Arrest of Lithuanian conscientious objectors.

By Alexander Pronozin

I have written a short article about military conscription in Lithuania and the state of conscientious objection there, but it will take few days to translate it from Russian. What I want to write now logically mast follow after this article, but I feel sharp necessity to write it now, as our urgent reaction is required in my opinion.

Very very briefly the general situation is following. Young Lithuanians who serve in the Soviet army now and had been conscripted there before proclaiming of Lithuanian state independence have faced with difficult alternative: to continue military service in the state which now is a foreign one or to leave their military units committing desertion according laws of the Soviet state which doesn't recognize independent Lithuania. Some of them, ignoring the risk of imprisonment for up to 7 years (article No 247 of the Russian Republic Criminal Code - desertion from army), escape from their units and return to their native land. From March 11 to March 25 about 500 soldiers returned to Lithuania. This is the figure of those who succeeded and managed to get to their homes, but nowbody knows the figure of those who was caught by Soviet authorities. Thanks to accidental information it is known only about a group of 20 soldiers arrested in Moscow region and about 2 ones arrested in another place.

As Moscow still now counts its power legal on the territory of Lithuania many of those who escaped were feeling apprehension that Soviet troops could overtake them even at their homes. That's why some of them were quartered in Lithuanian Hospitals by Red Cross because it was considered obvious that violence will never be used against medical stuff and those who can be ill.

But delicacy of Moscow was too overestimated. On the March 27th 3 o'clock at night a military operation was undertaken against a psychiatric hospital in which 38 objectors had got their asylum. Armed Soviet paratroopers rushed into the building, ordered to the medical personnel stand the faces to a wall and began to seek for the concealed objectors. When the former soldiers were found they refused to leave the place and were resting on their beds, they simply said that nobody will make even a step voluntary. In an answer to this the paratroopers began to beat them brutally, though they did not display any violence at all, and to pull them to the exit. After this much blood was on the floor.

At that time a Lithuanian militian automobile stopped near the hospital. Two militiamen were in it. When one of them - a senior lieutenant - asked to explain what was happening he was beaten violently by the paratroopers and got serious wounds. The other militiamen - a sergeant - also was beaten but did not suffer so much as he used a submachine gun, an important particularity is that he did not shoot from the gun, though he could do it as he could be killed, but used it only as a shield to protect his face from blows.

In the hospital the soviet soldiers arrested 12 from the 38 objectors as the others had managed to escape just before the operation. But it is very probable that they also were captured because the hospital was located not in a city and it is not a difficult task for a professional military crew to catch people in hospital cloths in a country land.

We possess all names of these boys. But we have them only in a Russian transliteration from Lithuanian. Here I shall write them making the second transliteration - from Russian to English. Certainly in many places it will be not correct but when I get this in directly in Lithuanian I will send it again.

Metelica Gintaras Branovich, Stolmokas Avaldas Cheslovich, Milascavicus Ajvoras Vaclovich, Krasauskas Kaustukis Pavlovich, Dilpshas Gintaras Jonovich, Visockis Stasis Nikolovich, Vainoras Rimantas Vintentovich, Pischikas Gintaras Patrovich, Valulis Rolandas Vitautovich, Karalus Arvidas Stanislavich, Kazaitis Raimondas Patro, Balteus Gademinas Jozo, Lapinskas Darus Bronus, Nurejkis Svajunas Antano, Gudanec Zhilinas Evgenius, Bachulus Darus Brano, Veskupavichus Avaldas Konstantino, Varinskas Arunas Antano, Klizas Gintaras Alberto, Adomaitis Kastitis Jono, Shilejkis Rolandas Antano, Glimas Richardas Algimanto, Shatas Tomas Vitoldo, Gudanas Rimas Jono, Jonelushkaitis Gintaras Lergeto, Shilejkis Gintaras Genriko, Noudulaitis Emigius Alberto, Valukas Gastutis Klemento, Budinas Saulus Romuaudo, Perveneckas Kastutis Antano, Jasulis Arunas Romano, Zharskis Alvidas Felikso, Machernis Raimondas Viktoro, Mockus Richardas Zigmo, Kuchinskas Rimantas Kazio, Zonis Arturas Edvardo, Holentauskas Arvidas Roma, Babrauskas Ri

chardas Algirdo.

I am shure that we must, we are obliged, we ought to (I don't know which English expression is the best in this case) say our firm word in support of those who have opposed force of non-violence to the open violence and to those who are virtually alone now owing to the treason of Western "real democracy" countries which not so long time ago spoke very much about injustice of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states and now turned away from them.

If we do not do this many people in the SU will disappoint in Radical Party and it will be a serious blow over our ideas in this country - this is beyond any doubt.

I beg your pardon for my terrible English

Alexander Pronozin