After a brief recess, he modified his statement: "My choice of words 'elimination of the leader' is probably unfortunate, and there have been accusations that that's exactly what happened to [Peter Lordly Verigin], which, of course, I, as a Government official, fervently deny at this time. I don't want to get into that discussion. I'll change that.

Doukhobors try to discover real force behind B.C. fires

Tuesday, February 22, 1983

RITA MOIR

CASTLEGAR, B.C. -- By RITA MOIR Special to The Globe and Mail CASTLEGAR, B.C. - Doukhobor leader Peter Lordly Verigin was killed by a bomb near here in 1924. His spiritual descendents are still trying to end the violent infighting his death has spawned.

In an unprecedented series of meetings that began in October, 1982, on the 58th anniversary of the death, and will continue here this spring, all four Doukhobor groups - orthodox, Sons of Freedom, reformed and independent - are talking under the firm chairmanship of Robin Bourne, B. C.'s assistant deputy minister for police services.

The Doukhobors came to Canada at the turn of the century as Russian exiles from the reign of Czar Nicholas II. They lived first in Saskatchewan, and later moved to British Columbia.

The meetings, which were requested by the Doukhobor groups, are examining the causes of arson that has plagued this area for year, the alleged role of Doukhobor leaders in instigating it and what can be done to prevent further lawlessness.

Hanging over the discussion are complicated conspiracy theories and tales of mystical instructions for mayhem that are still a staple of discussion in the Doukhobor restaurant in this West Kootenay community.

Mr. Bourne, former head of the controversial security planning group in the federal Solici- tor-General's Department, says the statement he will draw up at the end of the meetings will disclose what action the participating groups agree on to resolve their differences. This statement may serve as a contract between the parties.

Conspiracy theories abound within the Doukhobor community. Some Doukhobors allege that the RCMP, and even the U. S. Central Intelligence Agency, are behind the arson, in what they see as an attempt to discredit the large orthodox Doukhobor group, the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ, which has about 5,000 members.

Adherents of the conspiracy theory think arson is the work of corrupt officials or their agents, who want to mar the work of the pacifist orthodox group, which maintains its cultural ties to Russia. Some whisper that the Vatican itself put out the hit order in 1924 on Peter Lordly Virigin for his opposition to both the established church and the military.

Others within the ranks of the Doukhobors believe arson has been committed by "mentally deranged religious fanatics" in the Sons of Freedom sect, a breakaway group from the larger orthodox membership.

Transcripts of the meetings show Mr. Bourne has said he is convinced that people believe they were required by the leadership to commit arson, but he has heard no evidence directly implicating the leaders. He said orders to bomb and burn were delivered in "strange ways, obscure ways perhaps, a lot of symbolism and mysticism which I couldn't hope to understand." He said the fires were a form of protest, and are no longer necessary with governments that are more humane and understanding than they were when the troubles started.

At the meetings, the most recent of which were held here last weekend, prayers in English and Russian open each session. The meetings are closed to the public and have been open to only one reporter - Barbara McLintock of The Province, a Vancouver newspaper.

The list of participants includes those who have been traditionally at odds: the orthodox Doukhobors, whose homes and community centres have been burned; the reformed and Freedomite convicted arsonists, who have burned them; orthodox leader John J. Verigin, who was acquitted in 1979 on four counts of conspiracy to commit arson; RCMP, including Sgt. Eli Tetrault of Nelson, who led the unsuccessful arson conspiracy investigation against Mr. Verigin; a Freedomite, who claims to be the son of the living God; and representatives of concerned B. C. Government ministries, local mayors, and a committee of concerned non-Doukhobors.

In the quasi-judicial setting, Mr. Bourne requests witnesses to affirm that they will tell the truth, but warns that he cannot offer protection under the Canada Evidence Act and self-incriminating evidence may be used against them later.

Despite the history of adversity, all the participants express their wish to reconcile differences. For the Sons of Freedom, it means an end to years in prison, broken families and constant strife. For orthodox members, peace among the Doukhobors would mean an end to the financial drain of millions of dollars in legal fees, reconstruction of buildings lost to arson and the 24-hour surveillance they maintain on all their public buildings in the Kootenays.

Insurance on one building alone costs $26,000 a year, the orthodox delegation told the meetings. The people are in despair, they said, and those who do not participate in guard duty must pay up to $300 a year to the church - a large sum for many.

The real matter of the meetings is the cause of all this - who gives the instructions to burn? The Sons of Freedom and reformed groups, whose "spiritual" leader, Stefan Sorokin, has lived in Uruguay since 1952, allege that their "material" leader, John J. Verigin, gives the clandestine signals to burn. They say he threatens a seven-generation curse if they do not follow his instructions.

Mr. Verigin, listening again to the accusations of conspiracy he was cleared of in a 1979 trial, vehemently denies the charges. He says the Sons of Freedom will interpret anything as an order to commit arson, especially if the color red is involved. A red pen, a red shirt, and even a rose have caused turmoil.

In 1972, a printing company mistakenly inked the peace dove on USCC letterheads in red, rather than blue, and a letter sent to Freedomite prisoners from Mr. Verigin on that paper added to their belief that he was sending concealed messages to light fires.

The dissidents allege Mr. Verigin's grandfather, Peter Chistiakov Verigin, and great-grandfather Peter Lordly Verigin, both Doukhobor leaders, also sent messages to burn, often through trusted aides or those claiming to be aides.

The fires were considered a means to preserve Doukhoborism and to protest against pressures by the Canadian Government to change their lifestyle.

The Sons of Freedom also contend that the Canadian Government masterminded the bombing death of Peter Lordly Verigin in 1924. They say that an unnamed member of Parliament visited Mr. Verigin, warning him that if he did not accept English-language schools, he and his community would be destroyed. Two weeks after the reported visit, he died when a bomb exploded in his train compartment.

Transcripts show Mr. Bourne, head of Ottawa's crisis management program during the 1970 Quebec crisis, withdrew his own words during the October meetings in Castlegar when he suggested that removing the leader would end the problem of arson. "If you can find out who the leader is and eliminate the leader, then we can eliminate terrorism. It happens all over the world," Mr. Bourne said.

After a brief recess, he modified his statement: "My choice of words 'elimination of the leader' is probably unfortunate, and there have been accusations that that's exactly what happened to Peter Lordly, which, of course, I, as a Government official, fervently deny at this time. I don't want to get into that discussion. I'll change that. What I was trying to point out is that if you somehow take away the leader's power, it would probably end the terrorism. That is how, traditionally, those of us who have been involved in terrorism have always operated." Several prominent Doukhobors say privately that the meetings must also examine the alleged use of paid police agents within the Freedomites to instigate arson. They say the agents were used to discredit all Doukhobors from within their own ranks, and the meetings will be incomplete if the issue of agent provocateurs is ignored.