Ukraine:
Communists appeal for anti-fascist solidarity

The Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) has appealed to all fraternal 
parties to protest against the anti-communist hysteria and neo-fascist 
threat in the Ukraine.

The CPU reports that since the presidential elections in late 1999 the 
anti-communist hysteria has been gaining in momentum. Many communists have 
been subjected to pressure, discrimination and even physical intimidation, 
says a statement issued by the Ukrainian communists.

The statement gives examples of how the party activities are being curbed.

Nationalistic local authorities in three western Ukrainian districts have 
taken un constitutional decisions to ban the activities of the Communist 
Party branches.

The national government did not react — thus condoning the bans.

Then the Supreme Council of the The Supreme Council of the Ukraine has been 
presented with an unconstitutional draft bill for the banning of the CPU 
(though it is the High Court's jurisdiction). The government remained 
silent again. 

Then on March 9, 2000, anti-communists resorted to an unprecedented action.

The CPU reports: "At 12 noon, a group of people armed with guns and 
irritant gas spray cans rushed into the building of the Central Committee 
of the CPU.

"The workers in the building were beaten and thrown out of the building, 
furniture and office equipment were trashed, petrol was poured into the 
rooms. A banner proclaiming `Independent Ukraine from the Carpatian 
Mountains to the Caucasus' was strung across the building.

"The terrorists had a list of demands: ban on the CPU and other 
`subversive' parties, immediate withdrawal of the Ukraine from the 
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); revision of the relationship with 
Russia as well as the revision of the policies of Russia and Belarus [on 
closer co-operation]; sacking of all (even former) members of the Communist 
Party of Ukraine and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union; ban on the 
use of the Russian language.

"There was also an oral demand — immediate entry of Ukraine into NATO.

"If the demands are not met, the invaders threaten to set fire to the 
building", said the CPU statement.

The ruling regime is keen to silence the opposition as it is fighting 
against the onslaught on the vital interests of the workers and peasants, 
the majority of the Ukrainian population.

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the 
Ukraine, Petro Simonenko, sent a telegram to the President of the Ukraine L 
Kuchma and Prime Minister B Yuschenko. The telegram said:

"We are deeply enraged by a blatant terrorist act committed by a group 
which calls itself `Independent Ukraine'.

"Using force, arms, tear gas and petrol canisters they had seized the 
building of the Central Committee of the CPU and beaten the workers who 
were inside.

"On more than one occasion the CPU warned about the threat of dictatorship 
and about the possibility that the authority's flirting with nationalists 
and terrorists will result in dictatorship. 

"We demand that decisive and adequate measures are taken against this 
banditry, removing these people off the premises and serious measures taken 
against the organisers and those responsible for this provocation."

The seizure of the building is over — but the problems remain. Ukrainian 
communists appeal for solidarity in their struggle against the onslaught of 
fascism in the Ukraine.

They call on fraternal parties and progressive individuals to protest 
against threat to ban the Communist Party of Ukraine.

"Long live anti-fascist solidarity!" ends their message.