SUMMARY IN ENGLISH
CONTRA # 5 2006
Protests against a lying Hungarian socialist government
The cover photo is taken in Budapest in connection with the 50th anniversary
of the Soviet invasion of Hungary and the crushing of the Hungarian people's
struggle for freedom. The anniversary turned into an odd event as the
Norwegian king, a number of presidents and prime ministers from all over
Europe took part in a reception not only by the venerable Hungarian president
László Solyom, but also by the prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány.
Gyurcsány used to be leader of the young communists, before the
fall of the Wall. After 1989 he made a fortune on privatization of government
property and later made a political comeback as prime minister and leader
of the ”reformed” communist party. The election this past
spring was narrowly won by Mr Gyurcsány and his allied in the liberal
party MSZD. The victory was gained after Mr Gyurcsány had deceived
the Hungarian people on the economic performance during the past four
years. "We lied in the morning, we lied at noon and we lied at night",
Mr Gyurcsány summed up at an internal party meating. The speech
was taped and broadcast on Hungarian radio. The opposition asked why he
didn't confess that he lied in the afternoon too. Large groups demanded
his resignation, but he has refused. Ha won a censure vote in Parliament.
It was not surprising that his own Socialist party supported him, but
so did MSZD. This could reaonably ony be explained by corruption. In local
elections this autumn the Socialist Party made major losses but the parliament
will not be reelected until 2010. The cover photo shows a line of policemen
preventing victims and opponents of communism to participate in the celebration
of the anti-communist revolution, where the successors of the Communists
were arranging the event!
Anti-Communist protests at the ”Russel tribunal”
by Tommy Hansson
Forty years ago, November 16 1966, the British philospoher and author Bertrand Russel declared his intention to create ”an international tribunal” with the aim of stating that the United States committed so-called ”war crimes” in Vietnam. The spring 1967 the tribunal was convened in Stockholm. But it was not unopposed. Contra tells the story.
Sweden is not defendable
by Tommy Hansson
The Swedish parliament December 15 2004 decided that there will not be a single military unit between Enköping (close to Stockholm) and Boden 1000 km further north. Critics said that Sweden will be undefendable, especially in the north. But also the island of Gotland in the Baltic will be left undefended.
Populist anti-immigrant and feminist parties were the basis
of success for the new centre-right government in Sweden
by C G Holm
When Contra studied the detailed figures of the September parliamentary
election in Sweden, the conclusion was that the left had stayed in power
if two minor parties hadn't appeared. The populist anti-immigrant ”Sverigedemokraterna”,
often falsely called ”right-wing”, won 2.9 per cent of the
votes. These votes were, according to our study, three quarters gained
from the Social Democrats, mainly in low-income groups. Another 0.6 per
cent were taken by the new ”Feminist Initiative”. These votes
were equally taken from the Communists and the Greens, both allies of
the Social Democrats. Our conclusion is that the appearance of Sverigedemokraterna
and Feminist Initiative turned a left-wing majority of 175-174 into a
centre-right majority of 178-171, as the two parties got less than four
per cent of the votes and thus were unrepresented in parliament.
Challenging labour law to help youth
by Fredrik Runebert
While the Moderates (Conservatives) more and more have turned to a traditional Social Democratic policy in labour law, the Centre Party is daring to challenge traditional dogmas!
Religions may move us closer together
by Allan C. Brownfeld
Many claim that religious borders are so deep that there will be a clash
of civilizations and a peaceful agreement is not likely. Religion, they
claim, make us move further apart.
An oppopsite view and a more positive view is that religions actually
may move us closer to each other. This view is advocated by Bruce Feiler
in his new important book ”Where God Was Born¡. The author
claims that the Bible is a basis for such a hope.
Sixty years since the hanging of nazi criminals
by Tommy Hansson
Sixty years ago the verdicts at the Nuremberg trials were given. Nazi
criminals were sentenced to hanging. It was the first time that war criminals
were tried and sentenced. The leaders of the allied countries –
Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt och Josef Stalin – all
at some time had the thought of summary executions instead of a trial,
but finally the trial was held in Nuremberg.
What is happening with the terrorist Guzman?
September 12 1992 terrorist leader Abimael Guzmán, even called
”president Gonzalo”, leader of the marxist guerilla Sendero
Luminoso (The Shining Path) in Peru, was captured after having caused
death and destruction since 1980. The capture of Guzman was a big victory
for the President at the time, Alberto Fujimori. What happened with Guzman?
