´óÏó´«Ã½

Seo dà sgeulachd fa-leth mu dhithis a tha ’g ràdh gun do dh’fhuiling iad droch ana-cheartas. Chaidh Pēteris Lazda is Sandr Rīga an cuir an grèim ann an Latbhia nuair a bha i na pàirt dhen t-seann Aonadh Shobhietach. Bha iad an dèidh a bhith sgapadh fiosrachadh is pàipearan nach robh a’ còrdadh ri na h-ughdarrasan aig an àm.

'S e na thachair dhaibh an uair sin a tha dèanamh na sgeulachdan aca cho duilich. Cho-dhùin dotairean gun robh tinneas-inntinn, schizophrenia, orra – is iadsan aig an àm is an-diugh fhathast ag ràdh gu robh iad fallainn gu leòr. Chuir iad seachad bliadhnaichean ann an sreath de dh’ ospadalan is ionadan airson euslaintich tinneas-inntinn, a’ faighinn pileachan is leigheasan eile air, a tha iad ag ràdh, nach robh sìon a dh’fheum aca. Uile air sgath ‘s na beachdan phoilitigeach aca, thuirt iad. Ann an Latbhia tha iad fhathast clàraichte gu h-oifigeil le tinneas-inntinn.

A-nis, tha oidhirp air tòiseachadh airson an clàradh fallainn, còrr is 30 bliadhna an dèidh an breithneachadh le tinneas-inntinn. Tha Darren Linc air a bhith ann an Latbhia, a’ coinneachadh ri Pēteris is Sandr.

These are two separate stories about two individuals who say they have suffered a grave injustice. PÄ“teris Lazda and Sandr RÄ«ga were arrested in Soviet Latvia for publishing and distributing materials with which the authorities at the time did not agree.

What happened next is what makes their stories so tragic. Doctors diagnosed them as mentally ill, schizophrenic. They maintained at the time, as they still do, that they were healthy. They subsequently spent years in a variety of hospitals and institutions for the mentally ill, receiving a cocktail of drugs and therapies which they say were unnecessary. All, they say, because of their political beliefs. In Latvia they remain officially listed as mentally ill.

A new campaign is under way to nullify their diagnoses, over 30 years after they were originally arrested. Darren Laing has been to Latvia to speak to Pēteris and Sandr.

Tha pròiseact mhòr a’ dol ann an Cosobho an-dràsta agus a’ chiad mhòr-rathad sa phoblachd ga thogail.   ‘S e an t-amas gum bi an rathad a’ dol bhon chrìch ri Albàinia suas tro mheadhan na dùthcha gu a’ chrìch ri Serbia.    Tha an rathad deatamach dhan eaconamaidh, a-rèir tòrr, agus tha an earrann a tha dèante mur tha air amannan siubhail a ghiorrachadh.  Ach tha ceistean gan togail cuideachd.    Ged nach deach figear cinnteach fhoillseachadh fhathast, thathas a’ dèanamh dheth gun cosg a’ phròiseact ochd ceud gu leth millean euro, àireamh àrd son dùthaich aig a bheil buidseat bliadhnail de dh’aon puing a còig billean euro.    Tha feadhainn a chaill fearainn, neo a chaidh a chuir a-mach às an dachaighean an aghaidh an toil mì-thoilichte, agus tha gearainean ann nach eil na chaidh aontachadh ann an cùmhnantan gu leòr.

A large construction project is underway in Kosovo with the first motorway in the republic being built.  The aim is for the road to stretch from the border with Albania, up through the country to the Serbian border.  The motorway is essential, according to many and the completed sections have reduced travel times.  But concerns have also been raised.  Although the government hasn’t given a concrete figure it is estimated that it will cost approximately 850 million euro, a high figure for a country with a yearly budget of 1.5 billion euro.   Those who lost land or were removed from their homes against their will are amongst those that are unhappy.  There are also complaints that the contracts agreed aren’t transparent enough.