Date: Sat, 7 Jan 1995 04:47:42 +0100 (NFT) From: LEE08@PLPUAM11.amu.edu.pl Lesbian and Gay Express "EAST-WEST" No. 2 ************************************************** Central and East European Gay and Lesbian network ************************************************** Dear Friends ! The next issue you have now in your hands has just been born, ufff!!! I am very glad of your interest in our (yours) periodical. We recived many letters with interesting and valuable remarks. Especially we would like to thank everybody who has offered us help in adjusting and distribution l/g Ex "E-W". Our connection to telnet system and e-mail posibilites seems to be very useful. We would like to encourage You to use this fast, easy to use and free of charge (for almost all of us, CEE lesbian and gay) data transfering system. Students, scientist and many other professions have posibilites to use e- mail account in local server in most EEC countries. But a lot of us do not know about it or are afraid of using it. But do taste it and You will love it. To start netting some knowledge is required. Unfortunatelly we have not got so much space to write about it but each local server have got special person responsible for this server named "local network administrator" and he/she have to inform You about it in detailes. In next issue we will publish a short guide to netting with an e-mail address, in next l/g Ex "E-W". One of the proof of netting importance is a special discussion panel which will take place during ILGA Regional Conference in Helsinki 27-30 December this year. Well, we would like to inform You that we have some vacant and unused space in letter we send to You so if you would like to spread some leaflets or special info we are able to put it into envelope with l/g Ex "E-W". We send it to almost 100 addresses. We would like to underline that updated CEE organisations address list is very important ( I think not only for us) and if You can send us even post card to confirm that you have recived our periodical and your address we have got is correct and that You are interested in reciving our periodical, we would be very glad. East-West Express would like to wish all his readers Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Responsible for edition, Leszek Bolewski ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: We would like to thank: "Inaczej" magazine for support in posting first number "l/g Ex "East-West". The Polish Gay and Lesbian Group in Canada for adjusting this issue and financing posting, printing copys distribution in North America (about 80 copy!) Stanley R. American friend of Lambda-Poznan for financial support of this issue. Polish Gay Magazin "Men" for stamps for this issue posting. and many, many others for good advice and "good word", thank You ************************************************** *********D Published by: LAMBDA - POZNAN, skr. poczt. 176, 60-959 Poznan 2, Poland fax: + 48.61.658-701 phone: + 48.61.775-089, e-mail:Lee08@plpuam11.amu.edu.pl Editor in Chief: Leszek Bolewski, Secretary of LAMBDA-POZNAN Galley Proof Reading: Scott Feltman Editorial staff: Marcin Hoffmann, PAJ , Grzegorz Popek, Bernard Domanski Bank account:ASSOCIATION OF LAMBDA GROUPS:PKO IV o/Wroclaw, 93549-102502-132 with note "Gay - Express" Advertisments 0.25 ECU per 1 square cm ALBANIA GAY ACTIVISTS ARRESTED AND TORTURED IN ALBANIA. Members of Albania's first and only gay and lesbian organization, Shoqata Gay Albania, have been rounded up and severely beaten by police in an apparent attempt to discover the name of the group's president. According to information received by the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), three members of Shoqata Gay Albania were seized by police in the capital, Tirana, on the night of Friday, 14 October. They were accused of belonging to an illegal organization. Police beat them for several hours, demanding the names of the president and other members. IGLHRC understands that one of the victims is still being held, and is apparently undergoing interrogation. Another is in the hospital, unconscious and with a broken leg. A third is at his own home, with injuries sustained during the police beatings. Shoqata Gay Albania was founded in March 1994. Since homosexual acts between consenting adult males remains illegal in Albania, the group was unable to seek legal recognition. The Albanian government has proposed a revision of the law criminalizing consensual adult homosexual acts which would reduce the punishment for such acts from 3 to 10 years' imprisonment. The proposal, which falls far short of the complete decriminalization ostensibly required of applicant countries to the Council of Europe, is scheduled for parliamentary debate in November. "This level of official persecution of gay people resembles Nazi tactics in the 1930's," remarked Jorge Cortinas, Program Director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. "Defenders of liberty and human rights around the world need to denounce such state directed persecution in clear and unequivocal terms." /by euro-queer/ Gay activists arrested and beaten in Albania. TIRANA, - Albanian police arrested and beat up three gay activists, accusing them of being members of an illegal organisation, the human rights group Amnesty International said on Friday. Amnesty said a statement issued in Tirana the three men, members of the Gay Albania Society who wished to remain anonynous, were severely beaten in a Tirana police station on October 14 and 15. One man was later taken unconscious to hospital where he was treated for multiple fractures in one leg, Amnesty said. He had since been discharged from hospital. "Our organisation fears that others may face similiar treatment in response to recent attmepts by gay activists in Albania to fight prejudice and gain equality and integration in Albanian society," the London-based group said. It said the three men might be charged with engaging in homosexual acts, an offence punishable under laws dating from the communist era by up to 10 years in jail. The Gay Albania Society was formed last March to defend the interests of male and female homosexuals and achieve their full equality and integration in Albanian society. It also aims to spread positive and objective information about the homosexual minority and fight against prejudice, fanaticism, hatred and AIDS. Albania's parliament is soon to debate a new criminal code which reduces punishment for homosexuality to a fine or up to three years imprisonment. Amnesty said it had appealed to the Albanian authorities to eliminate these provisions, saying they could be used to prosecute and imprison adults who practiced homosexuality in private. "Amnesty stated that such imprisonment violates the principles of non-discrimination and privacy provided for in the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, which Albania has ratified," it said./ Nov 4, Reuter/ CROATIA FIRST SUPPORT GROUP FOR PWAs was established in Croatia. [Inaczej 52] CZECH REPUBLIC CZECHs IN GAY GAMES '94. Four Czech gays participated in the New York Gay Games '94. It was the first Czech participation in the Gay Games. They won three gold, one silver and three bronze medals. [Inaczej 52] 188 people living with HIV/AIDS have been recorded in the Czech Republic. Currently, 48 people are terminally ill and 29 people have died of AIDS. [Inaczej 51] LATVIA LATVIAN GAY AND LESBIAN TRAVEL AGENCY has been established in Latvia. The Agency organizes trips across Lativia and informs travellers about gay bars, discos and saunas in Lativia. [Inaczej -51] THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF LATVIA has made a statement regarding homosexuality. The statement is said to be based on the Bible and the message is, that propaganda for homosexuality has to be counteracted. The Church expresses its support for all individuals who are fighting against this deadly sin within themselves. It is also opposed to all attempts to describe homosexuality as a normal human orientation and a free choice. As a result of its interpretation of the Bible The Latvian Lutheran Church has declared, that no gay man or lesbian can hold a position within the Church. Further the Communian is denied gay men and lesbians until they repent their sins. Source :Reporter 1994/11, by euro-gueer/ LITHUANIA FIRST GAY MAGAZIN "Amsterdamas" was issued in Vilnus.[Inaczej 52] POLAND "RED" BY KIESLOWSKI. It seems that the dreams of many gays for a movie where homosexuality is depictated, not merely as the subject of curiosity, but as a real way of living are about to come true. Krzysztof Kieslowski has interspersed his latest picture "Red" with a homosexual plot. He does it not to create some kind of sensation, not as a separate plot in the film, but just as real life. There are many other things in the film, so an onlooker do not feel that he is looking at "freaks in action". We strongly recommend that you see the picture. [MEN 9/94] CHRISTIANS AND AIDS. The publishing house "W drodze" from Poznan has published a book about AIDS. It is a translation of an American AIDS guide for teachers. The book consists of basic knowledge about the disease; it comments upon the Catholic Church's attitude towards PWAs and it tries to refute a lot of stereotypes. The authors also doubt the wisdom of relying on condoms. They quote the results of scientific research that proves the deceptiveness of such protection. The opinion of Cardinal Basil Hume, which is also included in the book, seems to be very important for Polish Catholics. He said that AIDS is not a punishment for sins and that there was no ecxuse for agression against PWAs. According to the Cardinal, an explosion of merciless condemnation is not the right attitude for a real Christian. The Polish priest Arkadiusz Nowak wrote in a letter included in the book: "I hope that no one living with HIV or AIDS feels helpless, friendless and lonely right beside you." [INACZEJ No 51] FEWER AND FEWER BELIVING CHRISTIANS. Between 1987 and 1994 Polish society's approval for the activities of the Catholic Church dimnished from 80% of the population to 54% while at the same time disapproval increased from 12% to 46%. These are the results of public opinion pulls done by CBOS among 1500 adult Poles between 1987 - 1994. [iNACZEJ No 51] AID FOR POLISH LESBIANS AND GAYS. The Polish Gay and Lesbian Association in Canada announced the results of the second competition for grants for cultural and economical projects for gay organisations and private people in Poland. Unfortunately, it was not possible to support all of the interesting projects and some requests for assistance could not be satisfied. After voting, it was decided to sponsor two projects. Lambda Poznan will be given $300 to renovate rooms given out by city authorities. Lambda wants to create a kind of gay-lesbian centre. Another $300 was awarded to publish poetry and short stories telling about "different kinds of love". It was also decided that Lambda groups will be given $1300 to cover the cost of sending (from Canada to Poland) leaflets concerning gay and lesbian emancipation and AIDS prevention. [INACZEJ No 51] LESBIANS ON THE TOP. Recently, more and more articles about lesbians have been appearing in the Polish press. Journalists from women's magazines use the topic with enormous willingness. Probably the main reason for it is that people accept lesbians easier . It appears that lesbians as a social group are more isolated than gays and that a major part of straight society considers lesbian sex less dirty. Articles have recently appeared in "Claudia" and "Magazyn Gazety Wyborczej". Sexual aspects of the issue addressed in these articles seem to be quite controversial. For example, a part of the article in "Claudia" reads as follows: "The essence of bisexuality is that a person has problems with one's sexual identity. It means that she or he hardly accepts her or his feminity or masculinity. But it is not some kind of illness. Bisexuality is more common in women." [iNACZEJ No 51] I'M A GAY. This is the title of an interview with Marek Barbasiewicz, an actor from the Polish Theatre in Warsaw, printed by "Wieczor Wybrzeza". He openly admitted that he was gay and also said that he had never had any problems with it in the theatre. He added that the present Minister of Culture emphasized tolerance. Barbasiewicz had less good to say about other theatre people, especially show bussines managers. He reported that a few times he did not get a job because of his sexual orientation. He also believes that his sexual orientation is strongly connected to his father complex. It was the first completely open coming out of a publicly known person in Poland. [INACZEJ No 51] GAY MURDER. Police are looking for the murderer of a 27 year old gay man from Katowice. The victim's body was found by the dead man's sister. The deceased had his throat cut and had several cuts and puncture wounds. This murder has caused a panic among Silesian gays. Police suspect that it might be a kind of jealous lover vendetta or that a serial gay murderer might have done it. Police found on the victim's flat wall the following inscription: "You poofs", "I'll finish by killin' you", "This is the second, it'll be four of you". It suggests that there is not only one victim. Probably the body of another dead gay man is lying on the bottom of a pond somewhere in Katowice. So the police are wondering who will be the next victim. After the murder, the chair of SGLambda, Ryszard M. Madetko, sent a letter to Ryszard Mastelerz, subinspector of the investigation. He wrote that it is apparent that society's attidutes to gay people cause this kind of agreession. Madetko also asked the commanding officer to speed the investigation up so that the murderer can be quickly found and punished. He hoped as well that his letter would be an incentive to make the police's actions more efficient. [INACZEJ No 51] YOUR VOICE IS VERY IMPORTANT. The board of the LAMBDA Group Association has made a request to all gay and lesbians, their friends, farourably disposed parents, sisters and brothers and all symphathizers to send a petition to the Polish Sejm. They've asked everyone to send a small envelope-format card with this text: "I support adding a provision to the new Constitution that prohibits any discrimination based on sexual orientation. I am a free citizen and want Poland to become a fully democratic country, with equality before the law for all its citizens. My signature doesn't indicate my sexual orientation." Below this text you should write your name, address, your passport number and then sign it, and send it to the Secretary of the Association of LAMBDA Groups (to LAMBDA-TORUN). You can sign the petition only one time. We beg all Polish citizens for help with this because of its great importance to us and because, historically, no such provision has ever been included in the Constitution. [Secretary of Association of LAMBDA Groups, Jerzy Stycunow] LAMBDA IN THE "LEVIATAN". Ryszard Madetko, the president of the LAMBDA Groups' Association, was invited to take part in an interesting TV programme called "The Leviatan". It also included Marek Jurek (from the ZChN - The Christian - National Right Party), Prof. Mikolaj Kozakiewicz and Slawek Starosta (a popular gay pop-singer) among the guests. The debate concentrated on homosexual orientation, the lack of common tolerance, the possibilities of rightful legalization of homosexual partnership, and homoeroticism among clerics. The impression left after the broadcast is that the participants had a very poor comprehension of gays and lesbians. The role of the President of SG LAMBDA was to show that the gay community intends to play a bigger role in social and political life. The broadcast was on the 29th of August on Channel 1 of Polish TV.[Board of SG LAMBDA] "VIOLET PULS" ESPECIALLY FOR GIRLS. The first issue of a unique newpaper in Poland, edited by girls and dedicated to them, has appeared. It's called "THE VIOLET PULS". It's the sister bulletin of the "Pink Puls", edited by the LAMBDA GDANSK II group. The first number consists of information, a feulleton, some cosmetic advice and images of two interesting and beautiful actresses. That's all on eight (for the time being) A5 pages. Every girl can obtain it by post by sending her adress and postage stamps to LAMBDA GDANSK II. [ LAMBDA GDANSK II ] WHAT DOES LAMBDA WARSZAWA DO?. LAMBDA-WARSZAWA recently won a competition for a grant from the European PHARE fund. A plan to seek an antidiscrimination clause in the new Polish Constitution was presented to the fund. They have provided for the translation and the publication of the major documents of the European Union regarding the equality of rights for homosexual persons as well as a law-guide for gays and lesbians (e.g. how to establish a partnership under a civil contract). The money from PHARE is intended to rent and set up an office for LAMBDA. It will permit a gay support telephone line, psychological support groups, video presentations and club activities. [ LAMBDA-WARSZAWA ] THE RECTRACTED ACTION. The board of the foundation "Help for Children Living with HIV/AIDS" intended to launch its drive for food and money for people living with HIV/AIDS at the Old Square in Katowice. However , the municipality didn't allow this to go ahead. In Katowice province, 400 infected persons have been registered, including 10 children. The foundation, the only one in the province, is still helping them. At present, it supports some centers for these people, in the country and in Katowice and Czestochowa. The head of the Citizen Affairs Division of the Municipal Office, Mr Stefan Smolka, wrote that the refusal results from numerous complaints from the residents after previous efforts. It has been suggested that the drive be organized in another popular place (the "Spodek"). Since this is a much less crowded place, the drive would not have been successful and pleas were dropped. [Filo, No.51] CENTER FOR VOLUNTEERS for terminally ill AIDS people will be organized in Poland by Barbara Hansen. She is a United Nations volunteer. Barbara Hasen would like to create a fully professional and efficiently managed Centre. [Inaczej 51] MORE FREE CONDOMS FOR GAYS. President of the SG LAMBDA arranged a meeting with the chairman of UNIMIL, Andrzej Draus. UNIMIL is a main condom producer in Poland. It has made special "DUET" condoms for male-male sex as well. Enchancing distribution and advertising was discussed during the meeting. LAMBDA and UNIMIL will push to make the Ministry of Health participate in sponsoring Duet condoms. The free condoms will be distributed in the gay community. CONDOMS FOR SCOOL BOYS. LAMBDA-KRAKOW sent condoms to school boys in Nowa Huta. The young people asked LAMBDA for them. GAY AND LESBIAN BLOOD BANK. LAMBDA-KRAKOW is encouraging blood donations by gays and lesbians for people living with HIV/AIDS. [LAMBDA-KRAKOW] HOW OFTEN POLES MAKE LOVE . An average Pole makes love 94 times in a year (36 times less than the Dutch), but wants to make love 200 - 500 times a year. The happiest people sexually were people aged 30. [Inaczej 51] GAY BODY-BUILDING STUDIO. LAMBDA-WARSZAWA organized a gay body-building group. This kind of sports team is not popular in Poland. It will be the first gay sport team in Poland. [LAMBDA-WARSZAWA] ANNIVERSARY. The first year's anniversary of "Sauna Club" (the most popular gay and lesbian bar in Krakow) was held on August 23th. It is very friendly place for LAMBDA activities. Unfortunately, other Polish gay bars are not so friendly. [LAMBDA-KRAKOW] KOTANSKY'S APPEAL. On behalf of hundreds of PWAs, Marek Kotanski has appealed to everyone for money to obtain a licence in Poland for the famous immune treatment of Dr Jovanovic. Many patients are waiting for this cure. Let's give them the chance: send money on account: PBK, IX Oddzial w Warszawie, Nr 370031-30-254-132, with the following note: "Atest" [Inaczej 51] MAY WE PERMIT HOMOSEXUALS TO ...."Gazeta Wyborcza" (no.198, 26th Aug 1994) has published results of public opinion pool concerned homosexuality. According to this 56% of asked people would and 34% would not allow gays & lesbians to open clubs, 53% would and 36% would not permit to found gay&lesbian organizations. Next categories were: -publishing gay&lesbian magazines: yes - 51%, no - 40%, -holding main national offices: yes - 25%, no - 63%, -homosexual marriages: yes - 19%, no - 71%, -homosexual as a teacher: yes - 13%, no - 79%, -children adoption: yes - 6%, no - 88%. "Gazeta Wyborcza" correctlly mentioned that high educated people living in big cities easier approved homosexuality. The pool was carried out among 1197 adult Poles. LESBIAN AND GAY TOPICS IN POLISH MASS MEDIA. *Chanel 1 of Polish TV broadcasted "Ways of Love" by Jaime Chavare [MEN 9/94] *Krakow Radio RMF: the one and only coverage from the New York Gay Games '94. Besides sport details the coverage also included info about political events taking place during Gay Games '94. [MEN 9/94] *The leader of the"Balkan Electrique" pop group and the editor in chief of the gay magazine "Men", Slawek Starosta, won third place in the music contest arranged by Channel 1 of Polish TV monthly. Slawek Starosta is openly gay. He frequently appears in Polish TV in disscusions about gay topics.[Men 9/94] *In the August 8th edition of the magazine "Polityka" (the first article about gays in Poland appeared in this magazine 6 years ago), there is an article entitled "Neighbourhood of Lesbos" by Barbara Pietkiewicz. [Inaczej 52] * In the August 27th edition of "Gazeta Wyborcza", there is an essay called "AIDS" - A Great Trial". It is actually a review of a book by Jan Turnau, "Christian in the Face of AIDS [Inaczej 52] *On July 25th "Gazeta w Krakowie", the regional edition of "Gazeta Wyborcza", published a report from the Krakow lesbian and gay bar "Sauna Club" entitled "It' doesn't matter who you love". On July 22th in the same newspaper, Magda Huzarska-Szumiec had an article " To be gay, to be lesbian". [Inaczej 52] GAYS AND LESBIANS ARE TREATED WORSE THAN THE OTHERS. According to public opinion poll made by Demoskop only 22% of Poles says that homosexuals are treated in the same way as heterosexual majority. More than the half of asked persons maintains that homosexuals are treated worse than rest of the society, but 3% claims that better(!?!). The poll concerning treating homosexuals, Jews, Gypsies and ex-communists in Poland took place among 958 Poles over 15 in October 1994. According to Demoskop 46% of Poles claims that Jews are treated in the same way as the others, 29% says that worse but 11% that better. The poll reads that 50% of Poles are convinced that Gypsies are treated worse, 32% that they are not discriminated and 7% thinks that Gypsies are favoured. Almost a half of Poles (48%) maintains that ex-communists are treated in the same way as other people, 22% claims that worse and 17% would be able to say that ex-communists live better way than the rest of Polish society. SLOVAKIA FORUM GOES EAST. This is the slogan of the Gay Christian Forum that took place in Bratislava last summer. About 100 Christians from 20 European countries participated in the conference. The Forum was organized by Bratislava Ganymedes and HuK from Wien. The main topics were "My belief" and "Coming out". The interesting conclusion is that in both the east and the west gays and lesbian have similar problems attaining full citizenship rights. The social position of gays and lesbians depends on the social conscience of the country's "straight" citizens. During this conference, Christian gays and lesbians marched in the center of Bratislava with the world's biggest pink triangle. [Inaczej 52] ROMANIA Romanian Church head condemns milder gay sex law. The head of Romania's Orthodox Church has asked parliament to reverse new milder laws on homosexuality, calling for a return to communist-era legislation making gay sex a crime. In a petition issued on Monday Patriarch Teoctist told politicians to reconsider a vote last week to make homosexual acts a crime only when they affront public morals. Until then homosexual acts had been punishable by up to five years jail. ''Even in times of greatest trial our forebears knew how to distinguish between sin and virtue, natural and unnatural, normal and abnormal,'' Teoctist said in a paper which managed to avoid using the term ''homosexuality'' -- taboo under the communists, ousted in a bloody 1989 revolution. Teoctist, who counts more than 80 percent of Romania's almost 23 million people among his flock, said the country did not have to abandon its values in order to integrate with Western European standards and institutions. ''Contrary to appearances, European structures will accept us in their fold with our specific values and our traditional Christian identity,'' he said. ''The Church rejects unclean love...the tyranny of selfish, barren passion.'' /Nov 7, REUTER/ RUSSIA MOSCOW, Russian legislators, suspicious that outsiders are behind the invasion of their country by AIDS, want to test all foreigners for the virus and deport those who test positive or refuse testing. A proposed law -- which could force all tourists to get tests in Russia -- has led to an outcry from foreigners, who say it would violate their rights, hurt tourism and be virtually impossible to enforce. Many foreigners are reluctant to use Russia's notoriously unsanitary medical facilities. But the bill sailed through the Duma, Russia's usually fractious lower chamber of parliament, its strong Russia-first appeal uniting nationalists, Communists and reformers alike. "This is clearly a discriminatory measure aimed at foreigners," Boris Mikhailov, a political scientist at the Russian Institute for USA and Canada, said Monday. "The nationalist tendency in the Duma is getting stronger every day." Only three deputies in the 450-seat Duma opposed the bill, which must still be approved by the upper chamber and President Boris Yeltsin. Many Russians blame the West for the rise in prostitution, pornography and other social ills since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Some even accuse the CIA of creating the AIDS virus. Millions of foreign citizens, the majority from former Soviet republics, reside in Russia. The first case of AIDS in Russia was diagnosed in 1987. Until 1990, the disease was spread either by foreigners or as a result of poor medical practices, Dr. Vadim Pokrovsky, head of the Russian Center for the Prevention and Fight against AIDS, told the Commersant newspaper last November. Since then, however, AIDS has mostly been spread by homosexuals and drug addicts, he said. The proposed measure, which the Duma passed Friday, would force foreign tourists, business travelers and other foreigners to prove they are not AIDS carriers. Foreigners who refuse to take the test or are found to be infected would be deported -- although the bill does not address how such a sweeping plan would be enforced or funded. "It's based on fear-mongering and nationalistic fervor, which distort the actual issues," said Dr. Myles Druckman of the American Medical Center, one of a handful of Moscow clinics catering to foreigners. The bill says that only Russian state medical institutions may conduct the AIDS tests. The tests must be taken in Russia unless a foreigner's home country reaches agreement with Moscow on testing. Many foreigners might refuse to take the test because of poor hygienic conditions at Russian medical facilities, including reuse of needles. Some foreigners already bring their own hypodermic needles into the country for use in emergencies, although it is unclear if those would be allowed for AIDS tests. "Implementing this would stretch the limit of Russia's store of disposable needles, putting more and more people at risk," Druckman said. A British embassy spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there are no good public health reasons for the measure. If the bill receives final approval, he said, "we will certainly make our views known to the Russian government." A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy had no immediate comment on the measure. Even if approved, the law could be revised if Russia faces a storm of foreign criticism. Earlier this year, the government responded to foreign pressure by delaying a huge increase in import duties and granting exemptions to many businesses. The bill was quickly denounced by AIDS activists and human rights advocates in Russia. Shona Schonning, of the Russian organization AIDS-Infoshare, said the measure had "no basis in reality" and would serve only to "perpetuate ignorance about AIDS in Russia." "That law is an attempt to create a new Iron Curtain," said Kevin Gardner, chairman of the Moscow-based HIV Educational and Information Research Center. Some in the Russian medical community welcomed the measure, however. "It's not the most effective way to fight AIDS, but we have to start somewhere," said Galina Perfiliyeva, dean of the nursing faculty at Moscow's Sechenov Medical Academy. "Russia needs to start taking responsibility for fighting this disease." According to official government figures, more than 800 people in Russia have tested positive for the AIDS virus, and 105 have died. The World Health Organization estimates the number of those testing positive is closer to 8,000 people. /Cuckoo's Nest and Spijker. 31 Oct.94/ UKRAINE UKRAINE STILL INFECTS BY BLOOD TRANSFUSSION. The Ukraine Ministry of Health has asked foreign organizations for help in testing blood for HIV-antibodies. Till now, blood stored and used for transfusion in the Ukraine has not been tested for HIV-antibodies. [Inaczej 52] YUGOSLAVIA ARKADIA is the first ever Serbian lesbian & gay organization and it exists since 1990. It was founded by several enthusiasts as an attempt to beat the despair of personal isolation and constant humiliation. Until the summer of 1994, Arkadia's existance was totally illegal. With the law which was incriminating male homosexuality, it was not possible to register officially. Two years ago one of the founders was arrested and taken to the police headquarters where he was questioned about Arkadia's members, about its financiers (!we never had any-all we did was donated by us!), about the "plot" against the state, etc. After he got out, it was obvious that they beat him heavily... And that is just one drastic detail on the long list of Arkadia's troubles. We never found out who initiated the law reform on male homosexuality. It was an absolutely silent proposal and after it was adopted nobody (I am talking about our media) announced that the change has been made. Before July, 14th. 1994, sexual intercourse with consent of both adult male partners was considered to be a criminal act and the punishment was upto one year of imprisonment. Now, on the paper we have something great. Homosexuality is no longer a crime as long as both partners are above the age of 14(legal age in Serbia is 18). Getting involved with someone under 14 (no matter if it is homosexual or heterosexual relationship) is punishable and treated as a crime. For not obeying this age limitation, the punishment is from six months to five years of prison. We don't have any records that anyone was arrested and put to trial for being gay during the last thiry years, but there were several police raids and a lot of gay people were taken to the police headquarters where they have been beaten and humiliated. Since the beginning of war in Yugoslavia, violence against gay people has increased. Street gangs, mostly young people (16-25), are often chosing gay cruising areas to "show their strength" and one of the latest incidents ended with a stabed gay man who is afraid to report it to the police. Even that the law has been changed, nothing has been accomplished. Police are still more willing to accept the stories like " He was trying to make pass on me so I had to hit him ..." and humiliate the victim instead of punishing the attacker. Lesbians are totally invisible as always. Recent law reform didn't bring anything for them because they never "existed". Arkadia made a short questionnaire on the streets of Belgrade about lesbians. Results were more than sad. More than 60% of questioned citizens answered that lesbians are sick and should be treated in the hospitals, some of them said that they would put them in gheto and over 40% of them said that they even would not go to the same shop if they knew that the shop keeper is lesbian. Of course, we were expecting something like that because our whole tradition, education (especially that) and recent "macho" war policy is excluding everything what is out of the frame of "patriotism and political correctness." Nevertheless, the change of our Criminal Law brought more space for Arkadia to start its work with full legacy. We still don't feel that our work can be continued without fear, but somebody has to start. /by ARKADIA- Yugoslavia) QUOTATIONS "ALL GERMANS ARE FAGGOTS" - said Wladimir Zyrynowski, leader of the Russian neofascists during his visit to Slovenia. [Inaczej 51] "AIDS is still a magic word that often closes people's hearts and makes it impossible for them to think clearly. But we shall not stop trying to reach people with information about AIDS. Nor shall we stop helping people who live with AIDS" said Marzena Walczak, the Secretary of the Fundation "Pomoc Dzieciom Chorym na AIDS i Nosicielom Wirusa HIV" ("Help For Children with AIDS and PWAS) [Inaczej 51] ***Pozna, Poland 31-12-94 *** As You can notice more and more addresses have asterix CEE GAY & LESBIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS ******************************************** ALBANIA *SHOQATA GAY ALBANIA, P.O.Box 104 , Tirana ARMENIA *ARMEN NAZARIAN, poste restante, 375010 Yerevan, ARMENIA BULGARIA BULGA, P.O.Box 32, BG-1330 Sofia, phone:092.585-271,fax:443-804 KISS-CONTACT,P.O.Box 63,BG-1690 Sofia, phone:092.585-271, fax:225-607 GEMINI, P.O.Box 25, BG 1582 Sofia, phone:092.896-268 ZHARGON, Angel Radior, 9303 Dobric, p.kl.3, p.k.347, phone:058.29258 CROATIA LIGMA, Transnacional Radical Party, 41 000 Zagreb, CROATIA CZECH REPUBLIC *LAMBDA BRNO, P.O.Box 18, 639 00 Brno, phon:05/678-733 *KLUB SAPFO, Luzowa 29, Brno Cerno pole *LAMBDA CESKE BUDEJOVICE, P.O.Box 33, 389-01 Vodnany, phone:038.446-32 *GAY KLUB CHEB, Evropska 6, 350 02 Cheb, phon:0166/336-88 *GAY KLUB "ADAM" CHOMUTOV, Kochova 3975/10 MS, 43001 Chomutov *GAY KLUB "4" LITVINOV, P.O.Box 65, 43601 Litvinov, phone:0394.3217 *SOKRATES-GAY KLUB MOST, P.O.Box 9a, 43411 Most, phone:035.797203 *GAY DUSTOJNOST OLOMOUC, Studentcentrum, Krizkovskeho 14, 77100 Olomouc *LAMBDA OSTRAVA, P.O.Box 377, 73077 Ostrava 1, phone:069.226-121 *LEGA,v.o.s.,P.O.Box D6, 53001 Pardubice 1, phone:040.436 36 *PATRICK KLUB PLZEN, Politickych veznu 31, 320-02 Plzen, phone:019.271-297 *SDRUZENI ORGANIZACI HOMOSEXUALNYCH OBCANU (SOHO), President (in 1994) Jiri Hromada, Gorkeho nam. 2, 11000 Praha 1,phone:02.257-891 *MEN-KLUB LAMBDA PRAHA, Rubensova 2180, 100 00 Praha 10, phone:02.541-549 *LESBIAN-KLUB LAMBDA PRAHA, Zborovska 22, 150 00 Praha 5 *LAMBDA PRAHA, P.O.BOX 13, Cernokostelecka 20, 100 00 Praha 10, phone:02.527-388 *SAP (ASSOCIATION AIDS-HELP), Zeelenky-Hajskeho 14, 130 00 Praha 3, phone:02.644-04-86, 691-90-24 *GAY KLUB TEPLICE, P.O.BOX 17, 415 03 Teplice 3 *GAY CENTRUM SUMPERK, Dom Kultury, Sady 1, Maje 12, 787 01 Sumperk *SPOLEK MYKONOS, USTI NAD LABEM, Hrnciska 15/3, 400 01 Usti nad Labem. *GAY KLUB SOKOLOV, Slavickova 1691, 356 05 Sokolov. *PV KLUB PROSTEJOV, Dolini 43, 79 601 Prostejov. ESTONIA *EESTI GAYLIIT, Magasini 29, EE-0001 Tallinn, phon:0142.66-15-26 *EESTI LESBI LIIT, P.O.Box 3245, EE-0090 Tallin HUNGARY *HOMEROS-LAMBDA, P.O.Box 22, H-1387 Budapest, Jegverem utca 6, H-1011 Budapest, I., phon:01/201 733 LAMBDA BUDAPEST, P.O.Box 388, H-1461 Budapest JEWISH LESBIAN AND GAY GROUP OF HUNGARY (SHALOM),c/o Masok, P.O.Box 388, H-1461 Budapest HOMEROS MISKOLC, P.O.Box 554, H-3545 Miskolc *"PLUSS",Pf.:29, H-1450 BUDAPEST, phone:+36.1.215-28-83 LATVIA *LASV,P.O.Box 460, LV-1001 Riga *"ZILA GAYSMA" c/o Jancis, p.n. PUSA, Rezeknes Raj, LV-4635 LATVIA *LOKS, P.O.Box 65, Riga, LV-1001, LATVIA *AGHIAS, P.O.Box 391, Riga, LV-1001 LATVIA LITHUANIA *AMSTERDAMAS KLUBAS, P.O.Box 2862, Vilnus 2000, LITAUEN *LITHUANIAN MOVEMENT FOR SEXUAL EQUALITY, P.O.Box 720, LT-2038 Vilnius, LITAUEN MOLDOVA HOPE, c/o Ivan Rakoto, P.O.Box 8232, 277049 Chisinau, Moldova POLAND *President of "LAMBDA" GROUPS - POLAND, Ryszard M. Madetko, P.O.Box 249, 30-960 Krakow 1 *LAMBDA BYDGOSZCZ,P.O.Box 111, 85-613 BYDGOSZCZ 13 *LAMBDA GDANSK II, P.O.Box 34, 80-250 GDANSK 44 *LAMBDA KRAKOW, P.O.Box 249, 30-960 KRAKOW 1 *LAMBDA OLSZTYN, P.O.Box 768, 10-630 OLSZTYN 4 *LAMBDA TORUN, P.O.Box 115, 87-116 TORUN 17 *LAMBDA WARSZAWA, c/o Uniwersytet Warszawski, ul. Krakowskie Przedmiescie 24, 00-927 Warszawa *LAMBDA WROCLAW,P.O.Box 812, 50-950 WROCLAW 2 *LAMBDA POZNAN, P.O.Box 176, 60-959 POZNAN 2, fax:(062)658-701, e-mail: lee08@plpuam11.amu.edu.pl *LESBIAN AND GAY MOVEMENT, 00-504 WARSZAWA 15, P.O.BOX 63 *POLISH GAY AND LESBIAN GROUP IN CANADA, Manulife P.O. Box 19533, 55 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ont, M4W 1BO, CANADA ROMANIA TOTAL RELATIONS, c/o Razvan Teodorescu, Str. Aleea Valea Siretului Nr 1, B1.P2, Scara G,Etj.3,Ap.15, Bucuresti RUSSIA *MAGIC, Alex Fyodorov, P.O.Box 39, Medvezhyegorsk, 186300 Karelia, RUSSIA *ALL COLORS OF THE RAINBOW, P.O.Box 2321, 170023 Tver, RUSSIA MUGL, c/o Roman Kalinin, do vostrebovaniya, SNG-103009 Moskva, K-9, phone:095/174-66-96, fax:200-2216 ARGO, P.O.Box 157, SNG-129224 Moskva, phon:095/476-85-38, fax:292-6511 SOJUS OSVOBOZHDENIYA, P.O.Box (a/ya). 125 183 Moskva, fax:095.2926511 FOND RADUGA (RAINBOW FUNDATION), Malomoskovskaya 4, 125164 Moskva, phon: 095/282-0540 FOND CHAIKOVSKOGO, Fontanka 4-311, 191187, St. Petersburg, phon:0812/311-09-37, fax:812/5677127, for Issayev (gays) FOND CHAIKOVSKOGO, c/o Olga Zhuk, Lakhtinskaya 19/10, SNG-197136 St.Petersburg (lesbians) KRYLYA,P.O.Box (a/b) 108, 191186 St.Petersburg, phon:812/312-31-80 *MY I VY, Sergey Shcherbakov, P.O.Box 10, 195197 St.Petersburg, phone:0812/540-19-40 *MY I VY, P.O.Box 454, 410022 Saratov 22 (Aleksandr Ofitserov 410065 Saratov, Delovaya 20 A/48 ASSOCIATION EGO, 414 000 Astrakhan, P.O.Box 264, Sergey Samoilenko SOYUZ DVUKH SERDETS(Union of Two Hearts), 658040 Novoaltaysk, Central Post Office, do vostrebovaniya, Sergey (DANKO) Matafonov YOU, 353 610 Krasnodarskiy Kray, st. Leningradskaya P.O.Box 17, Yuriy I. Kharchuk. SLOVAKIA *GANYMEDES BRATISLAVA, P.O.Box 4, Posta 3, SQ-830 00 Bratislava, phone:07/253-888 (switchboard) *GANYMEDES KOSICE, P.O.Box G-13.Posta 1, 043 43 Kosice *GANYMEDES TRENCIN, P.O.Box 104, SQ-912 50 Trencin *LEGA PLUS KOSICE P.O. Box 110, 040 11 Kosice *GANYMEDES SSL POBOCKA, P.O.BOX 47, 972 51 Handlova SLOVENIA ROZA KLUB, Kersnikova 4, SL-61000 Ljubljana, phon:061/31 96 62 LESBIAN GROUP LL, c/o SKUC, Kersnikova 4, SL-61000 Ljubljana UKRAINE *ZHENIA, P.O.Box 3825, 330083 Zaporozhye, UKRAINE UKRAINIAN LEAGUE OF SEXUAL MINORITIES "DVA KOLORY" (TWO COLOURS) 254211 Kiev 211, do vostrebovaniya, Lilia Viktorovna Taranienko 252150 Kiev 150, P.O.Box 501 Tomash Pototskiy 348057 Lugansk 57, P.O.Box 90 or 348 056 Lugansk 56 do vostrebovaniya, Anatoliy V.Gribanov CEE GAY & LESBIAN MAGAZINS ************************************* FLAMINGO, c/o Kiss Contact, BG-1690 Sofia, Box 63, BULGARIA VSTRECHA, 220114 Minsk, Prospekt F.Skoriny 155-2-1B,BELARUS GIMENEJ, 247760 MOZYR, Neftestroiteley 11/2/55, Andrej A.Sereda or 247760 MOZYR, P.O.Box 100. BELARUS *MASOK, P.O.Box 388, H-1461 Budapest, HUNGARY *ZILA GAYSMA, c/o Jancis p.n. PUSA, Rezeknes Raj, LV-4635, LATVIA RISK, P.O.Box 157, SNG-129224 Moskva, RUSSIA *MAGAZINE "1/10", Dmitry V.Lychyov, do vostrebovaniya, E-123, 111 123 Moskva, RUSSIA GEY SLAVYANE ! P.O.Box 260, 197110 St.Petersburg, RUSSIA "TY" 107120, Moskva, b-120,a/a 9, RUSSIA REVOLVER, c/o SKUC, Kersnikova 4, SL-61000 Ljubljana, SLOVENIA "BOGDAN", 254116 Kiev 116, P.O.Box 33, UKRAINE *SOHO REVUE, Gorkeho Namesti 2, 11000 Praha 1, CZECH REPUBLIC *INACZEJ (SOFTPRESS), P.O.Box 84, 60-971 Poznan 59, POLAND *FILO (FILO NEWS) P.O.Box 733, 80-958 GDANSK 50, POLAND *MEN, Box 158, 00-975 WARSZAWA 12, POLAND These addresses come also from "Gay Guide 93/94-Eastern Europe" published by SOFTPRESS, P.O.Box 84, 61-255 Poznan 59, POLAND. Still available. This Guide containing addresses of bars, discos, cruising area, saunas, baths, nudist beaches. As you know everything is changing organizations are colapsing, changing addresses etc. Today we can put "*" before addresses which we are sure about. Help us update this list !