independent peace activists of
In the first instance the majority of
Dialogue members tried to avoid this
Czechoslovakia and the GDR dilemma by substituting for political activity and discussion more discreet actions (such as symbolic actions, internal
The third convention of the movement for European Nuclear Disarmaactivities, etc.) which did not seem so likely to atrract the attention of the minment (END), which took place in Perugia, Italy, last July, showed that an increasing number of activists in the aware of the importance of solidarity with peace groups in the East.
Dialogue was obliged to redefine its
The statement below indicates that peace activists in the East are also own identity in relation to the Kadarist concerned about making the links with the Western European moveto organise programmatic discussions on in making contacts between activists within Eastern Europe and in their perspectives for action.
concern to unite their efforts in order to fight the militaristic policy of their respective governments. No doubt this document will be seen as
The division of Europe into two anhaving an important bearing on the preparations for the meeting organtagonistic blocs, the military occupation ised by the Coordination for East-West Dialogue which is to be held on of Hungary by the Soviet army, the military policy of their own government - on all these questions Dialogue was forced to take positions. Under these conditions, it was no longer feasible for it to maintain a loyalist stance toward the
Contact between peace activists and the democratic opposition is being renewed.
Dialogue no longer feels obliged to take its distance from the dis-
Dialogue also feels part of the interna-
But the failure tional peace movement.
of sections of the Western peace movement to define a political orientation on the peace question acceptable to the peoples of Eastern Europe means that not only must the independent peace movement in Hungary raise criticisms about this but also that there has to be an ongoing discussion between peace activists
On this political basis, a new orientation in public activity will become possible. Dialogue runs the risk of drawing the wrath of the ministry of the interior again, of course. This is mainly because it still has the potential for regaining the following it had two years ago.
But Dialogue also holds some real trump cards.
Its members have no illusions this time about the goodwill of
The group will, therefore, be stronger and more prepared to stand up to the regime.
The Western peace movement carries a huge responsibility for mobilising to counter such a perspective of repression.
The forces of repression will have a great deal of difficulty in defeating a group with structured links with the international peace movement.
The price will be even higher for a regime whose international image is under threat.
The non-official independent peace activists of Hungary have not been present at meetings of the international peace movement such as the one in Perugia.
International Viewpoint 14 January 1985 ment. February 8 to 11 in West Berlin.
New Soviet weapons were installed in our two countries one year ago. cording to the official explanation this had been taken in order to balance the nuclear armament of the two superpowers and thereby consolidate
In reality, the achievement of peace is more threatened than ever, and the arms race is continuing apace. This accusation is addressed to all those countries that are preparing themselves for a new world war, threatening their neighbours and calling up their citizens for military service without giving them any opportunity to participate in decisions that after all directly involve their own vital inter-
At the moment two new countries, erably increases the risk of a nuclear reply to meet them.
That is why we reiterate our protest against the increased deployment of missile bases in our country. we demonstrate our solidarity with the peace movement in the West, which, on its side, is rising up against militarism and nuclear rearmament.
In our view the first decisive step is to ban all nuclear weapons in Europe from the Ural mountains to the Atlantic. With the independent peace movements in Hungary, the USSR and Poland, we share the conviction that the nuclear arms race is not actually the cause of the current international crisis. It is more the product of a policy based on force, or to put it another way, on practices that involve the dominance of certain vested who think in terms of blocs' and 'enemies' prevent any kind of dialogue from opening up. erate social inequality and in fact encourage it are responsible for poverty and
Those who deny human beings their dignity as individuals, who refuse to recognise freedom of opinion can only deal with national and problems by using violence.
But peace is indissolubly linked to respecting and applying all human rights without exception. an open society that respects people for what they are. The road to this does not pass through the army barracks or through pollution of the atmosphere or go past the missile silos.
Czechs and Slovaks, as well as Germans in West Germany have signed this statement in order to demonstrate the permanence of their alliance and coopera-
This solidarity cannot be threatened by the harbouring of historical grudges, nor by any secret police. What unites us in the first place is the follow-
'Peace in Europe and world nuclear disarmament'. We call on other independent peace movements to support our statement.
Signed (from the German Democratic
Baerbel Bohley, Antje Boettger, Martin Boettger, Werner Fischer, Elisabeth
Katja Havemann, Irena Kukotz, Traudel Kulikowsky, Gisela Metz, Stefan Pickhardt, Ulrike Poppe, Jutta Seidel, Anne Quasdorf.
Signed (from Czechoslovakia);
Jiri Dienstbier, Anna Marvanova, Jarolsav Meznik, Radim Palous, Jan Ruml, Jaroslav Sabata, Anna Sabatova, Petruska Sustrova, Petr Uhl. •
Berlin, Prague, November 22, 1984