ONE of Czechoslovakia's best known dissidents has been sentenced to seven-anda-half years in jail for 'subversive activity' and 'assault on a public official'.
He is 55-year-old Rudolf Battek, a former spokesperson Charter T7. and member Czech Council. His conviction for assault arises out of an incident in June 1980 when he went to a police staKnowing he was rights activist, the police refused to allow Battek to leave the station. When he tried to do so and knocked off a policeman's cap he was charged with assault.
Battek's latest in a new series of crackdowns Czechoslovakia's dissidents.
Dossier It is aimed at human rights activists, especially those who have been circulating and producing underground magazinas books. In July. Jiri Guntirad, a building worker, was given a four year sentence for compiling dossier on police persecution of a pop group.
Another dissident who recently spent some time in prison is Jaroslav Suk.
In April, Suk fled to the West The toid the language socialist magazine InSocialist Challenge 20 August 1981 just for one-time National a numan Is ine wave of repression. 'Step by step'.
and five years.
Active French statements there.
40р precor what lies behind the new said Suk. 'they are trying to put the most active Charter 77 people in prison. It is connected with the Polish events.
For example, Josef Budarak, who was writing a book about Poland, has been taken to prison and expects a sentence of up to political people are very interested in what is happening in of Charter 77 circulating letters and on the situation The Czech Government is pulling out all the stops to prevent what it dubs the 'Polish disease spreading across the border. Infiltrate Suk explained that ment propaganda "depicts the Polish population in such a way as to suggest that the Czech people have to subsidise them. This finds the more backward sectors of the population "On the other hand, the official propaganda lies and nobody believes it, even when it tells the The latest anti-Polish propabeen produce Hodic, who, it is claimed, infiltrated a group of Czech exiles in Austria for three years.
Hodic maintains weapons, disguised as food, have been transported from the west to Poland by 'Western intelligence services' At a press conference Hodic further claimed members of the Polish union Solidarity knew of this activity.
Desoite such ludicrous pro. paganda Jaroslav Suk believes that many in Czechoslovakia are enthusiastic the events. There are numerous contacts between Solidarity Charter 77 and, said Suk, 'the idea of free trade place in the thinking of the Czech people'.
[POLISH LESSON VE CAN ALLLEARN ges il our union to be indepenid we know what that means. it it to be self-governing and atic, and to be a source for ex lemocracy into the public life intire country. The rules and tical work of the union should he principles that define the = of our union democracy walt members of the union are fach one has the same rights. ingle vote. Each one has the matters. No member is better e than another, regardless of ctions they carry out that may irily give them powers cisions in the name of the rest tembers. nd, the purpose of the union ip is to serve and to represent abers. Each full-time official union is no more than a tative authorised by his or her ents to serve them and the i a whole. They must provide union. now defunct) requires us to maintain certain restraint in fulfilling these needs. It is necessary to economise in managing the union's finances. The wages full-time officials should higher than other wages in the national economy Third, the life of the union is hasopenness.
functions in the union acquires real meaning only under conditions open activity at all levels of the union. In particular, all negotiations with the government and with the representatives of the (state) employer must be conducted openly.
Every union member must have a chance to look over the documents of the union leadership and its bodies They in turn must means to inform as many members as possible about the real problems and the measures taken.
modesty and self-governing be which The equal and character of official of regular industries Fifth, use all possible Fourth, the union acts in concert, on the principle of solidarity. This is the basis for the commitment of cach organisaannon the die orens sode. ins action by all working acas seen most dearly in the strikes, in universal ties of solidarity left a special imprint on our union. In our own interests, we decide to act in response to the DECISIS OF OLACTS. Maintaining this solidarity requires and ine change of information among factory organisations representing different different regions, regardless of which territorial leadership body of the union they belong to.
members of the union are bound by its common agreements. The statutes of the union or resolutions of factory meetings are binding on all members of the organisation, even if they voted against them.
It is essential to adhere to deciorder to control the activities of the the changes resulting criticism should also be carried out in accordance ciples.
Compliance in our union with the above principles is not a simple matter. The need for collective action in a towara the need to place er Bat y situation of uncertainty above democratic reality, the union's democracy is its strength. There is no better discipline in action than the unity of those who have participated in a comprehensive way in the making of decisions. We therefore cannot allow a siege mentant to be imposed on contrary, it is just this defect in public life that we are struggling against.
Sixth, and finally, utilises different forms of struggle to realise the interests of the workers. These inutese intervening in the case астостасу ferent regions.
labour union members.
tion gramme: ing decisions Whether manner.
2. Providing their families.
other specialised Irom such rights. with democratic prin- Pay paid oman areas and sometimes tend principles. But functions the enterprise CAUCASES organisations On the the union WORKERS raising demands before enough justification for calling a strike in relation to the social costs that it may entail.
through various institu tions and forms of activity. Wher dealing with union matters, the union press and publishing operations cannot be subject to censorship on the part of the union leadership. It has to be the source of terular informatio: and criticism of shortcomings, which We must also see to it that the flo of information within the union goes in many directions, providing constant, rapid, and detailed information to the lower bodies and ranks about the decisions and actions of the higher bodies, and also regular information to the higher levels about the needs and opinions of the members. It is akewise essentia to dissemmate in formation among individual union organisations in factories and in dif The bedrock of union life is the self-governing factory organisation. Union organisations at higher levels represent the factory organisations 0CC SOIS regular consultation with each factory - Remonal ог папопа leadership bodies make decisions onl on matters that are of interest to a Therefore, each factory organisaWork gramme of action. Four main types of issues are contained in such a pro Bedrock 1. Actions to safeguard the rights, dignity, and interests of workers o the job. This is connected to contro over the management of the work place and its particular agencies. This requires continual control over work COLORS regarding wages, promocompensation, benefits. and vacations The factory organisations act in defence of their members and in the interests of all workers, regardless of they belong to the attempt enworkers and try to involve them in organising their work in an efficient for the and spiritual needs of union members and Factory organisations should plan different social activities with the aim of consolidating solidarity among the union branches and developing the in dividuality of union members. It is necessary, through collaboration with factory organisations or union agencies, organise sport, recreational, educational, and cultural activities.
Such common experiences can bring people closer together and prepare them for joint action in threatening situations, when the time comes energetic struggle in defence of their 3. It is necessary to have an all-round union factory organisations should br All (or some of them) may be paid by the enterprise, which is legally - to release from their dutie: employees who are carrying out union This solution can involve considerable financial savings for the union, and may be legally enforced or Another solution is to cover the individual factory through the union a solition that would em phasise the total independence of the Factory workers employed b the union factory organisation would take leaves of absence from the factory without pay 4. Control over the broader activities
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with you... are you with us ? Petr Uhl and the jailed Chartists in Czechoslovakia
They unimage amicable retions