News From the Soviet Union

Terrorist Attacks Against Vyborg Workers!

By Helena

On October 14th at 2 a.m. a group of gunmen assaulted the administration building of Vyborg Pulp and Paper Mill. This mill is well known as the first peoples enterprise in Russia. Three years ago it was sold to a British firm "Nimonor", but the Russian workers, not being paid their wages by this British firm for months, took over the mill and have been running it since then.

On October 14th the terrorists used tear gas and truncheons against the defending workers who were on the night shift and offered resistance. The attackers opened gun fire against the unarmed workers. Eleven workers were seriously wounded while these terrorists, hired by the owners of the mill took eight people hostage, including women and a wounded worker. They are held on the second floor of the building. It is now known that these police are part of a Special Assault Police Force. No medical help is allowed to come to the injured workers and no journalists are allowed to visit the mill.

The regional administration spokesmen said that the special police were under orders of a local court and acted on behalf of the British owners of the mill. They were given the task to "cleanse the territory of the mill of those who illegally took over the mill and prevented the true owners from running it."

This special police detachment, failing to seize the mill, seized the hostages and barricaded themselves inside the administration building.

The Vyborg workers are not going to give up and will keep on fighting for their mill and pay. International solidarity is needed to help these striking workers.

Latest News From Vyborg...

It was reported by our comrades that the Vyborg workers won this battle at a cost of many workers dead and others wounded. The special police had been forced to release the hostages and abandon the building.

Readers of NSC are asked to protest this action to their governments and demand that the authorities who have ordered these killings should be put on trial. Labour solidarity- is needed now more than ever!

From
Bryansk Komsomol
Bryansk, Russia

Young Bolsheviks Are Marching!

At the end of 1980's when the old Komsomol organization was in its last stages, due to the policies of Khrushchev and the coming of Gorbachev's "perestroika", in the country there were already started to be organized young Bolsheviks - Leninists and Stalinists during 1988-1989. All of these groupings were affiliated around the United Front of Workers Movement of the Communist Initiative, and the All Union Society "Unity", for Leninism and Communist Ideal - plus the Bolshevik Platform inside the CPSU.

After the CPSU was banned and disbanded and the appearance of new Communist parties, such as the AUCPB and the RCWP and others, there took place a rebirth of young communist organizations. One of the first to be organized was in the spring of 1992 in Leningrad - the All Union Young Guard of Bolsheviks.

AUYGB now exists on all of the territory of the former Soviet Union. We struggle for the resurrection of the Soviet Union.

The first Branch in Bryansk was in 1994 and it was fully formed in April of 1995. We, as members are very active in all demonstrations, pickets and giving out leaflets and selling party literature and newspapers. From 1996 we started to publish our newspaper "Soviet Youth" which is now the central organ of the All Union Young Guard of Bolsheviks.

The young Bolsheviks of Bryansk will always defend socialism and struggle for the resurrection of the Soviet Union. We appeal to all youth to join us, to students, to working youth... join us and together we will struggle against the present anti-people's regime!

G. Mauzer
Member of the All Union Young Guard of Bolsheviks

From Newspaper
Sadovoe Kolco
Moscow

Slippery Road of Compromise....

With anxiety and hope the Soviet people awaited the presidential election in 1996, patriots, deluded communists and ordinary workers, put all their hopes after the dismemberment of the USSR on the candidate from the CPRF G. Zyuganov. Besides all this, people were under the impression that the successes for the Russian Duma in 1995 set the stage to go from this period into an organized Communist takeover of the country. Not to take advantage of this euphoria and success at the elections would be very foolish and stupidity. The opportunity was such that it was enough to proceed at this momentum and not make even simple mistakes.

As reality and history showed us, the victory of 1996 also showed very vividly that the patriotic forces who won did not have the wish or political will to continue the struggle. By sinking into the euphoria that a win is possible through parliamentary means, we have put ourselves into a corner.

The representatives of this Patriotic Union and CPRF that are in the Russian Duma have already shown that it is cooperating fully with the present criminal regime and thus giving it legitimacy.

It came to such an impasse that comrade T. Avalian was suspended and there was a split in this Patriotic Union. The defection in the ranks of the present regime by their deeds of supporting certain policies of Yeltsin's regime was and is evident by the manner in which these "communist deputies" vote. Knowing how some of these CPRF leaders acted when they were in the CC CPSU, many Communists do not want anything to do with them. Inside the leadership of the CPRF there is a growth of not only petty-bourgeois elements, but bourgeoisie orientated leadership. The marriage of this new bourgeoisie and the old clique of the CPSU shows in their adoption of the program of privatization of the means of production.

The appointment or "election" of Governors across Russia is one of the means of befuddling the people into believing that they are "Red Governors," members of the CPRF. The Zyuganovites cover themselves with communist phraseology, and utilizing the feelings of their members as Communists for socialism, they are proceeding to their own program of compromising their positions in line with the present bourgeois regime.

Such policies, on behalf of Communists shall bring the death knell to the communist movement and physical annihilation of those who are really dedicated communists.

The Russian Duma (including a majority of communists) adopted the 1999 budget, which in fact means the destitution of the majority of Soviet people. This Russian Duma, in spite of the majority of members of the CPRF as deputies, agreed to accept Chernomidryn, Kirienko, Stepashin and Primakov.

The correspondent from newspaper "Pravda 5" who was at the session of the Russian Duma which was discussing for months the impeachment of Yeltsin wrote that: ~The Duma is the last refuge of scoundrels!"

Leaders in the CPRF became not the dedicated, devoted and energetic patriots, but slippery souls who just want to have a warm seat, good pay, privileges and not rock the regime. Gennady Zyuganov in 1993 became a leader of the CPRF by a fluke, since he never built up the party, did not involve himself in this work, since his old habits in the CC CPSU prevailed. In these last five years he has shown very clearly that the CPRF has become a surrogate of religion and all ills of the former CPSU after 1953. He led the CPRF to this last stand where they sold the great Motherland to the bourgeois. The leading members are afraid of the ferment that is starting to bubble up in the masses, they're still living in the dying inactive days of the former CPSU.

There is only one alternative for Communists - no to be active participants in the tasks of these present capitalist pseudo-communist activity. We must be together with the working class, shoulder to shoulder and not take part in the bourgeois parliamentary illusions since the ruling class shall not step aside without struggle.

He is not a Marxist or a Communist who, upon encountering a problem towards the resurrection of the Soviet Union and Socialism, then tries a road that is slippery and eventually leads to defeat.

I must quote the words of Andrew Rublev: "all stupidity and meanness humanity has already gone through, now it is only necessary to repeat them."

Before each person this truth appears: "To be or avoid being, be a Communist or patiently listen to the intrigues of the leader and agree with him. There is no other choice!"

From Newspaper
"Glasnost"
Moscow

Comrades!

As is known, we already in 1998 at the XXXI Congress of the UCP-CPSU appealed to all the former Soviet republics and their communist parties to join into one United Communist Bloc for the December 1999 Duma elections. This question was unanimously adopted by all of the delegates at this Congress, including all of the delegates of the CPRF and RCWP.

In this regard we had many meeting of the leadership of the parties that are part of our UCP-CPSU. As everyone one knows, inside our Union of Communist Parties-CPSU there are united 20 parties, movements and organizations.

At these meetings we felt that our positions came closer together on many questions of content and tactics. There were only two points that were not resolved... the name of the election bloc and the quantitative representation in the United election bloc. There was a suggestion that the name of the bloc could have been "Communists, Patriots of Russia." The number of representatives from each of the communist parties in elections of candidates, could have been left to ALL the local party organization across Russia.

We feel that if this unity could take place then the dreams of the people and the possibility of having a majority in the Duma is real. If we do not agree on this, then the end result can be catastrophic.

Council of the UCP-CPSU

"Democracy" A La Kuchma

Felix Gorelik

Maybe, when this news item shall be published in NSC, the results of the first round of elections in Ukraine shall be known. But, in order for our readers to draw the proper conclusion, it is necessary to know in what atmosphere the election campaign was held.

The radio station "Freedom" likes very much to use the words "democracy". This station sponsored by the West tells us that "democracy" came after we had "communist totalitarianism". In the Ukrainian language, this radio station "Svoboda-Freedom" which always uses such titles as: "Democratic steps in Ukraine", "State and our democracy," "Presidential election - freedom of opportunity and choice".

How is it "democratic" or "equal opportunities" for the different candidates now in Ukraine to choose the president of Ukraine'? The fact is that the opportunities are only in the hands of one candidate, in the hands of Kuchma. The "opportunities" for others are not there - they are not allowed time on the radio or in the very government-controlled press. The opposition newspapers are hampered even in getting newsprint to publish their newspapers. Here I would like to give the readers just one example in one of the biggest industrial centers in Ukraine - Lugansk.

When the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Ukraine, P. Simonenko came to Lugansk to meet the electorate, he was refused the previously agreed to premises - the Palace of Culture named after Lenin. This presidential candidate had to meet the electorate on the steps, outside the Palace of Culture! Where did this take place? Somewhere down in a "banana republic"? No it was in the "independent" Ukraine".

The same scenario also happened to all other "left" candidates for president.

In his last term, Kuchma appointed as a "Governor" in the main region of Ukraine, G. Fomenko. Kuchma before was very happy with the work of this Governor - as a matter of fact he awarded him a medal - Yaroslav Mudry. Just lately this friend of Kuchma was relieved of his post; because he was not able to guarantee the absolute parliamentary victory for Kuchma and company of a "party in power", which in this important region of Ukraine suffered a major defeat. Fomenko now is heading the election campaign for Alexander Moroz. Because of that this former friend of Kuchma on August 27th was severely beaten up by "unknown assailants".

Was this in Colombia or El Salvador? No, it was in our "Independent" Ukraine.

Three Communist Deputies of the Ukrainian Government shared a common office where they met the electorate. Just before the election this meeting room for the 3 Communist Deputies was taken over, all documents seized. The attempt by these duly elected Communist Deputies to find out what happened and who is to blame was useless! The Kuchma administration did not even want to meet them and they were told that this meeting room was "already rented".

Ukrainian militia arrests and holds anyone who tries to put up their election posters in the city, of all "left" candidates. They are told that they can only put leaflets up in "designated places". But, there are NO designated places in the city at all. The Mayor of Lugansk then stated to the press that "there is no money to put up these stands".

To help Kuchma in his election campaign for President, there was a special organization formed, called "Zlagoda Accord", where the government forced teachers, doctors, students, and civil servants to join. Those directors of departments that refused to be part of this "Zlagoda" are now under suspicion, their deductions from pays is raised, they are inspected for no reason at all... they are even threatened with being fired from their jobs.

Does this not tell and show all of us concretely that Ukraine now has embarked on an era of "democracy", that all candidates have the "same opportunities"? Let us be correct, Lugansk is not just an example of one city, it is a typical city and also a clear "window" on the "Democracy a la Kuchma"!

From
"Perspective"
Sevastopol, Ukraine

Teachers Are Starting... But Losing!

Many times in previous years the teachers started to strike and protest in order to get their back pay. No amount of protests and/or demands by teachers themselves produced results. The economic situation is getting worse, and the teachers more and more write letters of protests to the government, starting even hunger strikes. But to no avail... what is missing?

The successes of teacher strikes are just episodes that the present Ukrainian bourgeois government cares nothing about and not worth the spit from high above. The present bourgeois government pays attention to the teachers only when it serves their purpose. They do not listen to the "intelligencia" because, unlike the working class, they are not apt to bang with their fists and take a tough forthright workers stand. The present regime only listens and then tries to put out the fire with promises when the fires of discontent are burning and the working class is on the march. The present regime only listens to demands when their positions are threatened by a really united working class.

The workers produce the tangible goods and the state has to deal with the discontent when it arises. The product of the teachers is of another variety. The end product of the teachers are the students who might reach the work force, two or three years hence. Then the actual worth of these workers shall bring in results for the bourgeois regime... thus the teachers have no actual clout over the capitalist regime since their products are not as tangible as that of the present working class.

Thus the strikes and demands of the teachers are often ignored by the state, since they do not bring in profit to the capitalist class at this time. The teachers unions, unfortunately are presenting their demands in exclusion from the rest of the working class in other industries, thus, the end results are foreseen - failure.

The only present effective demands are by the working class which produces the profits for the state and capitalists. The upsurge of workers demands, work stoppages, loss of productivity and thus profits for the bourgeoisie, and thus the actual results are seen and felt on the economy and profits for the capitalists and their foreign investors and masters.

The only success that the teachers can have is in unison and cooperation with the industrial working class. But at this time, unfortunately this is not happening very quickly.

For the teachers the present situation demands cooperation, unity and joint actions by the working class against the exploiters. The teachers alone cannot stand very aloof as "intelligencia", above the aims of the working class. Only in this way can they have reasonable success in getting their back pay, standard of living and jobs. Alone they shall be dispersed. Together they shall gain a victory.

The teachers should start the process of solidifying and expanding their efforts in collective cooperation with the working class. This guarantees success. The cooperation and synchronization of all strikes, demands and other actions of the army of workers is needed now, not later!

Konstantin Kolontaev

Is it necessary for our Soviet people to have a President?

By B.M. Dzehohov
Editor of
"Bolshevik of the Caucasus"

Let us remind ourselves as to what the present presidents did for the people during the past years of raw capitalism. Let us look at and know who are these presidents? As in the Russian Republic and in the Republic of Adygeya (near Chechniya where the problems are now - Editor) these presidential republics are in essence anti-people and illegal.

Why? Because, they trampled down the Soviet State - that means that they usurped power and rode over the will of the people! They robbed the natural resources, they also siphoned out the finances of the people, factories are either sold or are standing empty, unemployment now is such that people are starving to death and there are many suicides. This means that these new presidents have transformed the leading working class of the world, plus all the collective workers into a devastated milieu of unemployed masses. It is now practically impossible for the majority of people to lead a normal safe and healthy life. Our country is the richest in the world in raw materials and has enough materials and production capacity to have a plentiful life, besides exporting the surpluses across the borders as we were doing during Soviet rule. But, these resources are now exported to foreign countries at absolutely cheap prices, which in turn bring huge profits to imperialism - these present politics are anti-people and robbery.

In the Republic of Adygeya the tractor building complex, car building complex and agricultural collective farms are all idle and ruined, like the collective farm "Caucasus" in the Krasnoguardejsk region.

Besides all this, the fruit farms and vegetable farms are all ruined, orchards are also ruined, and all the meat-packing plants are closed... all these former abundant products are not available for the people. All of these products are now imported and only the rich people are able to buy all they want. The young people and the elderly are in a terrible position - they are not able to be speculators. This in turn sees the epidemic of sicknesses that before were all eradicated and health care is in ruins... only those that can afford can have the treatments.

Besides all this, the birth rate has fallen drastically, while the death rate is soaring. Today our people are at the mercy of the West and are dependent upon them for subsistence. All of the above is robbery, illegal actions and traitorous policies of all of these 'presidents".

The whole economy is under the control of the officially sanctioned state speculators. The terrible conditions that the pensioners find themselves in is that after going to the market to buy little subsistence needs, they go home without a penny in their pockets... they have to wait until their miserly pensions arrive - and it does not always arrive.

It is a fact, that more and more people are beginning to understand... that US Imperialism has no need for Russian people, they are looked upon as a burden to world imperialism. US and world Imperialism is interested only in the riches found in Russia - all of its natural resources, nothing else matters!

From Newspaper
Trudovaya Rossia
Leningrad

* How many times did the present regime of Yeltsin, Primakov, Putin, Chernomidryn threaten to dissolve the Duma, to make all the Communists in (CPRF) illegal... using all the courts, military, executive powers? Countless times, and yet, the Duma with its majority of CPRF "communists" keeps on flowing along peacefully and merrily!

* Unfortunately most dedicated people still believe that this party (CPRF) is the most bitter enemy of the present regime. If this is really the case, with all of those threats since 1993 etc., why is it that the CPRF deputies are still enjoying all the cushy jobs, the perks and everything else that goes with it? The author V. Kumsachev in an excellent article called "Elections '99" in the paper "Russian Journal" wrote: "The present Left Duma in these Kremlin's Chimes - is a very important and necessary driving gear"!

The CPRF Duma members are the gears through which nearly all the bourgeois privatization, and the selling of the natural resources etc. are helped by this "gear"to become law.

The thinking of the bourgeoisie is very clever... let the Duma's "left opposition" yell and scream, let all of them make gains in the eyes of the people, this shall help us to win the Presidential election - which is the only supreme law-making Executive Power!

The statement by the RCWP says it very well: "Communists well know and do understand, that speeches in the Duma, or any other proposal coming from the "left" Duma, shall not overturn capitalism in Russia, but only a Socialist Revolution can eliminate the present regime and resurrect the Soviet Union and Socialism.

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