Teleprint, "Summary of the Demands Made by Opposition Groups Represented by the Civic Forum,"

Teleprint, “Summary of the Demands Made by Opposition Groups Represented by
the Civic Forum,”

23 November 1989
UV-0144/89
FOR INFORMATION SECRET
For addressee’s information only

Summary of the demands of the opposition groups represented by the Civic Forum

We are providing a summary of the most frequent demands of the opposition
groups represented by the Civic Forum. The demands are divided into three areas: the
judicial system, the political system and the economy. In all three areas the demands
blend together and complement each other. Even when a few of them did not appear in
the slogans they disseminated at the demonstrations, it can be counted on that they may
appear in public or in a dialogue with several groups in the following days.

A. The Legal System
An unequivocal demand is the full realization of human and civic rights and
freedoms in the spirit of the accepted international agreements and commitments,
especially the modification of the legal regulations (separation of the executive,
legislative and judicial powers, especially the constitution, criminal code, the law on the
conditions of detention, amnesty for so-called political prisoners, abolition of the socalled undemocratic laws and statutes, establishment of public inspections of security
organs and a decrease in their numbers, amendment of the freedom of association and
assembly law, the legalization of opposition groups and the facilitation of their free
practice, the elimination of so-called persecutions and discriminations of citizens on the
basis of their convictions).

B. The Political System
Respect for the right of historical truth, that is the reevaluation of the crisis years
1968/1969, the rehabilitation of the protagonists of the “Prague Spring,” and the
condemnation of international aid.
The demand to activate the society and the information system (develop an
intense dialogue with all the social and ethnic groups in the CSSR and even the émigrés
in foreign countries in such a way that the population would become a political nation
with a pluralist society, the legalization of independent periodicals, the creation of
objective information networks, to enable plurality of opinion in education, liquidation of
the state monopoly on schools, the launching of broadcasts of radio and television
programs for believers).
Political changes stemming from the revocation of the Lessons from the Crisis
Development, [the resignation of] all so-called compromised functionaries of
normalization, the removal of Soviet army units in the CSSR in the course of abandoning
the security component within the framework of the Warsaw Pact agreements, the
removal of paramilitary and police elements from civilian life, the abolition of the
People’s Militia, an end to political and cadre privileges. The extension of the separation
between church and state, freedom of activity for male and female religious orders, the
retraction of state control over the church. The pluralization of union life, the
independence of unions from the state and the employers, the right to establish “free”
union organizations.
Further, changes in the Czechoslovak Constitution, especially the retraction of
Article 4, which establishes the leading role of the CPCz, and elimination from the
constitution of so-called ideological concepts and constructs such as “the working people,
Marxist scientific world interpretation, socialistic social and state leader-ship, the leading
role, et al.,” removal of the “indefinite state sovereignty over one or another political
alliance” (basically a veiled demand for neutrality), constitutional “demand for the right
for national self-determination up to an eventual split” within the federation, the new
delimitation of Moravia, and the return of the traditional state symbols (emblem, flag,
hymn).
The opposition further demands that the constitution be expanded to include
recognition of the Gypsies and the Jews as nationalities, and to allow the free contact “of
minority nationalities with their people, the supplementation of the system of
constitutional court and the system of administrative courts, the election of judges and
their complete independence, the leadership of jury trials and the institution of
investigating judges, the possibility of private law suits against state organs and their
members, the institution of the rule that no one can be forced into “military service” and
the “establishment of service of a non-military character” for consciencious objectors.
The shortening of the basic military service, the introduction of a civil substitution
service, a decrease in the army budget and its publication, the humanization of the
military service, and the demilitarization of education.

C. The Economy
They demand radical reform of economic aid, the introduction of autonomous
forums of collective owner- ship, plurality of different types of ownership, full renewal of
private enterprise in the sphere of trade, craft, small and medium businesses, parts of
agriculture and culture. The introduction of family forums and long-term lease of land,
provision of long-term loans and material aid to private owners, reconstruction of heavy
industry with the removal of false employment and preferences stemming from adverse
international economic relations.
In the last hours the following demands are emphasized (the minimal program for
the next few days):

• the recognition of the leadership of the Civic Forum as a partner of the Presidium
  of the CC CPCz and an immediate round-table negotiation;
• the creation of a new government of the so-called Great Coalition coalition with
  the participation of the representatives of the Civic Forum (i.e. all opposition
  groups), revived National Front parties and individuals having informal authority;
• the call for free elections with the participation of the established forces;
• the legalization of the activity of opposition groups and the procurement of
  material means for their activity (offices, etc.).

The research done by the Institute for Public Opinion Research at the Federal
Statistical Office in May 1989, shows that a group of the people who were asked,
endorsed the following demands of opposition groups represented by the Civic Forum.
The demands in question are:

• removal of the leading role of the CPCz - 32% were in favor;
• change in the way the leading role of the CPCz is implemented - 49% were in
  favor;
• pluralization of the union movement - 35% were in favor;
• cadre changes in the leadership - 77% were in favor;
• changes in the laws limiting freedom of expression, assembly and information B
  59% were in favor;
• changes in the system of elections - 60% were in favor;
• changes in the evaluation of the year 1968 - 59% were in favor;
• reprivatization of the means of production - 32% were in favor.

In the research conducted from 22-24 November 1989, 88% (and 93% in Prague)
were in favor of cadre changes in the leadership, and 81% (and 88% in Prague) were in
favor of official negotiations with the opposition (meaning its legalization).
A significant number of individuals questioned also think that the next
development of the CSSR (its political system and economy) should head towards a
system that is somewhere between socialism and capitalism (47%). An almost identical
number of people think that it should go the socialist route. In the polls conducted, the
difference of opinion between CPCz members and those not affiliated with the party was
not ascertained.
From the information of the CC CPCz from 26 November 1989, at 12:00 p.m., it
is noticeable that the series of demands found among party members is identical to the
demands of the opposition. Emphasis is placed upon:

• further cadre changes in the leadership of the party (with more emphasis on the
  resignations of Stepan, [and] Zavadil, and less emphasis the resignations of
  Lenart, Knotek, Horeny);
• a thorough analysis of the past with the assignment of personal responsibility for
  the state of society;
• engaging in discussion with the opposition;
• an accelerated elaboration and introduction of a proposal for a new constitution of
  the CSSR, a law on the freedom of association and a law on the freedom of
  assembly.

In comparison with the information from the RC CPCz from 25 November 1989,
a shift has taken place in the demands of the party members to benefit the demands of the
opposition (on 25 November only 3 of the 11 demands included in the information were
in agreement with the demands of the opposition; on 26 November, 5 of the 10 demands
were in agreement with those of the opposition). It is obvious at the same time that in the
workers’ collectives the level of opposition to the general strike called by the Civic
Forum for 27 November is diminishing.

Conclusion
In public opinion, but also among CPCz members, there is a noticeable growth of
negative tendencies and an inclination toward the demands of the opposition. The
situation reveals that in the last few days a significant weakening of the role and prestige
of the CPCz in society has occurred as a result of the belated reaction to the
developments and the ineffectively accepted decision.
The opposition took the initiative because of the developments in the party. The
decisive question will be the correct formulation of the leading role and position of the
party in the social system, which must correspond to the opinion and demands of the
people. It is clear that the Party will have to be a partner both in the National Front as
well as in its relations to the opposition (Civic Forum). Should the corresponding
measures and clearly formulated party lines fail to be adopted, there is danger that the
party may disintegrate and will have diminished hopes of gaining a significant portion of
the vote in the next elections.
It is necessary to immediately publish the accepted measures and conclusions
from the dialogue, because the opposition today can use the legal media (radio,
television, the National Front press). In the information for the RC and DC CPCz it is
necessary to on the one hand to accelerate their flow, inform [everyone] without any
delays on all events and decisions about the demands of the opposition and their
escalation, but, on the other hand, especially to inform [everyone] about our positions and
arguments, through which it would be possible to react to the demands. The RC and DC
CPCz themselves must ensure a political evaluation of the situation in the regions,
including the developments of local branches of opposition groups and their demands.

(Illegible name)

We are sending information on the conclusions of the nation-wide party caucus
which took place in Prague on 28 November of this year.

(Illegible signature)
(Illegible title)

r.77 28.11.89 11:40 (Illegible signature)

[Source: SUA, UV, KSC - teleprints and letters, UV-144/89. Obtained by Oldrich Tuma.]

Central Committee, Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, "Summary of the Demands Made by Opposition Groups Represented by the Civic Forum," teleprint, November 23, 1989, Cold War International History Project, Documents and Papers, CWIHP (accessed May 14, 2008).