-Caveat Lector- http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,918694,00.html Czechs learn who spied on them
Ian Traynor, East Europe correspondent Friday March 21, 2003 The Guardian Tens of thousands of snoopers and spies who worked with the Czechoslovak communist regime to denounce their neighbours, friends and families were unmasked on the internet yesterday. Thirteen years after the velvet revolution that ended the communist era, Czechs were given the chance to learn who betrayed them to the all- powerful secret police, when the government posted a list of 75,000 collaborators on the interior ministry website. For those unable to access the web, Czech police also provided a printed copy of the lists of names, running to 12 volumes and 5,700 pages, at four locations in Prague. "It should not harm the people listed too much," said the deputy Czech interior minister, Vladimir Zeman. While approximately 1,000 copies of the 12-volume set were promptly snapped up, government officials reported that the interior ministry website devoted to "investigating and documenting the crimes of communism" received four times as many visitors as usual. Yesterday's disclosures indicate that one in every 130 Czechs worked with the secret police in what was perhaps the most repressive communist regime in central Europe until 1989. In the former Czechoslovakia, a country of 15 million, the regime jailed around 280,000 people for their political beliefs or activities. The number of collaborators revealed yesterday probably understates the level of cooperation with the regime, since many secret police files were destroyed at the time of the revolution. Documents leaked in the early 1990s to a former Czech dissident, the veracity of which has never really been challenged, listed more than double the number of collaborators. The problem of how to deal with the past and the legacy of betrayal and collaboration with the communists have poisoned politics across postcommunist Europe for the past decade. While Czechs have been able to see their own secret police files since 1997, it is unusual for lists such as yesterday's to be published, making the identities of collaborators known to the general public. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it." The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutra <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
