From: macko@pilot.njin.net (Peter C. Macko)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.soviet
Subject: Re: Dniester Communists
Date: 15 Sep 92 03:05:57 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.


  verbit@coolidge.harvard.edu (Mikhail S. Verbitsky) writes:

>Peter is trying to substantiate his strong claim that the Dniester
>Republic president is "staunchy communist", and shows that he

  If you're going to quote me please bother to get it right, I said 
"staunch" not "staunchy". :-)

>hasn't got a clue (sorry, Peter). I will try to explain why
>(not that I claim that Smirnov is not one, but Peter's
>reposts are quite irrelevant).

  Notice, I did not say that the RFE/RL daily reports would prove
that Smirnov is a communist.  What I did say was:

>>here is a list of interesting articles on the "Dniester Soviet Socialist
>>Republic":

  As far as Smirnov is concerned, you're right.  They're not enough
to condemn him as a "staunchy communist".  But they do paint a less 
then rosy picture of the new "republic" and they're all I had on line.
I don't have the time to camp out a few days at a University library 
in order to dig up the rest.  So its quite ok, if you don't come to 
the conclusion that Smirnov is a staunch communist just from the 
RFE/RL reports.

  Let's take a look at your critique.  I've deleted the articles
that indicate that the Dniester forces aren't always the good guys
as Sergei seems to want to paint them.  I'm going to comment only
on the articles that link the Dniester government with communism.


>>	RFE/RL Report: August 18, 1992
>>"DNIESTER REPUBLIC" TO HOST ALL-USSR CONGRESS.  As previously
>>announced at the "all-USSR" conference in May in Tiraspol, the
>>communist Joint Council of Work Collectives (OSTK), the dominant
>>political force in the "Dniester republic," intends to host a
>>"Congress of Workers' Councils" from the entire former Soviet
>>Union. The congress agenda includes the preservation of the USSR,
>>the dismissal of the Gaidar government, and protests against
>>privatization, DR Press reported on 14 August. The congress is
>>scheduled for 10-13 September in Bendery.  (Vladimir Socor)
>
>	Only a moron could write that restoration of Russian
>	Empire (which is in fact their aim) is a communistic
>	idea. I am sure Peter is not one, though.

  In this article there are 2 items worth noting.  The first is
that the communist OSTK is the "dominant political force" in 
the Dniester Republic.  Second, this organization desires to
preserve the USSR (nowhere is Russia mentioned, this is not to
say that there aren't any Russian nationalists in the organization).

>>	RFE/RL Report: September 3, 1992
>>"DNIESTER REPUBLIC" CELEBRATES.  A mass rally and military parade--
>>attended by Maj. Gen. Aleksandr Lebed, commander of Russia's 14th
>>Army-- were held in Tiraspol on 2 September, the second anniversary
>>of the proclamation of the "Dniester Soviet Socialist Republic."

>
>	A clinical issue. The only reference to Communism there
>	is a name "Dniester Socialist Republic". If Peter thinks
>	that all Socialists are Communists, he should consult
>	with a psychoanalist.

  The item worth noting here is "Dniester Soviet Socialist Republic".
Don't forget the "Soviet" by the way.  I never said you should draw
a conclusion simply from this article.

>>	RFE/RL Report: September 11, 1992
>>"DNIESTER REPUBLIC" ESTABLISHES MINISTRIES.  The current session of
>>the "Dniester Republic Supreme Soviet" is discussing the
>>establishment of a full-fledged government with ministries,
>>DR-Press reported in recent days from Tiraspol.  Ministries of
>>defense and national security have already been established,
>>Aleksandr Nevzorov's TV program "600 Seconds" reported on 9
>>September. Echoing a theme often heard from Russian
>>ultranationalist supporters of the "Dniester republic," Nevzorov
>>hailed the progress of "this first republic free of democrats."
>>(Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL Inc.)
>
>	Nevzorov hates democrats, but what's he speaking is
>	usually completely irrelevant to the issues. I like
>	him very much, but his words are in most cases the evidence of
>	contrary. Not that he is a compulsive liar, but
>	being a very sensitive person he never gets a clue,
>	too. Peter could refer us to Zhirinovsky as well.

  The interesting things of note here are "Dniester Republic 
Supreme Soviet" and "first republic free of democrats".


  In summary, the following items have been noted.

    1) A communist party is the dominant political force.

    2) This party wishes to preserve the USSR.

    3) The name of the new "republic" dominated by a 
       communist party is the "Dniester Soviet Socialist 
       Republic".  This name was not forced on it.

    4) Its governing body is the Dniester Republic Supreme 
       Soviet".  Again, no one forced it to carry on in the
       tradition of the USSR and name its governing body 
       this way. 

    5) Its supporters consider it the "first republic free
       of democrats".

  Even if this isn't enough to convince you, I hope its
enought to make you wonder.

And as I said before, this isn't all I've seen, only what 
I have on line.  You're more then welcome to reserve your
judgement until someone provides you with more definite
proof.


				-PCM
-- 

  Peter C. Macko                      Internet: macko@pilot.njin.net
  LCSR/Network Research                         macko@cs.rutgers.edu
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