
good intentions are overtaken by the totalitarian one party system
and its abuses.
50. It should
be clear, however, these are crimes committed in the name of communist
ideology which are condemned, and not any particular country. Russians
themselves were the first and most numerous victims of the communist
ideology. In every single country where the communists have taken
over power, the crimes were comparable. This report will hopefully
contribute to further reconciliation based on the historical truth
and comprehension.
51. The Assembly
should recommend to the Committee of Ministers the setting up of
a committee which would carry out comprehensive investigations concerning
communist crimes in Council of Europe member States. At the same
time, the member States which have not done so yet, should be urged
to establish such committees at national level. These committees
would be expected to co-operate closely with the Council of Europe
committee.
52. The ultimate
goal of the work of the Council of Europe and national committees
would be to establish facts and propose concrete measures aimed
at bringing quick justice and compensation, and pay tribute to the
memory of the victims.
53. The necessary
condition for the success of the work of the committees is access
to archives, particularly in Russia. Therefore, the relevant legislation
in the countries concerned and particularly in Russia, should comply
with the Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation (2000) 13
on a European policy on access to archives;
54. Last but
not least, the Committee of Ministers should initiate an awareness
campaign in Council of Europe member States on the crimes of communism.
That would include the revision of school books. The Council of
Europe member States should be encouraged to do so at national level.
——————————————————————————–
APPENDIX I
Parliamentary
Hearing on the
Need for international condemnation
of the crimes of communism
Paris – 14 December 2004
Programme
Introductory
note
Totalitarian
communism has passed into history. It is now a cliché to
say “the ideas were right, but the people failed”. There
are still many communist regimes and parties throughout the world,
some of them have chosen a democratic line. However, it is now time
to take stock of the numerous crimes of totalitarian communism of
the past and condemn it solemnly. If we fail to do this an illusion
of nostalgia might set in the minds of younger generations as an
alternative to liberal democracy. This would constitute a huge setback
to our endeavours to strengthen democratic citizenship and to reject
all concepts of authoritarian regimes.
Working Session
I Crimes of communism
Presentations
on:
i. Suppression
of opponents: killings, persecutions, concentration camps and torture.
ii. Violation
of rights: total control of freedom of expression, private life,
freedom of movement, religion and private property.
– Mr Stéphane
COURTOIS, Director of research, CNRS, chief redactor of «
Communism », author of « Black Book of communism: crimes,
terror et repression”
– Mr Vladimir
BUKOVSKY, former Soviet dissident, author of several books on communism
– Mr Toomas
HIIO, Estonian Foundation for the Investigation of the Crimes Against
Humanity
Discussion
Working session
II Historical dimension
i. Introduction:
– Mr Dariusz
STOLA, Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Science
(PAN)
ii. Theory and
practice: why should we condemn “communist crimes” and
not communism as a utopia?
Panel with participation
of the parliamentarians
Statement by
Ms Aguiar, Rapporteur
Mr Wielowieyski, Senate, Warsaw, Poland
Mr Gross, National Council, Parliament, Bern, Switzerland
Mr Toshev, National Assembly Sofia, Bulgaria
iii. Importance
of a condemnation in a political / historical perspective
Statement by
Ms Aguiar, Rapporteur
Discussion
Conclusions
and possible adoption of a declaration.
——————————————————————————–
APPENDIX II
Visit to Bulgaria,
15-16 May, 2005
Mr Göran Lindblad – Rapporteur
Political Affairs Committee
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Programme
Preparation
of the report on “Need for International Condemnation of the
Crimes of Communism”
15 May, Sunday,
Arrival 22.30
from Munich
VIP Lounge
Accommodation: Best Western City Hotel
16 May, Monday
10.00 Leave
the hotel for the meetings to be held in “Zapad” Hall,
National Assembly
10.30 Meeting
with representatives of the Ministry of Justice
11.00 Meeting
with representatives of the Committee for the Protection of Classified
Information
12.00 Meeting
with the Committee for Human Rights, National Assembly
12.30 Lunch
break
13.30 Meeting
with NGOs: Union of Repressed People; Union of People Repressed
after 9 September 1944; "Truth"; League for Protection
of Human Rights
16.50 Departure
for the airport, VIP Lounge
——————————————————————————–
APPENDIX III
Visit to Latvia,
3rd June, 2005
Mr Göran Lindblad – Rapporteur
Political Affairs Committee
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Programme
Preparation
of the report on “Need for International Condemnation of the
Crimes of Communism”
Members of the
delegation:
Mr Goran Lindblad
– (Sweden, European People’s Party)
Mrs Agnieszka Nachilo – Secretary to the Committee
Thursday, 2
June
Arrival of the
delegation
Friday, 3 June
08:45 Departure from the hotel
09:00 – 09:30 Meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr Artis Pabriks
09.45 – 10.15 Meeting with the Head of the Political planning department
of Ministry of Justice
Mrs Laila Medina
10.30 – 11.00 Meeting with the person advised by the Ministry
of Interior
Mr Karlis Daukšts
11.15 – 12.15 Meeting with representatives of the following NGOs
Latvian Association of Politically Repressed
Memorial
Siberian children
Association of Eastern Latvians
responsible
person Mrs Zane Zvaigzne (Council of Europe information centre)
12.30 – 13.10 Visit of the Centre for the documentation of the consequences
of totalitarianism. Meeting with the head of the centre
Mr Indulis Zalite
13.20 – 14.30 Working lunch with the Latvian Delegation to the Council
of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and with the chairman of the Parliamentary
Working Group for Drafting Declaration on Condemnation of Communism
Mr Guntis Berzinš
14.45 – 15.25 Meeting with the members of the Parliamentary Working
Group for Drafting Declaration on Condemnation of Communism
15.30 – 16.30 Meeting with the experts and historians consulting
the Parliamentary Working Group for Drafting Declaration on Condemnation
of Communism
16.40 Departure to the airport
——————————————————————————–
APPENDIX IV
Visit to Moscow,
15-17 June 2005
Mr Göran Lindblad – Rapporteur
Political Affairs Committee
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Programme
Preparation
of the report on “Need for International Condemnation of the
Crimes of Communism”
Wednesday, 15
June
21h30/22h25 – Arrival of members of the delegation in Moscow
– Accommodation at the hotel
Thursday, 16 June
08h00-09h30 – Working breakfast with NGOs (at the hotel)
10h00/10h30 – Meeting at the Centre for rehabilitation of victims
of political repressions and archival information (of the Ministry
for the Interior of the RF)
– Lunch
13h30/14h00 – Meeting at the Institute of Universal History of the
Russian Academy of Sciences
16h00-18h00 – Meetings at the State Duma with Factions and Committees
Friday, 17 June
8h30 – Working breakfast with Mr Kosachev, Head of the Russian Delegation
11h00 – Meeting with Head of the Federal Archival Agency Mr Vladimir
Kozolv
12h45 – Meeting at the Institute of Russian History of the Russian
Academy of Sciences
14h00 – Departure for the airport (Sheremetyevo II)
16h50/17h00 – Departure of the members of the delegationv
* * *
Reporting Committee:
Political Affairs Committee.
Reference to
Committee: Doc. 9875 rev., Ref. 2872, 29.09.03
Draft Recommendation
and Resolution adopted respectively with 26 votes in favour, 5 against
and 4 abstentions, and 24 votes in favour, 8 against and 2 abstentions
by the Committee on 14 December 2005
Members of the
Committee : Mr Abdülkadir Ates (Chairman), Mr Konstantion Kosachev
(Vice-Chairman), Mr Zsolt Németh (Vice-Chairman), Mr Birgir
Ármannsson, Mr Giuseppe Arzilli, Mr Claudio Azzolini, MR
Miroslav Beneš, Mr Radu-Mircea Berceanu, Mr Gerardo Bianco,
Mr Giorgi Bokeria, Mrs Beáta Brestenká, Mr Doros Christodoulides,
Mrs Anna Curdová, Mr Noel Davern, Mr Michel Dreyfus-Schmidt,
Mr Adri Duivesteijn, Mrs Josette Durrieu, Mr Mikko Elo, Mr Joan
Albert Farré Santuré, Mr Per-Kristian Foss, Mr Jean-Charles
Gardetto, Mr Charles Goerens, Mr Daniel Goulet, Mr Andreas Gross,
Mr Klaus-Jürgen Hedrich, Mr Jean-Pol Henry, Mr Joachim Hörster,
Mr Ivan Ivanovski (alternate: Mr Andrej Zernovski), Mr Tadeusz Iwinski,
Mr Elmir Jahic, Mr Ljubiša Jovaševic, Mr Ivan Kalezic,
Mr Oleksandr Karpov, Mr Oskars Kastens, Mr Petro Koçi, Mr
Yuriy Kostenko, Mrs Darja Lavtižar-Bebler, Mr Göran Lindblad,
Mr Younal Loutfi, Mr Mikhail Margelov (alternate: Mr Guennady Ziuganov),
Mr Dick Marty, Mr Frano Matušic , Mr Evagelos Meimarakis, Mr
Murat Mercan, Mr Jean-Claude Mignon, Mr Marko Mihkelson, Mrs Nadezhda
Mikhailova, Mr Joao Bosco Mota Amaral, Mrs Natalia Narochnitskaya
, Mrs Carina Ohlsson, Mr Boris Oliynyk (alternate: Mr Uyriy Karmazin),
Mr Algirdas Paleckis (alternate: Mr Jonas Cekuolis), Mr Theodoros
Pangalos, Mr Gordon Prentice (alternate: Mr John Austin), Mr Gabino
Puche, Mr Lluís Maria de Puig, Mr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando,
Mr Umberto Ranieri (alternate: Mrs Tana de Zulueta), Mr Michael
Roth, Lord Russell-Johnston, Mr Jan Rzymelka, Mr Peter Schieder,
Mrs Juana Serna (alternate: Mr Julio Padilla), Mr Adrian Severin,
Mrs Hanne Severinsen, Mr Samad Seyidov, Mr Leonid Slutsky, Mr Michael
Spindelegger, Mr Zoltán Szabó, Baroness Taylor of
Bolton, Mr Mehmet Tekelioglu, Mr Tigran Torosyan, Mrs Marianne Tritz
(alternate: Mr Rudolf Bindig), Mr Vagif Vakilov (alternate: Mr Azim
Mollazade), Mr Luc Van den Brande (alternate: Mr Stef Goris), Mr
Varujan Vosganian, Mr Andrzej Wielowieyski, Mr David Wilshire, Mr
Bart van Winsen, Mrs Renate Wohlwend, Mr Marco Zacchera,
Ex-officio:
MM. Mátyás Eörsi, Mats Einarsson,
N.B. : The names
of the members who took part in the meeting are printed in bold
Head of the
Secretariat : Mr Perin
Secretaries
to the Committee: Mrs Nachilo, Mr Chevtchenko, Mrs Sirtori-Milner
——————————————————————————–
1 For more details
see report on the Measures to dismantle communist totalitarian systems
(Doc.7209)
2 Source : «
Le livre noir du communisme : crimes, terreur et répression
» Stéphane Courtois, Editions
Robert Laffont, S.A. Paris 1997
