Reactions In N.Z. To Invasion

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31765, 23 August 1968, Page 14

Reactions In N.Z. To Invasion

Leaders of nearly all the major trade unions in Wellington have condemned the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia. They sent a joint telegram of protest yesterday to the Soviet Union Minister in New Zealand (Mr B. Y. Dorofeev), according to the Press Association.

“The invasion of Czechoslovakia by your country’s armed forces will stand condemned by freedomloving people everywhere,” said the telegram.

“We utterly deplore your country’s act of aggression against the people of Czech©Slovakia, who, in 1939, suffered similar aggression by Hitler’s armed forces.

“Your country through this latest act of aggression, demonstrates its belief that communism can only survive by depriving human beings Of all elements of freedom and subjecting them to the hardest forms of a totalitarian system.” . . One of the union leaders who signed the telegram, the president of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union, Mr W. Map tin, later dissociated himself from part of the message. ‘1 understood it was to be a general protest and I signed without seeing the telegram.” he said. “We recognise the fact that all people throughout the world are entitled to work out their own destiny without interference from anyone Ikb Slid. “But I have a sincere belief in socialism and cannot agree with the statement that communism can only survive by depriving human beings of all elements of freedom.” The unionists who signed the telegram were headed by Mr A. J. Neary, secretary of the North Island Electrical Workers’ Union and the Wellington Rubber Workers’ Union.

Mr Neary said: “All those union leaden I was able to approach, with the exception of one or two. signed without hesitation. “Some indicated that they would like to see the protest even stronger.” NX Socialist Unity Party.— Five Socialist countries in Europe had taken action on Czechoslovakia to safeguard the security ot the European Socialist bloc, said Mr G. E. Jackson, national secretary of the New Zealand Socialist Unity Party, in Auckland. The Socialist Unity Party was formed two yean ago by former members of the New Zealand Communist Party who favour the Moscow rather than the Peking line. Russia and her allies were much less concerned about political reforms within Czechoslovakia than they were about a threat to the Socialist bloc, said Mr Jackson. “It is well known that West Germany wishes to remould the borders of Europe. It is this threat which motivated the nations of the Socialist bloc to take such action over Czechoslovakia.”

NJL Coflununist Party* ■ The Soviet Union had ceased to be Communist and its invasion of Czechoslovakia wu just empire-building similar to that of the capitalist West, the general secretary of the New Zealand Communist Party (Mr V. G. Wilcox) said in Auckland. “Having departed from communism. Russia now has to act like a Western power and build and consolidate an empire, just as America Is doing in Vietnam and elsewhere.” Canterbury University Students’ Association.—’The Students’ Association of the University of Canterbury views with dismay and abhorrence the aggression of Russia and her Warsaw Pact allies in their blatant infringement of the sovereign rights of Czechoslovakia,” says a motion passed by the executive of the association. The motion will be sent to the Russian Legation in Wellington, and a copy to the Czechoslovak Legation will be accompanied by a letter of support for the Dubcek Government A fortnight ago the association circulated a petition supporting the liberal policies of Mr Dubcek and deploring apparent pressure from Russia. This now has 500 signatures and it will be sent to botb the Russian Embassy and Czechoslovak Legation. The association's executive also endorsed the statement of the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) on the Czechoslovak crisis.

The Auckland University Students’ Association.— “Human rights are clearly stated In the United Nations charter and as a charter member I feel you have a duty to follow this,” said the president of the association, Mr W. B. Rudman, in a letter to the First Secretary at the Russian Legation, Mr E. Pozdniakov. “Human rights cannot be enforced by a tank or a machinegun; they only ixist where freedom our freedom exists.”

Otago University Students. —A committee, described as comprising both Left and Right-wing political opinion from Otago University students and staff addressed a signed protest to the Soviet Legation. “We beg to express to your Excellency our disgust at the action taken by the U.S.S.R. to suppress the Czechoslovak experiment in

liberal communism. Only a matter of a few days ago a Rot staff and students e university communicated to your Excellency their apprehensions at the situation. Your Legation then replied stating clearly that nothing wu further from the intention of the U.S.S.R. than to take precisely the action which hu now been taken.”

Student Christian Movement—The general committee of the New Zealand Student Christian Movement seid: “Although the issue is complex we are not satisfied by the reasons so far riven to justify this action. We commend the dignity and restraint shown by the people of Czechoslovakia and we believe that this attitude should be followed by all parties if further injustice is to be avoided. We question whether this problem Is capable of military solution.”