Enn Tarto
Encyclopedia
Enn Tarto is an Estonia
n politician who was a leading dissident
during the Soviet occupation of Estonia. He was imprisoned from 1956 to 1960, 1962 to 1967, and again from 1983 to 1988 for anti-Soviet activity
.
. Some of these students plus lecturers were expelled for approving the Hungarians. Later, Tarto met some of these in a prison in Mordovia
. For his action, Enn Tarto has been awarded of the Officer Cross of the Merit Order of the Hungarian Republic.
After being imprisoned twice, Enn Tarto studied from 1969 to 1971 in Tartu University Estonian philology. As Tarto was accepted to the university, a KGB
man dealing with Tarto told him: 'We've already used stick, let's try now carrot as well'. Tarto was exmatriculated in 1971 in connection with his patriotic thinking and actions.
During the late 1970s, when Yuriy Andropov's anti-dissident campaign was at its peak, the dissidents of the three occupied Baltic republics decided to send a joint memorandum to the UN and the major powers. The petition, known as the Baltic Appeal, was directed to the governments of the two German states, the USSR, signatories of the Atlantic Charter
and the Secretary General of the UN (Kurt Waldheim
). The petition called for the elimination of the consequences of the pact and for self-determination and independence for the Baltic nations. The petition was signed by 37 Lithuanians, 4 Estonians and 4 Latvians. It was handed over to Western representatives in Moscow, August 1979. On August 23, 1979 Baltic Appeal was approved by well-known Moscow
dissidents academic Andrei Sakharov
, Viktor Nekipelov
, Tatyana Velikanova, Malva Landa and Arina Ginzburg. Provided with these names, the document reached West, thus signed by fifty people. A reaction by the international community was the Resolution of the European Parliament, January 13, 1983.
Enn Tarto was also one of these who publicly demanded for the USSR to move its troops away from Afghanistan. Enn Tarto was also active in teaching other dissidents on surviving in the conditions of a totalitarian regime. In the course of anti-dissident slander in 1980s, the authorities called Enn Tarto a teacher and leader of the „Anti-Soviet elements’’. In 1984, the Supreme Court of the Estonian SSR sentenced Tarto 10 years plus 5 years deprivation of civic rights, stating that he was an especially dangerous ‘’anti-social recidivist". Enn Tarto was finally released on October 17, 1988, after public protests in Estonia and a demand by 45 US Congressmen. (October 4, 1988).
(Eesti Kongress). Tarto was one of the organisers of the protest march around the Soviet military base near Tartu on March 8, 1989. Tartu had co-ordinated it with Dzhokhar Dudayev, who was serving there as the chief of garrison.
Enn Tarto together with Linnart Mäll
took part in founding the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation, has been chairman of the Estonian Society of Pan-Europe, and chairman of council of the Estonian Human Rights Institute from 1992 to 1995. He has participated in the re-founded Estonian Defence League
activities and in organisations promoting the commemoration of the victims of totalitarian regimes.
Tarto has been elected three times to Riigikogu
(1992, 1995, 1999), from town of Tartu or Tartu and Jõgeva region. Tarto was member of the Riigikogu
from 1992 to 1995 (Fatherland Union), from 1995 to 1999 (Right-wingers
) and 1999 to 2003 (People's Party Moderates
).
In 2005, Enn Tarto decided to leave SDE
, which had chosen the line of collaborating with the People's Union
(a joint list for Tallinn
city council election), which mostly unites former communist party officials. http://www.postimees.ee/150805/online_uudised/174248.php
He was a candidate to Tartu town council in Fatherland Union list (2005 election).
Tarto has been elected three times to Tartu town council (1999, 2002, 2005).
Enn Tarto has also publicly condemned the top collaborators with the Communist regime and the executors of the Communist repressions in Estonia.
Enn Tarto has been awarded numerous medals by the institutions of the Republic of Estonia, including Order of the National Coat of Arms
(2nd class) and the highest award by the Estonian Defence League (Eesti Kaitseliit), White Cross medal (1st rate). Valdas Adamkus
has awarded him the Officer Cross of the Vytis Cross Order
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n politician who was a leading dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
during the Soviet occupation of Estonia. He was imprisoned from 1956 to 1960, 1962 to 1967, and again from 1983 to 1988 for anti-Soviet activity
Article 58 (RSFSR Penal Code)
Article 58 of the Russian SFSR Penal Code was put in force on 25 February 1927 to arrest those suspected of counter-revolutionary activities. It was revised several times...
.
An anti-Soviet dissident
Tarto was involved in nationalist activities since his youth. On November 4, 1956 Enn Tarto and other members of the Estonian Youth Brigade (Eesti Noorte Malev) distributed leaflets in support of Hungarian Revolution, 1956. The message reached the West and via Western broadcasts, the students of Moscow State UniversityMoscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
. Some of these students plus lecturers were expelled for approving the Hungarians. Later, Tarto met some of these in a prison in Mordovia
Mordovia
The Republic of Mordovia , also known as Mordvinia, is a federal subject of Russia . Its capital is the city of Saransk. Population: -Geography:The republic is located in the eastern part of the East European Plain of Russia...
. For his action, Enn Tarto has been awarded of the Officer Cross of the Merit Order of the Hungarian Republic.
After being imprisoned twice, Enn Tarto studied from 1969 to 1971 in Tartu University Estonian philology. As Tarto was accepted to the university, a KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
man dealing with Tarto told him: 'We've already used stick, let's try now carrot as well'. Tarto was exmatriculated in 1971 in connection with his patriotic thinking and actions.
During the late 1970s, when Yuriy Andropov's anti-dissident campaign was at its peak, the dissidents of the three occupied Baltic republics decided to send a joint memorandum to the UN and the major powers. The petition, known as the Baltic Appeal, was directed to the governments of the two German states, the USSR, signatories of the Atlantic Charter
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was a pivotal policy statement first issued in August 1941 that early in World War II defined the Allied goals for the post-war world. It was drafted by Britain and the United States, and later agreed to by all the Allies...
and the Secretary General of the UN (Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and politician. Waldheim was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and the ninth President of Austria, from 1986 to 1992...
). The petition called for the elimination of the consequences of the pact and for self-determination and independence for the Baltic nations. The petition was signed by 37 Lithuanians, 4 Estonians and 4 Latvians. It was handed over to Western representatives in Moscow, August 1979. On August 23, 1979 Baltic Appeal was approved by well-known Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
dissidents academic Andrei Sakharov
Andrei Sakharov
Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov was a Soviet nuclear physicist, dissident and human rights activist. He earned renown as the designer of the Soviet Union's Third Idea, a codename for Soviet development of thermonuclear weapons. Sakharov was an advocate of civil liberties and civil reforms in the...
, Viktor Nekipelov
Viktor Nekipelov
Viktor Aleksandrovich Nekipelov was a Russian poet, writer, Soviet dissident, member of the Moscow Helsinki Group.Pharmacist by occupation, in 1968, he participated in protest against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia....
, Tatyana Velikanova, Malva Landa and Arina Ginzburg. Provided with these names, the document reached West, thus signed by fifty people. A reaction by the international community was the Resolution of the European Parliament, January 13, 1983.
Enn Tarto was also one of these who publicly demanded for the USSR to move its troops away from Afghanistan. Enn Tarto was also active in teaching other dissidents on surviving in the conditions of a totalitarian regime. In the course of anti-dissident slander in 1980s, the authorities called Enn Tarto a teacher and leader of the „Anti-Soviet elements’’. In 1984, the Supreme Court of the Estonian SSR sentenced Tarto 10 years plus 5 years deprivation of civic rights, stating that he was an especially dangerous ‘’anti-social recidivist". Enn Tarto was finally released on October 17, 1988, after public protests in Estonia and a demand by 45 US Congressmen. (October 4, 1988).
After release
Having been released from captivity, he took actively part in Estonia’s process of regaining independence. He participated radical pro-independence movement (while not being a member of ERSP) and was elected deputy of Congress of EstoniaCongress of Estonia
The Congress of Estonia was an innovative grassroots parliament established in Estonia as a part of the process of regaining of independence from the Soviet Union. It also challenged the power and authority of the pre-existing quasi-parliament in the country, called the Supreme Soviet of the...
(Eesti Kongress). Tarto was one of the organisers of the protest march around the Soviet military base near Tartu on March 8, 1989. Tartu had co-ordinated it with Dzhokhar Dudayev, who was serving there as the chief of garrison.
Enn Tarto together with Linnart Mäll
Linnart Mäll
Linnart Mäll was an Estonian historian, orientalist, translator and politician.- Biography :Born in Tallinn, Estonia, Mäll graduated from the University of Tartu in 1962 with a major in general history...
took part in founding the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation, has been chairman of the Estonian Society of Pan-Europe, and chairman of council of the Estonian Human Rights Institute from 1992 to 1995. He has participated in the re-founded Estonian Defence League
Estonian Defence League
The Estonian Defence League is the name of the unified paramilitary armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Defence League is a paramilitary defence organization which aim is to guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state, the integrity of its land area and its...
activities and in organisations promoting the commemoration of the victims of totalitarian regimes.
Tarto has been elected three times to Riigikogu
Riigikogu
The Riigikogu is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu...
(1992, 1995, 1999), from town of Tartu or Tartu and Jõgeva region. Tarto was member of the Riigikogu
Riigikogu
The Riigikogu is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu...
from 1992 to 1995 (Fatherland Union), from 1995 to 1999 (Right-wingers
People's Party of Republicans and Conservatives
People's Party of Republicans and Conservatives was an Estonian political party, which existed under this banner from 1994 to 1998.- History :...
) and 1999 to 2003 (People's Party Moderates
Social Democratic Party (Estonia)
The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic party in Estonia, led by Sven Mikser. It has been a member of the Party of European Socialists since 16 May 2003 and a member of the Socialist International since November 1990....
).
In 2005, Enn Tarto decided to leave SDE
Social Democratic Party (Estonia)
The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic party in Estonia, led by Sven Mikser. It has been a member of the Party of European Socialists since 16 May 2003 and a member of the Socialist International since November 1990....
, which had chosen the line of collaborating with the People's Union
People's Union of Estonia
The People's Union of Estonia is a political party in Estonia, currently led by Margo Miljand.In the 2003 parliamentary election, the party collected 64,463 votes, which made 13.0% share of all votes and 13 mandates out of 101. In 2007's election, this dropped to 39,211 votes , and six seats in...
(a joint list for Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
city council election), which mostly unites former communist party officials. http://www.postimees.ee/150805/online_uudised/174248.php
He was a candidate to Tartu town council in Fatherland Union list (2005 election).
Tarto has been elected three times to Tartu town council (1999, 2002, 2005).
Enn Tarto has also publicly condemned the top collaborators with the Communist regime and the executors of the Communist repressions in Estonia.
Enn Tarto has been awarded numerous medals by the institutions of the Republic of Estonia, including Order of the National Coat of Arms
Order of the National Coat of Arms
The Order of the National Coat of Arms was instituted by Konstantin Päts on 7 October 1936 to commemorate 24 February 1918, the day on which Estonian independence was declared...
(2nd class) and the highest award by the Estonian Defence League (Eesti Kaitseliit), White Cross medal (1st rate). Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next...
has awarded him the Officer Cross of the Vytis Cross Order