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Janvāra Hronika 1991. gada janvāra barikāžu laiks, kura 25. gadskārtu šogad atzīmējam, līdztekus HRONIKA JANVĀRA Brīvības cīņām par neatkarīgu Latvijas valsti pieder pie tiem vissvētākajiem mūsu valsts vēstures notikumiem, kuros Latvijas tauta apliecināja nelokāmu gribu nodibināt neatkarīgu Latvijas valsti un atjaunot Latvijas Republikas neatkarību. JANVĀRA Alongside the initial freedom struggle for an independent Latvia, the 1991 barricades, the 25th anniversary of which we commemorate this year, are among the most sacred events in our history, when the Latvian people demonstrated an unwavering desire to establish an independent state of Latvia and restore the independence of the Republic of Latvia. HRONIKA January Chronicles Līdz ar valsts atjaunotās neatkarības aizstāvēšanu vēl viens būtisks janvāra barikāžu uzdevums bija parādīt pasaulei, ka neatkarība ir Latvijas tautas neapšaubāma griba un tās tiesības, ka tieši Maskava un PSRS centrālā vara bremzē un kavē valsts demokratizāciju un šauj uz saviem pilsoņiem. 1991. gada janvārī Latvijas Augstākās padomes Preses centrā bija akreditējušies gandrīz tūkstoš žurnālistu, 20. un 21. janvārī vien akreditējās 434 ārvalstu žurnālisti. Janvārī Rietumu medijiem un valdību pārstāvniecībām angliski tika izplatīti vairāki simti preses relīžu. Šajā izdevumā apkopotas 129 preses relīzes, kas aptver laika posmu no 1991. gada janvāra līdz 4. maijam, un to tulkojums latviski. Grāmata laista klajā, atzīmējot janvāra • barikāžu 25. gadadienu. January Chronicles Alongside defending the restored independence of the state, another important task of the January barricades was to show the world that independence was a steadfast desire and right of the Latvian people; that it was Moscow and the central government of the USSR that was hindering and obstructing democratisation, whilst shooting at their own citizens. In January 1991 nearly one thousand journalists were accredited by the Press Centre of the Supreme Council of Latvia; 434 foreign journalists applied for accreditation on 20-21 January. During January alone hundreds of press releases in English were sent out to Western media and embassies. This is the first publication of 129 press releases with translations into Latvian, spanning from January 1991 till 4 May 1991. This book is published in honour of the 25th anniversary of the January barricades. Barikāžu laika preses relīzes Press Releases from the Barricades Janvāra hronika Latvijas Republikas Augstākās padomes barikāžu laika preses relīzes January Chronicles Press Releases Issued by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia, 1991 Rīga 2016 Grāmata izdota ar Latvijas Republikas Saeimas Prezidija atbalstu, atzīmējot 1991. gada janvāra barikāžu 25. gadadienu. In honour of the 25th anniversary of the January 1991 barricades, this book is published with the support of the Presidium of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia. Sastādītājs / Compiled by Aleksandrs Mirlins Izdevumā publicētas LR AP Preses centra preses relīzes angļu valodā, kuras glabājas Latvijas Nacionālā arhīva Latvijas Valsts arhīvā. Preses relīzes tulkotas latviski. Atsevišķos gadījumos tulkojuma vietā publicēts dokumenta oriģinālais teksts, kas izmantots preses relīzes sagatavošanā. Grāmatas elektroniskā versija papildināta ar atbildēm uz AP priekšsēdētāja Anatolija Gorbunova 1990. gada 7. maija vēstuli, kurā tika paziņots par Augstākās padomes 4. maijā pieņemto deklarāciju “Par Latvijas Republikas neatkarības atjaunošanu”. Izdevums satur arī sarunu protokolus ar ASV Senāta un Kongresa delegāciju, Zviedrijas parlamenta un valdības, kā arī Ziemeļu padomes delegācijām, kas Latvijas parlamentu apmeklēja 1991. gada barikāžu laikā. This publication contains press releases written in English by the Press Centre of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia, which are stored at the State Archive of Latvia of the National Archives of Latvia. The press releases have been translated into Latvian. In some cases, translations have been substituted with the original document on which the press release is based. The digital edition includes reactions to the letter that Anatolijs Gorbunovs, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia, sent out on 7 May 1990 announcing the adoption of the Declaration on the Restoration of Independence of Latvia on 4 May. This edition also contains minutes of the meetings with the delegations that visited the Latvian Parliament during the Barricades in 1991: from the US Senate and Congress, the Swedish parliament and government, as well as the Nordic Council. Vāka foto – Tauta apsargā Latvijas Republikas Augstāko padomi barikāžu pirmajās dienās. Nezināma autora foto. Publicēts no 2006. gada barikādēm veltītā fotoalbuma “Domā par Latviju. Piemini barikādes”. Cover photo – Civilians guard the building of the Supreme Council of Latvia during the first days of the barricades. Author unknown. Published from photo album dedicated to the 1991 barricades “Think About Latvia. Remember the Barricades.” (2006). Ārvalstu žurnālisti pie Augstākās padomes intervē barikāžu dalībnieci. Barikāžu dalībnieka J. I. Straumes foto. Latvijas Kara muzeja krājums. LKM 6-129(12)-FT/p Foreign journalists interview a woman guarding the barricades at the building of the Supreme Council. Photo by J. I. Straume. Latvian War Museum collection. LKM 6-129(12)-FT/p Latvijas Republikas Saeimas priekšsēdētājas Ināras Mūrnieces ievadvārdi 1991. gada janvāra Barikāžu laiks bija pierādījums mūsu tautas spējai nevardar- bīgi pretoties bruņotiem ienaidniekiem. Pretošanās vērtējama kā fenomens ne tikai Latvijas, bet arī visas pasaules vēsturē. Tautas nelokāmā apņēmība nosargāt savu neatkarību apturēja okupētājvalsti – PSRS – vērst masveida represijas pret Latvijas Republikas iedzīvotājiem, sava parlamenta, valdības un svarīgu infrastruktūras objek- tu aizstāvjiem. Kremļa impēriskie plāni paredzēja likvidēt valsts varas institūcijas un ieviest tiešu PSRS prezidenta pārvaldi. Ja ļaunie plāni būtu izdevušies, mums nebūtu bijusi sava Augstākā padome, valdība un galu galā – arī 1991. gada 21. augusta kon- stitucionālais likums “Par Latvijas Republikas valstisko statusu”, ar kuru Latvijas valsts juridiski sarāva visas saites ar Padomju Savienību. PSRS agresijas apvaldīšanu Baltijā 1991. gada janvārī sekmēja arī starptautis- kās sabiedrības un Rietumvalstu reakcija, kas barikāžu aizstāvjiem bija labvēlīga. Lai gan tobrīd pasaulē pirmās ziņas bija par uzliesmojošo Persijas līča karu, arī notikumi Baltijā tika pamanīti. Tiem sekoja līdzi miljoni. Jura Podnieka grupas kinodokumen- tālisti pasaulei bija parādījuši padomju militāristu noziegumu pret civiliedzīvotājiem Lietuvā 13. janvārī. Emocionālie kadri vēstīja par traģēdiju, kas nevarēja neuzrunāt. Milzīga nozīme bija arī tām preses relīzēm, kuras ārvalstīm sniedza Latvijas Republi- kas Augstākā padome. Aptuveni tūkstotis ārvalstu žurnālistu, kuri 1991. gada janvārī bija akreditēti Augstākās padomes Preses centrā, kāri tās tvēra un nodeva tālāk savai auditorijai visā pasaulē. Un mēs tikām sadzirdēti. Kā atceras toreizējais Augstākās pa- domes priekšsēdētāja pirmais vietnieks Dainis Īvāns: “21. janvāra rītā pēc traģiskajiem notikumiem Rīgā pie Iekšlietu ministrijas, pēc pirmajiem upuriem, man bija jāuzstājas 5 Valsts radio Vašingtonā. Pēc šī brīža es fiziski sajutu, kā pasaule raugās uz mūsu bari- kādēm, kā mainās pasaules attieksme šajā sakarā. Man zvanīja vienkārši amerikāņi, kuri teica – mēs jūs atbalstām. Sāka mainīties arī lielvalstu politiķu attieksme Latvijas brīvības jautājumā. Un ne jau pašu vēlmes dēļ, bet tāpēc, ka to prasīja viņu sabiedrība. Vēl dienu pirms apšaudes, pēc manas tikšanās ar Kanādas ārlietu ministru, Kanāda pārtrauca PSRS kuģu kravu izkraušanu savās ostās. Ne jau mani vārdi ietekmēja viņus. Viņus ietekmēja barikādes, cilvēku gaišās, pārliecīgās un drosmīgās sejas uz šīm bari- kādēm. Mēs bijām brīvības cīnītāju etalons. To pasaule attiecīgi novērtēja, saprazdama, cik svarīga ir latviešu cīņa Rīgā 1991. gada janvāra dienās...” Un, lai gan PSRS ar militā- ru spēku varēja barikādes likvidēt, ieņemt Latvijas parlamentu un valdību, starptautis- kās rezonanses dēļ impēristi to neuzdrošinājās. Rīgas barikāžu aizstāvju upuru asinis pasaule Kremlim vairs nepiedotu. Milzīgs nopelns starptautiskās sabiedrības domas ietekmēšanā bija Augstākās pa- domes Preses centra darbiniekiem, ikvienam Latvijas valstsvīram, kuri spēja uzrunāt ārvalstu auditoriju, Latvijas un ārvalstu žurnālistiem, kuri par Barikāžu laiku vēstīja pasaulei. Lai šī grāmata, kurā apkopotas Latvijas Republikas Augstākās padomes preses re- līzes Rietumu medijiem, pārstāvniecībām un vēstniecībām, ir kā piemineklis Barikāžu laika varoņiem. Ināra Mūrniece, 12. Saeimas priekšsēdētāja 6 Foreword by Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia The Barricades of January 1991 were a demonstration of our nation’s ability to stand up to an armed enemy without violence. This resistance constitutes a unique phenomenon not only in the history of Latvia, but also the world. The unwavering commitment of our people to defend their independence stopped the occupying power – the USSR – from inflicting mass punishment upon the inhabitants of the Republic of Latvia, who stood guard at their parliament, government and other important buildings. The imperialistic plans of the Kremlin envisaged the abolishment of government institutions and introduction of direct presidential rule of the USSR. Had these diabolic plans been enacted, we would not have had our Supreme Council, government, nor in the end – the Law on the Statehood
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