Letter to Senator McCain from Polish American Advocacy Group 2835 Knollside Ln.

Dear Senator McCain:

On May 3, 2012 in Vilnius (Wilno), Lithuania Senator McCain is going to participate in Forum of Parliamentary Democracy conference.

This international conference will concentrate on the role of parliamentarians in enhancing democracies in Eastern Europe; will discuss democratic perspectives of Eastern European nations, with a special focus on political developments in the region and challenges and visions of international integration and cooperation.

The event will also address the cases of Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine; analyze the main problems and opportunities faced by democratic development in these countries.

Unfortunately, I am outraged that the issue of violating human rights against Polish minority in Lithuania will not be raised.  How is it possible, since the conference will focus on such issues in the countries I mentioned before? Lithuania is not a democratic country and it should be advised how to behave.

As an American Citizen, as well as a Vice President of Polish American Advocacy Group (PAAG), I would to protest the ongoing discrimination of the Polish minority in Lithuania. It is unacceptable that the United States Government stands mute before the abuse of Lithuania’s Polish minority.

This is a great irony that the conference is scheduled for 3 May, the Constitution Day of 1792 celebrated in Lithuania and Poland.

I think you are aware that Lithuania was a chairman of the Organization on Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), and is a member of NATO.  It is against the spirit of both these organizations the introduction an educational law last spring in 2011, which results in closing 50 Polish Schools and in making compulsory the Lithuanian language as the language of instruction in Polish Schools.  Moreover, Lithuania’s Polish minority does not receive equal protection under Lithuanian law for the restitution of private property that was nationalized by the former Soviet Union.  The Polish minority is also forced to write their names in Lithuanian transcription, and street signs in the Polish language in regions where the Polish minority lives are forbidden.  The Poles are punished, when the display them in Polish.

Why are you not going to protest against the forced Lithuanisation of the Polish minority during this conference?  The United States is a guarantor of Lithuania’s independence; therefore,   the United States has the right to demand from Lithuanian authorities to stop this fascist policy. I request that you take action against ongoing undemocratic actions of the Lithuanian government towards Polish minority so that the United States Government, international organizations, and world public opinion may be aware of Lithuania’s abuse of its Polish minority.

The Lithuanian President Grybauskaite (Grzybowska) is treating Polish government as garbage.  Just recently she declined an invitation to take part in a meeting between Polish President Komorowski as well as Latvian and Estonian Presidents. The topic for the meeting was preparation for the NATO summit, which will take in Chicago in May this year. They were mainly discussing the security issues of Baltic States.

As you can see the Lithuanian President does not want to resolve the issue of discrimination of Poles in Lithuania with Polish authorities. Therefore I think that only the United States can efficiently influence Lithuania to stop this abusing policy.

Thank you in advance for your time and assistance in this matter.

Sincerely Yours,

Jacek Marczynski

Vice President of

Polish American Advocacy Group