“The LT government didn’t call to say they love me.”
This was the headline of an article we brought earlier this week, about Rimgaudas "Rim" Vidziunas in Arizona, USA. Rim and many other American-Lithuanians have been doing much to keep the memory of Lithuania alive. When I asked if he ever heard from the Lithuanian authorities, he told me that no one from the homeland had ever told him or other refugee children that they are loved by the ancestral homeland, that they are welcome back now that the communism yoke is lifted off.

It seems, unfortunately, that today’s Lithuanian leadership has not done much to restore contact with this most valuable of all resources, namely its own people around the globe – the diasporas.

And even worse is that when these 'refugee children' are trying to make contact with Lithuanian leaders themselves, they will very often not even receive replies.

Sadness pit dug even deeper.

Here a couple of emails we received some time ago, from two American-Lithuanians born in their home country before the war:

____________________________________________________________________

Sending e-mail to LT is
like sending it to the black
hole of the universe

Vytautas Sliupas

Dear Aage:

Lithuania's business people and government officials are yet to learn the necessity of good communications. Without a two way communication there is no possibility for further contacts. One of the most frustrating experiences I had was in e-mail (before that it was in regular "snail mail") communications. I would write and write but receive no reply (with only a few exceptions).

When I was working, our management had a rule - "answer all letters received in not more than three days. If there is no answer to be given, than at least acknowledge the receipt".

One of my American colleagues, who was sincerely trying to help Lithuania, said "Sending e-mail to Lithuania is like sending it to the black hole of the universe. Everything goes one way and nothing comes back".

No wander he is now disenchanted and helping others.

Vytautas Sliupas, P.E.
www.aukfoundation.org
Burlingame, California

____________________________________________________________________

"Dummheit und Stolz
wachsen auf einem Holz"
(Pride and ignorance are akin)

Stan Backaitis

Dear Aage,

Several months ago I had arranged a visit between the minister of energy and a CEO of an important nuclear reactor manufacturer. The meeting was supposed to be for the benefit of the minister on information of what is forthcoming in the future, particularly in small reactors and the possibility of establishing a European affiliate of the company in Lithuania.

The minister graciously extended an invitation to the CEO, but the minister's secretariat refused to extend even the slightest courtesy to this visit, such as picking up the visitor from the airport and transporting him to the meeting, setting up a meeting agenda, or even providing to the visitor's office the address of the ministry. They claimed that this was just another sales visit, and the visitor should take care of everything on his own. As a result the CEO canceled the meeting and eventually went to London. The European affiliate was established in the UK. Thus through such arrogance another opportunity was lost.

There is a lot truth in the German proverb "Dummheit und Stolz wachsen auf einem Holz".

Best regards,
Stan Backaitis
Washington, USA