Kreisky Forum Honors Politkovskaya

The famous Vienna-based Bruno Kreisky Forum was the host to a 45-minute lecture and Q&A with Other Russia organizer Garry Kasparov on April 26. The subject was “Russia: Six Months Without Anna Politkovskaya,” a tribute to the investigative journalist assassinated in Moscow on October 7, 2006. Kasparov speech highlighted Politkovskaya’s courage and how she inspired a generation with her fearless coverage of the war in Chechnya. He went on to deplore the worsening condition of Russian democracy in the past six months. Politkovskaya was passionate in her criticism of the Putin police state and was an early supporter of the Other Russia movement.

Local and international coverage of the speech was impressive, with AP wire stories appearing in hundreds of outlets. Most ignored the Politkovskaya theme and instead focused on Kasparov’s call to the West to stop pretending Putin is a democrat in any sense of the word, and to wake up before the state violence against dissent progresses from bruises to bullets. This International Herald Tribune report is typical. The organizers of the Forum are preparing to publish Kasparov’s comments and the subsequent question and answer period in full. Meanwhile we present some excerpts below.

I’d like to talk about what Anna Politkovskaya did during her life and what she still means for all of us today. Both her life and her death have been dismissed by Russian authorities. We have an obligation to prove them wrong. This means not only preserving her memory, but by continuing her fight for truth and justice. To know Anna was to know how deeply she cared. She felt the pain of others very deeply and she communicated that passion in her work. . . .

The words you most often hear about Anna Politkovskaya are “courage” and “inspiration.” Her importance went far beyond her writings. She was a powerful symbol and she will continue to be one. She showed us all what one person with courage could do, that we can all make a difference. Putin’s reaction to Anna’s murder was to say that her influence was minimal, and that, quote, “her death caused more damage than her writings.” That illustrates Putin’s relationship with the media, and it also shows he does not understand the power of inspiration. There are others who will continue not only her work, but her style of work. The will be inspired by her to fight for the truth, to not be afraid to care, to never give up. . . .

I often hear about Vladimir Putin’s popularity in the western media. To understand this you first have to stop making comparisons about opinion polls between Russia and other countries. In a country with no free media, polls cannot be reliable. As Kremlin analyst Sergei Markov recently said, “television is our nuclear weapon.” As in the old Soviet days, they use this weapon to annihilate the public consciousness. We only recently escaped the oppression of the all-seeing Soviet dictatorship and our president was a KGB spy. When someone – “who?” – calls you at home and asks you what you think of the top man, what answer are you going to give? I’m surprised that even 25% are willing to give a negative answer to this question! No, you can’t ask about the president like that, you have to ask about his policies, and about the direction of the country and how people feel about their situation. When you ask questions about the economy, crime, health care, or how Russians feel about the future of the country, you get a very different picture. . . .

We know from experience that the only way to deal successfully with military thugs and totalitarian governments is strong resistance. Big words, dramatic gestures. Kennedy’s “Ich bin ein Berliner!” Reagan’s, “Tear down this wall!” echoed in history. These were the strong statements that drew a clear line in front of totalitarianism. They were leaders of the free world who were really leaders. Now we have managers and accountants trying to do a little business. Small minds, small ideas, small words. Putin laughs in their faces. What do we hear from them about democracy?! Condoleeza Rice saying she will be watching with interest what happens in Russia? Was she watching the police attack us? Did she enjoy the show? Kennedy and Reagan believed democracy was the most powerful force for improving lives around the world, and for making the world safe. And because they believed, and because they stood up for this belief, it was true. If they had acted like Bush and the others act today, I would still be playing chess for the Soviet Union and Angela Merkel would be looking for a job in East Germany! Today, we hear almost nothing about democracy and human rights in Russia from the West. No, they are too busy making deals for gas and oil with Mr. Putin’s friends to worry about human rights. Democracy has been traded away like weak piece on the geopolitical chessboard.

Where is the line today? How much more will the so-called leaders of the free world tolerate? Today in Moscow Henry Kissinger stated that he understood the need to treat Putin’s Russia as “an equal.” He is talking about a regime that has unlimited money, unchecked power, and is not allergic to blood. Will Putin still be welcomed when his police are shooting people in the streets of Moscow? I do not want to find out. The time is now for the West to tell Putin they will not take watch quietly any more. The time is now to tell Putin and his gang there will be economic and political consequences if they continue to turn Russia into a dictatorship. Their silence is agreement. . . .

Inside Russia, there is hope on the horizon. Those Other Russia marches represent the beginning of a real resistance to Putin’s KGB Incorporated. 6.1. It is very sad that Anna is not here to see it. In recent months, The Other Russia coalition has brought thousands of people into the streets in our Marches of Dissent. Anna would surely have loved to see it, and to march at the front of the line. The day is coming when all of the crimes she described will be investigated with the full authority of the elected government, not just the moral authority of one valiant woman. The criminals who committed the crimes, the officials who ordered them, they will be brought to justice. The new democratic Russia will have new heroes and Anna Politkovskaya will be one of them.