Today, as always, we talk much, but do little. The great words-FREEDOM, EQUALITY, BROTHERHOOD – have ruthlessly been degraded and emasculated of their meaning. Over many decades there have flourished violence, boorishness, ignorance and self-seeking in this country, which proves that our talk about morals has, for many years, been just prattling. Can it really be true that a feeling of mercy has been exterminated from our everyday life? I remember, however, how my people joined their efforts in building houses, not only for ones who lost all their possessions in a fire, but also for those who hardly made both ends meet. I remember my grandfather having taken me to a mosque and asking me to give alms to the beggars. Then the government declared that we did not have beggars any more.
Great Pushkin’s verses come to my mind: "How in this cruel age I celebrated freedom, and begged for mercy towards those cast down." Pushkin’s behests are the moral demand of any epoch that embraces charity, compassion.
By the will of fate, and by the strength of my mind I always tried to stand aloof from notorious politics, as much as possible. I fervently defended the islet of my loneliness. I was happy that I was getting on in my effort, with difficulty though, believing that in the conditions of moral stagnation one’s active work is a long wayfarer’s cry in the wilderness.
The writer always tries to smooth the wrinkles of real life, of our society whose moral make-up has become intolerable. Our souls have coarsened, venom and envy boil in man. Callousness has wrapped up our home only to lay bare the awful gulf formed between the matter and mind. We have broken from the morals common to all mankind and have repudiated ethics. It is extremely difficult to come into one’s own in such a life. All of us are now having harsh times: a writer, a worker, a scholar, to mention just a few. We have been building socialism for 70-odd years now and have been standing in cues of the hungry.
Once upon a time I wrote a story about a front line soldier who, on going to the front, addressed his beloved with the following words: " We shall lead a well-to-do life after the war." But he returned crippled. We have been living in peace for forty five years already, but neither the soldiers of the War of the Fatherland, nor their sons, nor their grandchildren, participants in the Afghan War, have lived normal lives. The time rolls by, but grief remains on earth, non the less. The whole world has changed after the war, but paradoxically enough the vanquished lead prosperous life and the victors suffer from ignorance and poverty.
We must realize once and for all that political idle fancies and a chimera of the bright future have suppressed the forces of reason and creativity. This is especially valid concerning all that is pertinent to nuclear violence. Going into raptures over military might is vicious. The greatness of a state is defined by its attitude toward man and his lifestyle. Earth men must realize themselves in practice as a single knitted family. At least we must understand that values common to all mankind must be give top priority, vis-a-vis military and position-of-strength aspirations. Unwise politics has always made a rod for its own back.
In the Abai region, where for over forty years there sounded nuclear explosions, a mother of three leukemia-affected children called for help, pleading with me thus: "Brother, help me! We are dying. For God’s sake save my children!" And my ears are still ringing with that wretched woman’s voice. One more time I ask the question: "What should the writer’s stand be?" And probably, I won’t be able to find a reply til my very last day.
But, turn to look the children in the face, who suffer from ailments. Don’t pass by; lend a helping hand; do something good for them. You can.
Neither happiness, nor peace will there be on Earth, if a child, worn out by disease, cries and languishes; no achievements, boons or satiety then justify mankind.
My dear compatriot! I would like to tell you that we cannot just remain passive witnesses of what is going around. I am sure of your support, and I am addressing the Regional Soviet of People’s Deputies, with a request to allow me to open in Semipalatinsk, an account for "The Foundation for Children-Victims of Nuclear Tests." The anti-nuclear "Nevada-Semipalatinsk" movement befittingly accomplishes its main task of stopping nuclear tests in the whole world. The foundation in question is to alleviate the fate of sick children, cripples, orphans, large families, particularly, the children stricken by ecological catastrophes and natural calamities. The encouragement and practical support of doomed children is a constituent part of the nuclear test victims’ movement.
I donated my emoluments from the book "The Day the World Collapsed", dealing with the first H-bomb testing and devoted to the citizens of Nevada and Semipalatinsk to the Foundation. More than that, the Foundation will be receiving part of my royalties for every new book put out at home and abroad, as well as the money I receive for my public appearances. My first contribution will amount to 30,000 rubles. My desire to establish the Foundation has fervently been supported by my counterparts, my friends, by public figures and private citizens in Japan, Finland, Germany and Hungary who are prepared to cooperate with the Foundation. What is more, charitable commercial joint ventures will be established by mutual agreement and individual donations will be received from the citizens of various countries.
I am urging everyone not to abandon or leave our children in trouble. The Koran and the Gospel say that a repentant sinner is dearer than a righteous man. I continue by addressing my colleagues, men of art, all those who wish to hear me.
I wish to believe that the insane nuclear age will be gone, and human civilization, which has been gained through much suffering of the best human minds, will eventually survive, thanks to tolerance and humanness. And, as this is so, we could with the sense of discharged duty, transfer the fruits of world civilization to generations to come. The future belongs to children!
Respectfully submitted,
Rollan Seisenbayev
Writer, Moscowp. s. More, I am planning to compile a book composed of the letters and diaries of those who suffered from the nuclear Moloch. April 6,1990
TEXT OF SPEECH ROLLAN SEISENBAYEV
We who have gathered here today are ubited by our common concern for peace, charity and humanity in the world.
A healthy civilization is founded upon, and derives its strengh from, its commitment no common goals.
Harry Truman once told Dean Rusk that the Presidency of the Rockefeller Soundation was the best job one could ever have.
In the 1960 s, the Rockefeller Foundation funded the construction of a modest hospital and medical school in Beijing. Today they have become the Center of Chinese Medicine.
I am proud to say that our fund is now affiliated with the Center.
The activinies of all charitable funds and organizations are inspired,y feelings of humanity, generosity and compassion.
The programs of all these funds need not be based on market factors. Our simple task is contribute to the morality of mankind. We enviaion such a morality in these terms.
A person gives birth to an idea, the idea then spawns action, and the action earns recognition. Everybody kniws the names Peter Goldmark, the President of the Rockfeller Foundation, Dennis Hayes, the brain behind the Earth Day celebration, and Olzhas Suleimeanov, the founder of the Nevada-Semipalatinsk Anti-Nuclear Movement. Of course, we all know of others who have devoted their lives to the struggle against nuclear violence who have undeservebly gone unsung.
My new book, The Grain Grows on Top Cadavers, is about the life of Americans and Kazakhs suffering the nuclear madness, and dying of leukemia and cancer. I dedicate this book to all of you and to the children who have died as a conseguence of the nuclear tests and those who are still alive today.
A great American, William Penn, "You will aee what love can do." He became the personification of dignity, consience and purity of colonial America.
In his novel "Fiesta" another great American, Ernest Hemingway expreessed an egually important nhought. "A man cannot do his damnest alone."
These are the thoughts of the human spirit that unite us and are likewise the main topics of today’s conference.
I think that the shaping of a human being is still unfinished, and man is still striving to a superuor state.
Humans must be concerned about it all the time, and if they are not, they will be preparep for Truth.
The development of the human being differs in each of the four corners of the world, but those who are atrong and are ready to join together, those who are not wasting their time, will fail miserably if the Truth does not come.
The triumph of a human being need not be ephemeral (ee-FEM-er-ahl); we have to strive to the eternal victory of spirit and mind.
We have to call to the Truth. It is a false and unnecessary hope to believe that God’s alone can do it for us.
Now the force from below is the most fleeting on the earth.
That’s why it is important for all of us to each make personal efforts toward achieving a spiritual will, to search for good-heartedness and to regect all the ideas coming from our minds such as stupidity of physical nature, passions of greed and selfishness, to reject yourself and give all of yoursekf to the moves of the holy soul, to wish nothing but purity, light and openness. It’s the only way to master our spirits, lives and bodies.
Our kimited, eartky minds fre trying to judge the Eternity. We are trying to put it the frame of our standards and norms. We do not understand the danger of