Russia this week celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Nazi defeat. But one Russian World War II vet is “ashamed” her country toasts peace while waging war on the people of Chechnya.
She’s Yelena Bonner, the 71-year-old human rights advocate who received an honorary degree in Chicago last month from John Marshall Law School. With daughter Tatiana at her side translating, the widow of Russian dissident Andre Sakharov scoffed at those who call Russia’s invasion of Chechnya a “mistake” by President Boris Yeltsin.
“I believe it instead should be called his crime,” said Bonner, who resigned from Yeltsin’s human rights commission to protest the war.
In general, she said, it’s a “myth” the world is at peace. “We have 50 wars going on in the world. We call them border conflicts, but if we total all the loss of human life it equals that of the world wars.”
At John Marshall to discuss Russian democratic institutions, Bonner got a taste of democracy, Chicago style. Not one reporter came to cover her speech. Too much going on in the city.
It was the day after our mayoral election.
All politics is local, Yelena.
