ГУЛаг Палестины - Лев Гунин

investigated this wave of vandalism. Most active members in that group were Baltic Jews. A small Baptist team and NTS representatives also participated. We

discovered that vandalism started in west regions of USSR and moved chronologically from the Northwest to Southeast. Pogroms in Muslim region were not known. It

was absolutely clear that a team of "vandals" traveled by train from town to town, from city to city, starting from Riga. They had a steady pace, so, Soviet authorities (if

they would want to stop hooligans) could figure out very easy where should be their next stop and next pogrom - and catch them. But the authorities did not want to stop

them. Israelis also used different methods to calm down information about vandalism. I personally (as well as others) took the description of our conclusions about

vandalism to Israeli embassy, but they became furious and refused to send this information to Israeli press. I have submitted the description about vandalism against

Jewish cemeteries (without our conclusion) to Washington Post and Chicago Tribune correspondents in Moscow, as well as to Israeli newspapers (enclosing photos

of vandalized graves), but no newspaper outside USSR published this information. I was sure that Israelis used their influence to prevent newspapers from that

publication. I was even more convinced about Israeli involvement when such a pogrom happened in my native town. Graves that related to non pro-Israeli activists'

were mainly targeted, when pro-Israeli families' graves were not touched. My father's grave was vandalized, the monument was broken.

2.13. I informed US president's special representative, Mr. Nikolai Petro, that Israelis are using illegal methods to force people to leave USSR for Israel. I also

contacted several US diplomats including Mrs. Daria Arturovna Fein. I met Daria Arturovna at hotel "Ukraine" in Moscow. She took a look at the photos and asked if

they are not a fake. I told her that I could give her an original film from which the photos were made. And I gave the film to her. She held the film several minutes in her

hands. I saw that she is trembling. After some hesitation she gave the film and the photos back to me, refusing to admit them and giving no explanations. I told to

prominent personalities in Frankfurt, in Warsaw and in Paris about these acts of vandalism, but they could not organize even a single publication.

2.14. In January-February 1990 I came to Paris hoping to obtain a visa for my brother. I was warmly welcomed by all Jewish organizations in Paris and Lion, which I

visited, and also by Russian immigrants' organizations, including NTS. They gave me money, shelters, they bought me train tickets to Lion several times. My French

friends also helped me a lot. I could not tell Jews that I do not want go to Israel. They supported Israel's plan to get from half to one million people from USSR. To justify

my request for help in obtaining the French visa for my brother I told them that during almost 2 years we could not get an Israeli visa. After that some leaders of the

Jewish organizations in Paris, including M-me Helman from COJASOR, proposed me their mediation in my request for an Israeli visa. They told me that Jewish

communities in France have collected so much money for Israel, that Israelis must listen to them. M-me Helman and others arranged a meeting for me with Israelis in

Israeli embassy. A visa for me and for my brother had to be given for me there. I knew that local AVIR in Bobruysk could not accept a visa, which came not by mail, and

could not give us a permission to leave USSR. But I had no solution. When I came to Israeli embassy, which situated down the Le Sacrй Coeur de Monmartre, they did

not let me in. I called the doorbell, and also phoned them several times with no result.

2.15. My brother Vitaly tragically died in May 1990. Half a year after his death I discovered just occasionally that the Jewish community in Lion have collected money for

his treatment and have submitted a medical treatment visa for him. This visa was confiscated by the Soviet authorities.... After his death I did not need an Israeli visa

any more - because I never wanted to immigrate, and from 1987 I understood very well that my place is not in Israel. Before my brother's death we sold some of our

property and did other steps expecting a visa from Israel, but now we suspended all such steps.

2.16. One day - when Rodov already left for Israel - one former "Rodovetz" called my doorbell when my wife was at work. I opened the door, and then he told me that

he missed my door with somebody else's. In that very moment another person have approached. He asked, "is Gunin lives here?". I recognized him. Living near KGB

building I often saw him entering it. I also saw him at the Jewish club where he was with Mr. Sheremetiev, local UKGB chairman. Ilia Rodov has invited him by then to the

club to read a lecture. Later I saw this man (who came to visit me) with Rodov in Bobruysk as minimum two times. He started to speak to me without entering my

apartment. He told me that I have to quit USSR for Israel within two months. He said that this decision about me is non-reversible and can not be appealed. I was so

terrified that I could not speak. But I only asked him what about Israeli visa. "Visa budet"" ("visa will come"), he told in response. And he also told me that I should go

directly to Israel, without tricks. 2 days after visas started to arrive. All visas - a whole package, - which were suspended before, came in 2 envelopes (see

Supplements, Documents # 20, a,b,c,d,e, etc. - total number is 11).. Where these visas were and who kept them, I do not know, but it convinced me that the

situation is very serious, and I must go. When after two months we did not leave USSR yet, such terrible, even monstrous events occurred that I understood: I must go.

2.17. It did not mean that I agreed to go to Israel. I secretly asked my friends in Poland to meet me at the Central Railway Station in Warsaw. I had to try to visit foreign

embassies in Warsaw, and, if it could give nothing, then we had to go to Germany (my friends had to buy us tickets to Frankfurt). When our train came to Warsaw, and

my Polish friends already approached to the wagon, a group of unknown people surrounded and captured us. One of them, probably chairman, spoke Polish with a

Hebrew accent. It was a big man in his middle ages. Mostly he spoke to me, and also an aggressive woman.

They were ready to take us with them immediately by physical force, but only the presence of my Polish friends made them hesitating. I am sure that they started

negotiations with us only to win the time: they probably used it to find out through Mossad sources who are my friends and what they able to do. They probably also

wanted to find out what consequences Israelis would have in case of an eventual scandal, what tactics to use against us, and what their supervisors recommended.

They disagree immediately to let us go with my friends. Meanwhile my friends called 2 Polish policemen. I told the policemen that I do not want go to Israel, I asked for

their help. The policemen told me that if I was agree to obtain Israeli visa - then I probably must go to Israel. Then I shown them a temporary visa for staying in Poland 3

days, and told them that only after 3 days I might be expelled from Poland, and not by Israelis... The policemen then went to hear what Israelis could say them. I did not

hear what they discussed - because they moved farther from me (my family stayed with the Israelis as hostages while I spoke to policemen), but when they finished

talking, the policemen left. We were taken to a hotel, completely surrounded and guarded by Israelis, from where we could not escape, and then - to the airport.

So, my family, and me, we were taken to Israel by force, against our will, this was a captivity! Israel is not our country. Our native country is Belarus, and we still consider

ourselves as citizens of Belarus. We are not Israeli citizens because that citizenship was thrust on us.

NOTE: I could support this statement by my declarations, which I made, when I lived in ex-USSR and in Israel. You could see obviously that these declarations were

written many years ago or even make a criminological test to define their age. They are: 1) My declaration to the procuratories of the both districts of city Bobruysk

(Lenin and Pervomay), and to the General procuratory of Bobruysk, in which I tried to protest my ultimative deportation to Israel. (1990) 2) My declaration about Israel's

illegal activity in Belarus (1988-89). 3) My declaration to the Israeli authorities (1991-1994). Please, take it into considaration ! ! !

NEXT DOCUMENT: Document Number 3

PREVIOUS DOCUMENT: Document number 2

For Mr. Louis-Phillippe SIMARD, Manager, Post Determination Review

FROM Lev GUNIN

(FILE Number 2948-6524/ 95/76/23/18

ID: 3082-7125/7174/7220/7231/7317/)

DOCUMENT NUMBER 3

TRANSLATOR'S SABOTAGE

3.1.The very first time went to Mr. Le Brune's office when we were in a hotel for refugees (YMCA) yet.

3.2.We also came to Mrs. Broder's apartment to "complete the PIF" and to "compose the story" in November 1994.

3.3.I told Mrs. Broder that I have already composed my refugee claim. And gave her the text of my claim in Russian and in English. I refused

to cooperate with her in "composing the story." She was extremely persistent and ultimate, but also flexible and cunning in achieving her

goals. When she understood that she could not break my will not to participate in "composing the story," she told us to come later. Between

that and the next appointment my wife was worked upon by Lucy (our relative, whose negative attitude towards me in ex-USSR and in

Israel scared me a lot in the past) and by Mrs. Broder. They told her that all direct or indirect criticism of the state of Israel must be excluded

from my statement. They also told that I should not mention Israeli army, censorship in Israel, human rights violations, police brutality, and

provocation against me made by police; my tensions with Mossad and Shabak, or persecutions against me ordered by Israeli authorities.

The psychological pressure on my wife and on me was so strong that it could push us towards a suicide. We also met Mr. Le Brune in that

period of time, and he also suggested that our claim have to be based on everyday occurrences and social conflicts, but not on political

persecutions. When we met Mrs. Eleonora Broder next time I started to fight each sentence, but it was very complicated since my wife had

arguments with me taking Eleonora's side. But I want to make it clear: MY WIFE AND ME - WE NEVER AUTHORIZED MRS. BRODER

TO CHANGE OR MODIFY OUR REFUGEE CLAIM. We only agreed to allow some shortening.

3.4.Very soon Mrs. Broder called us and told us to sign her translation. I asked her to read us the context in Russian, but she refused

motivating her refusal by the lack of time. She also told us that only 5 more days are left (to complete the PIF and submit the claim; and that

the total number of days is 14), and if it would not be submitted, then a deportation order is going to be issued for us. (In reality 20 days or

even more are given, but we did not know about that). Then I told her that I could type my story with her shortenings just in 1 hour in English

myself - and give her or another translator to sign it (because I wanted to control its context, and I was not good enough in French by then).

She told me that in Quebec only French-written claims are accepted. Because of her threats and because my wife was near a hysterics I

was forced to sign it.

3.5.In December 1994 and January 1995 I gave a copy of Mrs. Broder's translation of my refugee claim to several people; they knew

French very well. Using their help I discovered that the context of our refugee claim was seriously distorted and sometimes even converted

by Mrs. Broder. Some details were given in such interpretation (translation) that they contradicted with other details. We also discovered

that the text of her French translation was different from her back translation into Russian made after my request and written by her own

hand. (I wanted to verify her translation). When Lucy's purposes of what she did to us might been explained by various reasons, the

purpose of Mrs. Broder might be only one: to sabotage the translation. I repeat that she distorted the translation not because of

incompetence or unconsciousness mistakes but on purpose. And I have good evidence: she excluded one paragraph from my story

without even discussing it with us. It was a description of humiliation over other Russian-speaking workers and me by employers-Israelis in

August 1991. Instead of typing this paragraph she made a statement in my name not just generalizing the situation, but placing an abstract

declaration about slavery in Israel. When I asked her later why she did it, she answered that immigration commissioners would never believe

that something like this exist in Israel. "They would call it "slavery" - and tell you that slavery doesn't exist in Israel. Why then she inserted

that pure statement about slavery in Israel in my name? If even a description of real events, which could be treated as a denunciation of

slavery is "bad", a pure statement about slavery (without any explanation) is "more worse" then?! I could only explain that by favor, which

Mrs. Broder did to the commissioners (immigration oficer in particular) - because they later used this exactly paragraph (in Mrs. Broder's

translation of my refugee claim) as a key indication of "exaggerations" and based their rejection of our refugee claim mostly on it. Mrs.

Broder also told me that she inserted this paragraph because I mentioned slavery in one of our conversations. I said that it does not mean

that I permitted to insert it.

3.6. I said that I do not remember if I really said that. In response Eleonora said that she secretly recorded all our conversations and now

could prove that I told it. She never agreed to correct her translation. She even threaten me by telling that she is going to present above

mentioned tapes to the immigration tribunal - and she claimed that I spoke enough on these tapes to make a conclusion that I am

dangerous to Israel and "was persecuted correctly".

3.7. The translation of our claim was also made in a sarcastic and humiliating manner as if the translator not just repeated the Russian text

in French, but wrote a humorist story about what was described. 3.8. Lucy constantly threatened us during my dispute with Eleonora, and I

think that her threats came as a reaction on my pretensions to Eleonora. She was threatening us from February till May 1995. She told that