The Russian Elections bought no great surprises for anarchists, who, as usual, boycotted the thing. A couple of people climbed on top of Lenin's mausoleum with a banner "against them all", which got fair media coverage. Of course, that actually was an electoral option in Russia, with quite a number of people choosing it. (I think in Moscow it was maybe 17%. I don't know exactly, but it was well over 10%.) It's illegal to make any agitation on the day of or before the election, to anarchists brave enough to go out at that time risked arrest. In Kazan, anarchists drew a lot of attention from both the local and Moscow FSB, with the president of Tatarstan's office getting involved to stop anarchists from spreading anti-election material. The FSB paid at least one comrade a friendly visit. But by far the most effective action I heard of was committed in Moscow by persons unknown. Residents are informed of where to go to vote by a notice posted on the doors of apartment buildings shortly before the elections. Apparently some anti-social hooligans went around at night tearing down the notices, leaving quite a lot of people confused as to where to go to vote. Political? Not very. But it worked.
The Powers that BE have written a draft of the
new labour code and it's a fucking outrage!
Under the new code:
* Bosses can decide to impose 12 hour days and up to 56 hour weeks.
* The bosses can choose which, if any, labour union they will deal with. In other words, they can refuse to recognize
any union which will cause them problems or they can create their own unions and force them on the workers!
* Union representatives would not hold the same rights before. For example, they would not be allowed to check
payroll for accuracy.
* Union representatives can be fired by some local labor bureaucrats.
* Unions can be fined for not supplying information to bosses.
* Employees will be financially responsible for any economic damage they cause the company. If they damage machinery,
they will have to pay and if they have a strike, they will be responsible for losses. Employers would have the
right to withhold not only 100% of any salary to claim "damages", but they can take away their
vacation and even allowances for children.
* Bosses can decide to change working conditions, including hours and salary, with no notification. Contracts become
meaningless pieces of paper which can be changed at any time at the discretion of the bosses.
* Employees can be fired for revealing "commercial secrets". This includes the conditions of their work
contracts and salaries.
* Employers will not be responsible for providing certain special clothing for workers which they previously had
to provide and do not have to provide free soap and mineral water any longer.
* Maternity leave would be cut in half.
* Employers will be allowed to "keep files" on employees, including information on their private lives,
political and
union activity, etc.. This would apparently be encouraged by the secret services and shared with them.
Anybody who can organize a campaign against the plans of the government should act now!
Unions and political groups should write letters of protest and should spread information on these plans over the
internet and in the press. Interested groups might organize pickets in front of Russian embassies worldwide.
MPST-AIT has established some new contacts during the spring - now there is contacts to autonomous worker's groups
in Voronezh, Rostov-na-donu (Rostselmash) and Samara (Otpor), and individual workers in Armavir,
Partizansk and Saint-Petersburg. Voronezh is new contact, they found "union" working in 2 factory complexes,
formally hundrends of members, but really only handful of militants in both factories, and one bureaucrat
"coordinating" the activities so that militants in 2 factories don't even know each other! MPST contact
is of course militants, not the bureaucrat. Next contact might be in Lipetsk, there was a labour conflict which
is now in juridical degree, and MPST is going to find some militants who were involved in the strike. The growth
of MPST contacts may mean beginning of small breakthrough of revolutionary unionism in western Russia.
Council-communist Rostselmash, to whom various groups donated money during the winter, has now stabilized their
activity. They have established a paper Novaya Era (New Age! They didn't know what it means in the west!), and
try to distribute in the community where there is complete regions full of unemployed or under-employed former
Rostselmash workers. In this sense the community is less atomized than the Moscow for example. However, last time
they communicated with MPST they were a bit disappointed with just few
results of the project.
Here comes short summaries about a number of Russian anarchist papers. You can order them directly via Dikobraz
(adress and prices in the very end of the message), or directly from the editors. Dikobraz has made its own international
pricing, but all the profits paid to us will go directly to editors of the respective papers. Prices include postage
to any country. You can contact us via e-mail if you are interested about trade. If you are interested to trade
directly with the editors, we would be happy if you wrote to them directly. None of the papers includes any materials
in languages other than Russian.
First 1000 orders can have a free copy of Belarussian anarcho-gopnik paper "AK-47" and Navinki, Belarussian
political parody bimonthly upon request as a free bonus! Dikobraz
NAPEREKOR #10
The heavy stuff - most intellectual anarchist paper in the Russian world. Published in Moscow and not officially
related to any group, althought paper stresses more the social tradition of anarchism. This issue includes -"The
anatomy of war" on current war in Chechnya by redaction. This one is also readable in A-infos, www.ainfos.ca/99/nov/ainfos00137.htm
-"Out from the system", article by Mihail Magid on the factory occupation of the Yasnogorsk and worker's
struggles in Russia in general. -"Rebel against the machine of the global trade system", article by Laure
Akai on the battle of Seattle and anti-corporate campaigns around the globe. Also a comment on property destruction
as a tactic by Mihail Magid. -"French student movement" by Vadim Dam'e. -"The system", few
examples by Nikolay Kirillov how political parties organise "spontaneous people's movements" with money.
-Awl and soap. Pavel Sentyabrskiy writes about the inexistent difference between state and market capitalism. -"End
of the industrial century - how do we see it". By Colombian league of anarchists, originally published in
"Anarchy: A Journal of Desire armed". -"The Social philosophy of Andre Gortz" By Vadim Damier.
-"Libertarian Communism or Ecological Catastrophe", a lenghty program article by MPST (Inter-Professional
Union of Work) collective. -Discussion pages: "Naperekor - radical humanist letter in two parts" by Andrei
Konstantinov, and answer by Mihail Magid: "About romanticism of the 'transfer period'" -"Democracy
and anti-fascism", critical article on anti-fascism by Mihail Magid. -History: "Memory of autofighters",
by Christian Ferrer, originally published in Germinal #81, 1999. -"Esthetic Socialism of William Morris",
article by M. Magid and V.Damier based on the book "Socialism in England" of Albert Netting among others.
-"Anarcho-communism in Japan during 20's and 30's", article mostly based on text "The Anarchist
Movement in Japan" by J. Crump, London 1996. -Essay: "Autumn of the patriarchy". -"My Pushkin"
by Pyotr Ryabov. A libertarian view to the most institutionalized poet of Russia. -"Virtual Naperekor"
by Natalya Makeyeva. -"Life in Islamograd" bt Denis Yatsutko. -"Zuhra" by Denis Yatsutko. -"New
right on the second world war", translated from German by Polina Eliseyeva. -"Review on anarchist and
left-wing radical papers published during 1998-1999 in Russia". Various issues of 15 different papers reviewed.
-"Book shelf", Reviews on following books: N.K. Mihajlovskij: Hero and crowd, Saint Petersburg, Ateleya,
1998; Kropotkin, Anarchy, it's philosophy, it's ideal - M. 1999; G. Lagarderlle, Revolutionary syndicalism, Voice
of the work, Donbass 1999; KarlHeinz Rot, Return of the proletariat, M. 1999; Sergey Pavlyuchenkov, War communism
in Russia. Power and the masses. M. RKT-History, 1999; P.G. Pihoya, Soviet Union: the history of the power 1945-1991,
M. Izdatelstvo RAGS, 1998; The Black book of Communism; Alvin Toffler, Tretya Volna, M. AST 1999. -"Declaration
of Moscow anarchist groups on terrorism" signed 22th of july 1999 by MPST, KAS, Aleksey Borovoy group and
editorial collectives of Naperekor and Utopia. -Some Russian anarchist websites.
Contact: P.O. Box 34, 117 485 Moscow mpst@mail.ru
AVTONOM #11
Rebellous paper by Federation of Anarchists in Kuban, published in Krasnodar. -FAK - what to do? Program article
by FAK. -"We are not a crowd but alone, movement of autonoms. By "comrade Josh" and other articles
with "what do do"-theme by FAK actives. -"If you are anarchist and called to interrogation",
practical advice from resolution by 12th conference of ADA. -Letter of Larisa Romanova from prison, and other
articles and news about political prisoners. -"Anarchy in action - the commune of Paris". -"Does
green mean islamism or dollars", article on the Chechen war by MPST. -Libertarian municipalism of Murray Bookchin.
-Police repression against radical ecological actions of summer -99. -"Anarcho-syndicalism against bolshevism."
by A Dubovik of RKAS. -Interview of Allan Gingsberg, translated from German paper "Directe Aktion". -Various
direct action news, Sovetski factory occupation and others. -Articles on squatting, hitchiking and pirate radios.
-Letters to editors, reviews of samizdat papers and tapes. -Atari Teenage Riot -"Liberty in the society of
spectacle"
AVTONOM #12
-"What is the autonomist struggle", article translated from Wind Chill Factor. -"Autonoms - decolonatization
of the daily life", by Vyacheslav Yatschenko. -"Chechnya - state is the worst terrorist!" by M.
M. -"Roots of the 1st of may" -New political repressions. -Sovetski factory occupation falled. -"Globalization
creates capitalist hell of today", by "Kos & Kab". -"Anarchist chronicle" -Interview
of Sicilian anarchist, translated from "Le Monde Libertaire" -Student protests of Mexico, revolution
of Equador. -Reviews, numbers of 23 different Russian alternative papers. -Rage against the machine, Jello Biafra...
-Nazis beaten up in punk-concert in Saint-Petersburg, destruction of RNE headquarters in Volgograd and other anti-fascist
news.
Contact: P. O. Box 3472, 35001 Krasnodar Russia Fak-kr@mail.ru
ANARHICHESKIY VESTNIK #4
Bulletin of Anarchist Alliance from Moscow. -Who needs the war in Chechnya? -Actions in Moscow and other news.
-"How we climbed on the mausoleum", article by organisers of the action on Lenin's Mausoleum. -Max Stirner
-Napalm Death -Against all candidates -"Collapse in Kazakhstan", article on social situation in Kazakhstan
by "comrade Varpinink" -"A christmas story", featuring Nestor Makhno.
Contact: urbanhippy@mail.ru or analyans.mail.ru
VOLYA #11
Anarchist bulletin from Moscow-Anti-war actions in Moscow -Articles against elections -"`2000` - life in mirrorland"
article on Chechen war and mass media by Maksim Sobakevich. -"Capitalism is not a joke", a speech of
anarchists held in general anti-war demonstration in Pushkin square on economic results of the war. -"What
is anarchism" and news by Radical News. -Russian anarchist websites. -In the cells of "the ministry of
love" love in the way of Beriya? Article on the political prisoners by Radical News.
VOLYA #12
-"A celebration which was not taken away", on the first of may. -"Love and rage - others love power
and politics, others anarchy and party". A declaration of Moscow anarchists for M1 festival which was banned
by city authorities. -"Black and Orange", declaration of anarcho-situationist demonstration in Pushkin
square 1st of april 2000. -A report from Moscow situationist mayday march, and mayday parties all around the world.
-Newsflashes by Radical News. -Interviews of Kazhakstanian alternative-rock artist Yermen Anti from group Adaptatsiya,
article about Regularnie Chasti Avantyuristov, alternative rock-group from Moscow. -2 "Anti-nazi declarations"
by "Knives and Forks"-punk collective from Saint-Petersburg, and translation of monologue by Belarussian
anarcho-HC artists from Hate to State- group. -"New times, new political prisoners" . Transcription of
Ukrainian tv-program "a window to world" special on new Russian political prisoners.
contact adress: Vlad Tupikin P.O. Box 80 113 208 Moscow Russia volja-lja@mail.ru
Prices via Dikobraz (postage paid. Sending money to Russia is at your own risk): Naperekor #10: 5$ Avtonom # 11, #12: $3 Anarhicheskiy vestnik #4: $2 Volya #11, #12: $2
Dikobraz contact: (no name of the group on envelope) P. O. Box 13 109 028 Moscow Russia
rk@glasnet.ru or dikobrazi@lists.tao.ca