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Illustration: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Eastern European criminals were responsible for more than 11,000 crimes in London last year. Nationals of Poland, Romania and Lithuania were most likely of all foreigners to be prosecuted by the police, an investigation has revealed, according to Mail Online.

Overall, foreigners are accused of one in four of all crimes committed in London.
Astonishingly, they make up nine out of ten drug suspects and are responsible for more than one in three sex offences.

One in four of the East European assailants were Lithuanians, while criminals from Poland
accounted for around 50%. But the percentage in proportion to population shows that Lithuania towers on top with a huge margin. In relation to population there were committed 6.5 times more crimes by Lithuanians than by Poles!

Terrible statistics for a small country that so desperately needs good forces in the recovery and new prosperity after all the years of Soviet oppression.

A report published by Associate Professor Aurelijus Gutauskas at Mykolas Romeris University's Law Faculty gives a very interesting insight into how the economic downturn has led to increased social disparities, crime, fraud and widespread shadow economy in Lithuania, ref https://vilnews.com/?p=6312#idc-container

EU homicide rate per 100 000 population,
average per year, 2007-2009

Homicide is a type of violent crime, and is defined as the intentional killing of a person, including murder, manslaughter, euthanasia and infanticide. It excludes death by dangerous driving, abortion and help with suicide. The national figures indicatethat Lithuania and Estonia have by far the highest incidence of homicides (over 8 and 5 victims respectively per 100 000 population).

Why dignity matters for Lithuania

Jonas Basanavičius (23 November 1851 – 16 February 1927) was an activist and proponent of Lithuania's National Revival and founder of the first Lithuanian language newspaper Aušra. He was a signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania on 16 February 1918 Basanavičius is often given the unique informal honorific title of the "Patriarch of the Nation" for his contributions and help in re-establishing the Lithuanian state.

By Aage Myhre, Editor-in-Chief
aage.myhre@VilNews.com

“A man's country is not a certain area of land, of
mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and
patriotism is loyalty to that principle.”
- George William Curtis

It is 16 February 2012. It is today exactly 94 years since a group of brave men wrote the Lithuanian declaration of independence after the country had been under Tsarist Russia's iron heel through more than 100 years. These men represented a generation that certainly felt an overwhelming sense of pride at the dawn of renewed independence. The Act of February 16 was signed by all 20 representatives of the Council of Lithuania, proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania, governed by democratic principles. The meeting and signing procedures were chaired by Jonas Basanavičius, the man often given the unique informal honorific title of the "Patriarch of the Nation" for his contributions and help in re-establishing the Lithuanian state.

What these men presented from the balcony of a house in Pilies street here in Vilnius Old Town was not much more than a piece of paper. But it was a paper that symbolized a nation willing to throw off the yoke. A nation that had won back its self respect and dignity in spite of the injustice and oppression that had been going on since the Russian occupation started in 1795.

We salute these men for their courage and foresight. We salute them because they, in faith, hope and dignity clearly showed that Lithuania wanted to live up to its proud history as a nation of greatness.

Great nations are founded on self-belief!

As we now know, the newfound freedom was not going to last much more than 20 years. But they were 20 important years in which Lithuanians showed the world and themselves that the citizens and the country's leaders had the ability to collaborate an utterly successful reconstruction of the nation. Pride, dignity and courage came to characterize the inter-war years of this country.

The years 1988-1991 were also characterized by dignity and confidence. The quiet revolution that defined the Lithuanian and the other Baltic States' revolt against Soviet rule was almost like a textbook on how a nation's inner strength can lead to freedom originating from within, from its own citizens.

The 21 years that have passed since 1991, have not in the same good way as the 21 inter-war years demonstrated a nation where citizens have regained pride and commitment to joint efforts for the home country. Distrust, corruption and greed has unfortunately become all too characteristic of the last two decades. Hundreds of thousands have left

Lithuania during these years, frustrated by the absence of expected progress, of seeing that cheating on many levels is still going on, and that a small minority have made ​​themselves rich at public expense.

It is in this situation easy to blame the nation's leaders. And for good reason. But the country's own citizens, especially the young, should be united in a common effort and take responsibility for a better future. Politicians and leaders should show the way, but the exertion must come from within, from the people.

"Ask not what your country can do for you –
ask what you can do for your country."
- John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961

VilNews wants to contribute to the cause of supporting the Lithuanian people, wherever in the world they are located, to once again feel pride and enjoyment of their homeland. We would like to see many of those who have emigrated and their descendants to return home again. We want to see a joint effort for the home country among Lithuanians all over the world. We want the team feeling back.

Patriotism, pride and dignity are important elements in order for such efforts to succeed. We have, with this as background, invited a group of prominent individuals who represent dignity and patriotism in an outstanding manner. They are all born in Lithuania before World War II, a period when Lithuania flourished. Some of them have lived most of their lives in this country while others fled to western countries when Stalin's war machinery rolled into their homeland.

Common to them all, however, is that they continuously have fought for the fatherland, wherever in the world they have been living or working.

On this very special day for Lithuania, the 16^th of February, it's a great pleasure to honour and thank these individuals for their tremendous efforts and attitudes to the homeland. They have something to teach us. They have, through the way they have lived their lives, and their wisdom, something important to share with all of us who are related to Lithuania.

They represent the sort of dignity and patriotism that we all should let us inspire by and follow.

Why is dignity important for Lithuania?

For me dignity has to do with the feeling of self-worth. Something every person and nation needs to have to succeed and feel good. Still my experience is that in spite of its universal appeal, this remains a topic rarely discussed. We all have experience of it but may not have words to describe it or a wish to talk about it.

We all know how great it is to be seen, heard, and acknowledged for who we are and treated as if we mattered. Who doesn't enjoy the praise of being recognized for doing a good job or being honoured for going beyond the call of duty?

We also know what it feels like to be treated as inferior, discriminated against, ignored, misunderstood, criticized and excluded. There is little worse than being in a situation where you are treated unfairly and can do nothing about it, or being excluded from something that means a lot to you.

We are all too well aware of the feelings that accompany these violations of our dignity. What is not so common is to bring them up for discussion. It is often too embarrassing to admit that we have been treated so badly. It is why attention on matters of dignity and to give us a language to bring these issues to the surface so that we can legitimize the suffering that accompanies these painful human experiences and do something about them.

We don't have to just live with them, we need to address them. So does the nation called Lithuania.

Matters of dignity are at the heart of every interaction we have with other people or nations. They show up in the work, in schools, at home, in intimate relationships – everywhere human beings come into contact with one another. All over the world dignity violations abound. In work or social relations people often feel that they are not treated well, but have no way to "speak-up" for fear of retribution. Many feel it would be career suicide to go to their bosses and tell them that they have violated their dignity. The end result is that there is a lot of resentment on the part of employees and little desire to extend themselves beyond what their job requires. It is infuriating to them that they are being mistreated and that there is no way to give voice to it. Conflicts over dignity are an everyday experience but very few people feel skilled in handling them.

This is why I think matters of dignity are of highest importance both for and within Lithuania. The time has come to shed light on something that we may not have either the courage or language to discuss. The shame that accompanies being treated badly prevents us from doing the very thing we need to do to recover from violations of our dignity: bring them out into the open, validate them, and give them the attention they deserve.

We wouldn't think twice about getting help when we have a physical injury. When we have a wound to our dignity there is nowhere to go; no emergency call or room. Bringing the issue to light can help us all heal from the many subtle and not so subtle ways that indignity has found its way into our lives.

We, Lithuania, can do better and we should do it with dignity.

“Dignity does not float down from heaven it cannot be purchased nor manufactured. It is a reward reserved for those who labour with diligence.”
- Bill Hybels