IC)
K PRIME MINISTER
CkilCK AGAINS9T DELIVERY EMBARGOQED UNTIL DEIVR
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
PRESEN'TATidN OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF
JEWISH AFFAIRS HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD
TO MR ALEXANDER DUBCEK, PRESIDENT OF THE
FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
MELBOURNE APRIL 28 1991
Alexander Dubcek,
Isi. Leibler
Members of the Institute
Friends Tonight we lie honoured by the presence of a man who, in his
life and in his work, reflects the great struggle of our
Century the struggle against tyranny and suppression of
the: human spirit.
His presence here among us tonight exemplifies three things:
his own victory after a long and hard struggle against
dictatorship; the victory of his country, whose turbulent history has
been so tragically typical of this Century and its
problems; and
the huge international changes in which his struggle,
and the struggle of his nation, have played a decisive
part.
Alexander Dubcek is a man who embodies the enduring
commitment of his people to freedom; who represents the
triumphant emergence, after decades of repression, of free
democracies throughout Eastern Europe; and who personifies
the resolute determination of principled individuals to
achieve the victory of the human spirit over the powerful
forces of authoritarianism.
Tonight, by presenting him with the Australian Institute of
Jewish Affairs' human rights award, we honour Alexander
Dubcek: leader of the Prague Spring of 1968; symbol of the
humiliation and repression that followed for two decades;
and inspiration for the peaceful revolution that has built a
new and democratic government.
6 7 1.
I had the honour ofl receiving this award in 1988, an
occasion I remember vividly, because of the spirit of hope
and optimism in which we celebrated the release of a number
of Jewish ' refuseniks' from the Soviet Union after my visit
in 1987.
Yet in 1988, as we were celebrating those first tangible
signs of the break-up of the Stalinist monolith, few of us
had in mind the speed with which this transition would
occur, or the degree to which change would sweep throughout
the whole of Central and Eastern Europe.
Of course it is easy to say, in hindsight, that the internal
contradictions of the Eastern bloc regimes would eventually
lead to their own downfall.
It was not so easy then. We had become accustomed to the
ruthless resilience of the old regimes; we had seen hopes
raised and hopes dashed before; we had learned not to expect
rapid change, or even significant positive change, on such a
broad scale.
Of course there is still much to be done. Democracy has not
spread fully throughout the nations of Eastern Europe;
economic reform and development remains a huge challenge
throughout the region, and we must all understand that this
will inevitably bring dislocation, disruption and pain
before prosperity. And the future of the Soviet Union
itself remains unresolved.
Yet there is much that we can celebrate and to be able
tonight to welcome in our midst Alexander Dubcek, now
President of the Czechoslovak Parliament, is a vindication
of our support for the democratic freedom of the people of
Central and Eastern Europe, a triumph for the cause of
international human rights, and we hope a favourable augury
for the future of the region.
The events in Eastern Europe since 1989 should leave us in
no doubt that the process of transforming the central
command systems of the Eastern bloc is now irreversible.
Nor should we be in any doubt that these changes are a
fundamental victory for human rights.
Friends The urge for political and economic freedom is impossible to
extinguish. The maintenance of obedience through repression, wherever it
occurs, is ultimately unsustainable.
The history of the Czech and Slovak people bears ample
testimony to this.
In 1968 Alexander Dubcek, responding to the demands of his
people, set about building a society based on the principles
of democracy and social justice. His commitment to
" socialism with a human face" made him the driving force of
the reforms which led to the " Prague Spring".
But his initiative was smashed on the anvil of the Brezhnev
doctrine and his leadership was crushed by Warsaw Pact
forces invading and occupying his country.
The extinction of that season of hope was followed by many
years of nationhl anguish, frustration and stagnation.
During that time many citizens were subject to harassment
and humiliation. Hundreds such as Vaclav Havel were
jailed for their stand or were forced to seek asylum
overseas. Alexander Dubcek himself was to endure 20 years
of humiliation and isolation.
But the spirit of freedom lived on in the hearts of the
Czech and Slovak people.
It was a spirit which Alexander Dubcek profoundly
understo d.
In replying to those who wished to destroy the gains of the
Prague spring, Alexander Dubcek made one of the most telling
statements about the ruling Communist party.
Let me quote his words: The party, he said, " cannot impose
its authority, but must constantly acquire it by its
actions. It cannot force its line by orders, but by the
work of its members and the veracity of its ideals."
In asserting that political authority must be earned and not
imposed, Alexander Dubcek was stating a universal truth. In
making that point he was speaking not only for those who had
struggled before him for political freedom in
Czechoslovakia, but for all of those who were to continue to
campaign for freedom in Eastern Europe to this day.
The spontaneous outpourings of support that occurred
throughout Czechoslovakia in 1968 made it clear that
Alexander Dubcek and his government and the ideals they
promoted had his peoples' support.
In the optimistic days of the Prague spring, Alexander
Dubcek's leadership was crucial. Now over two decades later
his leadership is again an inspiration to his people. It is
a fitting tribute to his support throughout Czechoslovak
society that he was, once again, to stand with then
throughout their " velvet revolution" of 1989.
The people of Czechoslovakia are now embarking on a period
of constitutional and economic reform as they make the
important transition towards a market system based on the
fundamental tenets of democratic pluralism. That will not
be a painless process.
4.
But through it, I am confident that we are witnessing the
emergence of a new and stronger Czechoslovak society one
which will ensure that Czechoslovakia can take a respected
place in Europe once more and can become a strong and
independent actor on the world stage.
Friends Now is the time for us to rebuild bridges between East and
West and in doing so to rediscover links which for too long
have been broken.
For many this transit~ ion has taken on an intensely personal
dimension. Hundreds of thousands of Australians retain
family connections with Eastern Europe.
For them the political changes in Eastern Europe _ bring new
opportunities and a chance'to renew old bonds. For many it
will be an opportunity to revisit their homeland a simple
wish which for many has long been denied.
For the Government it. is also a time to renew official links
and to begin the task4 of developing a network of relations
with these countries.
This process is now w~ ell under way. We are developing
political links, and helping to foster market economies.
Friends The shape of the emerging international order depends on
replacing the confrontation of the post-war era with a
spirit of cooperation and reconciliation.
Czechoslovakia has been much in our thoughts in recent
months. Fifty-three yearsago, the world allowed
Czechoslovakia to be condemned to oblivion as ' a smalli
nation far from here of which we know little'. Out of this
unprincipled weakness the world came to witness some of the
most unimagineable horrors ' in history. No one understands
that tragedy better than the Jewish people.
The world recently faced a similar challenge in the Gulf,
and to its great and enduring credit, showed that it had
learned the lesson of Czechoslovakia; that freedom must be
defended everywhere, a3nd aggression must be everywhere
opposed. In 1968, Czechoslovakla taught the world another lesson,
perhaps equally important that military power is no
substitute for moral authority. The Soviet invasion of
Czechoslovakia in 19613 was a military victory, but it was a
moral defeat from which the old Soviet Union never
recovered. I am sure historians will judge that the
collapse of communism as a major ideological force became
inevitable after the crushing of the Prague Spring. The
victory, then, is yours, Alexander Dubcek.
By your stature and your achievements, your career has
transcended the personal and national sphere to have truly
international significance. We honour you for it.
I welcome you to Australia, and I join with Australia's
Jewish Community in paying this tribute to you. It is
richly deserved.
67( 1;