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Dear Friends! On the evening of August 22, 2008, at 9:00 p.m., thousands of people will gather on bridges in Latvia and light candles and home made lanterns to commemorate the “Baltic Way,” an event that took place nineteen years ago in 1989 in which Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians formed a human chain from the northern border of Estonia to the southern border of Lithuania. The chain was to show Baltic unity and remind the free world and the Soviet Union of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact of 1939 in which Hitler and Stalin carved up Europe, with Russia taking the Baltic States and part of Poland. The event, “Bridges of Light,” marks the beginning of the celebration of Latvia’s 90th anniversary of its declaration of independence on November 18, 1918. To date, some 140 cities, involving 187 bridges, have joined the Bridges of Light event. Those who do not live close to a bridge are urged to light candles in their yards, on piers over small streams and ponds, etc. The theme of the event is to light a light to express your unspoken love for Latvia.
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 The American Latvian Association (ALA) and the World Federation of Free Latvians urge YOU to join in supporting the Latvian people in this symbolic and important event by faxing letters or by sending e- mails to your senators and representatives on August 22, 23 (the anniversary date of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) and 24 asking them to cosponsor Senate Concurrent Resolution 87 and House Resolution 1504.
The resolutions congratulate the Latvian people on the 90th anniversary of their declaration of independence, declares that the occupation of the Baltic countries by the Soviet Union was illegal and notes the genocide committed against the Baltic people. In addition, the Senate resolution requests the President of the United States to issue a proclamation asking the government of the Russian Federation to acknowledge the illegality of the occupation of the Baltic countries, and assume responsibility for the consequences of the occupation. The resolutions and the names and addresses of your congresspersons can be found on the Internet at www.thomas.gov. To send your letters to your congresspersons visit their homepage. Your letters do not have to be long. A couple of short paragraphs will do. In your letters note that this is the anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, ask your congressperson to cosponsor the resolution, and if possible, give one or two reasons for adopting the resolution. For sample letters and more detailed information about the resolutions, see the CALL TO ACTION on ALA’s homepage.If you wish to call your congresspersons, dial 1-(202) 224-3121. You will be connected to the main Capitol switchboard. Ask for your congressperson’s office. When connected, state your name and address and give your message. These are important resolutions, especially given the war in Georgia. The Russian aggression has serious implications for all Russia’s neighbors. The attack demonstrated Russia’s capability of bringing former Soviet republics and occupied territories back into Russia’s sphere of influence. America and the West needs to ensure that this goes no further. To think that Russia’s appetite will be sated is about as naive and fololish as thinking Adolf Hitler would be satisfied with Czechoslovakia. We don’t want another Munich, Molotov Ribbentrop Pact or Yalta. Please. send your letters. Thank you. Valdis V. Pavlovskis |
Sample letter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 23, 2008—69th Anniversary of the Hitler- Stalin Pact of 1939The Honorable Sherrod BrownU.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Brown: On November 18, 2008, the Republic of Latvia will celebrate the 90th anniversary of its declaration of independence. To commemorate and to honor the Latvian people on this momentous occasion, Senators Gordon Smith and Richard Durbin have introduced S. Con. Res. 87. The bipartisan resolution reaffirms the strong ties between Latvia and the United States, based on shared values of freedom, democracy and human rights. I am writing on behalf of the American Latvian community to ask you to cosponsor the resolution. In addition to the customary congratulations, the resolution notes the pre-World War II treaties and protocols governing relations between Latvia and the Soviet Union, the illegal occupation of Latvia by the Soviet Union in 1940, the crimes and atrocities committed against the Latvian people by the Soviet Union, the political and economic accomplishments by Latvians since they regained their independence in 1991, and the relations between the United States and Latvia. The resolution also requests the President of the United States to issue a proclamation on this occasion to congratulate Latvia and to recommend to the government of the Russian Federation that it acknowledge the unlawful occupation of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania by the Soviet Union and to assume responsibility for the consequences of the occupation. Sixty eight years ago, thousands of tanks and tens of thousands of Soviet troops crossed the internationally recognized borders of the independent and sovereign countries of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and occupied them, dissolved their governments and unilaterally and illegally annexed them into the Soviet Union. It has been 17 years since the Soviet Union collapsed, and Latvia regained independence, but Russia still refuses to acknowledge the invasion and the illegal occupation. Russian obstinacy to admit the truth presents a serious obstruction to good neighborly relations between the two countries and destabilizes the Baltic region. In light of the recent military assault and invasion of Georgia by Russia, S. Con. Res. 87 and the proposed Presidential Proclamation have assumed much greater significance than they would have under normal conditions. You could say that it could be a life or death issue for the Baltic countries. One of the goals of Russia’s aggression was to show the former Soviet republics, satellites and occupied territories that they still are part of Russia’s sphere of influence, and that they have to forget the Western orientation that they sought to adopt over the 17 years of independence. Georgia’s crime in the eyes of Russia was to be an independent democracy in the way of Russian ambitions. This has implication for not only Georgia, but for all of Russia’s neighbors. Russia’s willingness and ability to use military force to realize its goals is intimidating to Eastern European countries. The threat is clear. Any one of them could be crushed like Georgia. Unless the United States and the West stands up for them. But for now, Latvia refuses to show signs of fear. It’s President with leaders of Estonia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland immediately flew to Tbilisi to show solidarity with the besieged Georgia. Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski speaking about the Russian invasion stated that Vladimir Putin was “following a course that is horridly similar to that taken by Stalin and Hitler in the 1930’s.” The Nazi invasion was based on the pretext that ethnic Germans in the Sudetenland wanted to be annexed to the Fatherland. In the case of Finland, the Russians used brutal force to undermine the sovereignty of a small democratic neighboring country. In the case of Georgia, Mr. Putin’s armies crossed an international boundary and marched into Georgia on the pretext that ethnic Russians living in parts of Georgia are subject to Georgian “ethnic cleansing” and wanted to be annexed into Fatherland. Latvians still remember how in 1940 the Red Army invaded their country purportedly to defend the rights of Russian minorities. But once in Latvia, they immediately violated the human and civil rights of the Latvian people. Thousands were arrested and shot or deported to Siberia by Mr. Putin’s old outfit. Today Latvia is free and a sovereign nation, firmly anchored to the West, and with a sizeable Russian speaking population, most of whom carry Russian passports. Latvians are justified to be concerned about Mr. Putin’s use of bullets and tanks to bring his brethren back into the Fatherland. The United States should reassert its support of the Baltic countries by adopting S. Con. Res. 87 and the President issuing a proclamation on Latvia’s Independence Day, November 18. The American Latvian community hopes that you will stand with them, and cosponsor S. Con. Res. 87. Thank you. Valdis V. Pavlovskis |
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Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: alainfo@alausa.org
phone: 301-3401914
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