A story from a Canadian who lived under socialism and communism

Venezuelan human rights activist Rodrigo Diamanti was forced to flee his country after being arbitrarily detained, kidnapped, gun-fired and threatened by organizing a protest against the totalitarian rule of the socialist government. I did.

Diamanti is the founder of Un Mundo Sin Mordaza, a human rights group that promotes human rights and free speech in Venezuela. He embarked on a civic movement many years ago, starting with a student movement that worked for free and fair elections and a more transparent government.

However, the struggle for the rights and freedoms of the people of Diamanti did not fit well with President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government. He was imprisoned He was released a few days after being arrested for international pressure, but was kidnapped within a year and threatened with guns for organizing more protests.

“When we lose freedom of speech, we begin to lose other human rights, because there is no window to protest that can mobilize people to protect human rights,” Diamanti said. interview At SecondStreet.org.

The Diamant case is one of several cases highlighted by Regina-based public policy think tank SecondStreet.org, which aims to educate people about the essence of socialism and communism. .. “Socialist Survivor” ProjectThe group interviews Canadians who once lived under such oppressive government.

“We often hear politicians, scholars and activists praising socialism and communism. [but] The facts show that no matter where these ideologies are implemented, they have a terrifying track record around the world, “Colin Craig, President of SecondStreet.org, told The Epoch Times.

Arrogance has led some people in free societies to believe that totalitarian states could not realize utopia simply because the theory of socialism and communism “did not do it right.” , Craig said.

“You often have college professors who make these regimes romantic, but they never actually lived under them,” he said.

“The ideals of socialism and communism are presented as a utopian society where everyone is equal and everyone lives very well, but that doesn’t happen. The elite of these countries are products that are inaccessible to the masses. It works very well because it has access to and services …. Inevitably, there is a great deal of suffering among people. “

“Ppeople not To be Taught of school the full story of Socialism When Communism“Craig adds.

Living under Communism in Romania

Violica Robinson Told to SecondStreet.org There is a “big difference” between the life of a daughter here in Canada and the life of a daughter who grew up under Nicolae Ceausescu’s communist regime. Romania From 1965 to 1989 he was overthrown and killed in a revolution.

Robinson said Ceausescu’s policy of exporting much of the country’s agricultural and industrial production to pay the huge external debt caused by the administration’s failed economic and social plans caused hunger and difficulties for Romanians. Said that.

“I remember that they sometimes had to line up for a couple of hours before they opened the store. There’s a mile-long lineup to get the necessities of bread, sugar, oil and more. Maybe because Ceausescu was trying to repay all the debt we had, “she said.

“He drove some of us to starvation, because he was exporting everything we made to pay off his debt, so it was a difficult time.”

She said the government controls every aspect of people’s lives by eliminating almost all private businesses and controlling production.

“Food, entertainment, at every level, everything was set up for easy control. There was no choice,” Robinson said.

“I had no choice as to whether I wanted to go to this movie or another movie, but it was your choice because there is a movie that the Communist Party wants to broadcast.”

Freedom of speech in Canada

April, SecondStreet.org Policy briefs Note the importance of Canadian policy makers to avoid the mistakes made in socialist and communist countries.

As part of that, the group Mini survey Of the 35 Canadians who lived under socialism or communism, they learned more about their experiences and asked if there were any new policies in Canada related to them. Many respondents said their primary concern was the federal government’s efforts to regulate Internet content. This is a law that warns of the impact on free speech.

“When we surveyed Canadians who lived under communist and socialist governments, the Canadian policy most relevant to them was government action to reduce freedom of speech,” Craig said. “When you listen to them, you can understand why. They are very sensitive to those who are trying to reduce what they can say.”

Robinson said Canadians “have a hard time understanding it.” [communism] It may be possible here. “

“What we need to understand [is that] Freedom is not negotiation. You are either free or not. “

SecondStreet.org will interview Canadians suffering under socialist or communist governments, such as China, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union.

For China, we have moved into a market economy, but we maintain a communist political structure that is “certainly lacking in many areas when it comes to human rights,” Craig says.

“Citizens always have an advantage in true democracy if they can vote for multiple parties instead of having a single party run the state,” he says. “Another challenge for China is the lack of human rights, whether it is the treatment of Uighurs or the state’s ability to do what it basically wants.”