One must vigorously respond to Vytautas Landsbergis, who regrettably branded Latvia a "weak link" during the years immediately preceding the independence of all three Baltic states. His allegations are unfounded, and for a former president who knew full well the unfortunate political and demographic constitution of Latvia's citizens, specifically regarding the percentage of Russians who occupied Latvia, his harsh attack is even more beyond the pale.
One must vigorously respond to Vytautas Landsbergis, who regrettably branded Latvia a "weak link" during the years immediately preceding the independence of all three Baltic states. His allegations are unfounded, and for a former president who knew full well the unfortunate political and demographic constitution of Latvia's citizens, specifically regarding the percentage of Russians who occupied Latvia, his harsh attack is even more beyond the pale.
Latvia stood firmly with Estonia and Lithuania and in actual fact was the first country whose citizens bravely engaged their Soviet occupiers and risked life and limb to show their disgust and displeasure. Has Mr. Landsbergis, with age, completely forgotten about the Latvian group called Helsinki 86, who on Latvia's independence commemoration date 's Nov. 18, 1986 's led a significant group of Latvians to the Freedom Monument in order to lay wreaths and numerous bouquets of flowers at the foot of the Monument? Has he forgotten what a significant risk those brave people took?
One has yet to learn of a similar act taken by the Lithuanians in their fight for freedom in the same time frame. A year earlier, in 1985, the group Helsinki 86 organized and rented a ship from Finland, named the Baltic Star, which was boarded by Balts from the West, and it approached the border of the Baltic states in the Baltic Sea. This was done in spite of the wrath of the Soviets, who vowed to blast the ship to pieces.
Was it not the Latvians who came up with the idea of the Baltic Way, where citizens from all three states joined hands in one long chain stretching from Estonia down to Lithuania in order to show solidarity with each other and strength to the Soviets? Was it not the emergence of a group of clerics in Latvia who banded together and founded the Rebirth and Renewal organization that fought for human rights in the religious context as well as politically? I personally testified at a duly constituted inquiry by the Canadian government into human rights violations against the Baltic states and raised the issue of specific violations and informed them about the Rebirth and Renewal Group's efforts. Not long after, the Canadian government, together with Keston Canada, sent a task force to the three Baltic states and Ukraine on a fact-finding mission regarding religious and human rights violations.
Does Landsbergis not remember their visit to his country? And does he not remember which country's citizens initiated such an outcome? Was it not also Latvian citizens who, again, operating under reduced circumstances regarding their country's demographics, who guarded and shielded their Parliament buildings with barricades and their bodies and who were prepared to die for their right to be a free people? Blood was also shed in Latvia in addition to that of Lithuanians at the Lithuanian TV tower in January 1991.
In every instance Latvians have stood bravely and firmly, against all odds, in order to regain their freedom. How shameful of Mr. Landsbergis to suggest otherwise! President Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga has made a resolute decision to be present with other European countries, not to celebrate the Soviet occupation but to inform and gain support from other European leaders in Latvia's quest to get Russia to denounce the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, as well as to seek [European] understanding and support in bringing Russia to account for its war-time atrocities and brutal occupation of the Baltic states. One has to concur with her that there will be no more Yaltas as long as Latvia is an active participant in European affairs. One also has to greatly admire the president's courage in face of opposition.
Estonia and Lithuania should rethink their positions on this topic and show some cojones.
