The women, Mary Braun, 65, and Tina Zmaeff, 61, are on the 58th day of a hunger strike. Mrs. Braun was moved to Vancouver General Hospital on Saturday from the Matsqui federal penitentiary, where she is serving eight years for arson.

Doukhobor groups rally round to save lives of hunger strike

Tuesday, December 03, 1985

RITA MOIR

CASTLEGAR, B.C. -- BY RITA MOIR Special to The Globe and Mail CASTLEGAR, B.C.

Doukhobor groups and family members are expecting to meet fasting Sons of Freedom hunger strikers and federal officials today in an attempt to save the lives of two women.

The women, Mary Braun, 65, and Tina Zmaeff, 61, are on the 58th day of a hunger strike. Mrs. Braun was moved to Vancouver General Hospital on Saturday from the Matsqui federal penitentiary, where she is serving eight years for arson.

The imprisoned women see themselves as the front-line in a fight against materialism and assimilation. They have issued no specific demands on the Government.

A third hunger striker, Mary Astaforoff, 71, died on Nov. 24.

The delegation, which talked to Mrs. Zmaeff in a conference phone call from the Kootenays on Saturday night, today will again plead with the women to start eating. It will also urge prison officials to release the women temporarily on medical grounds, and to set up a halfway house so the women can be kept under supervision closer to their families.

But Thomas D'Aquino, a spokesman for Correctional Services Canada, said yesterday that a temporary medical absence is "totally out of the question. The option is that they are offered food." Mr. D'Aquino said even the idea of a halfway house is not being pursued vigorously.

Relatives are already in Vancouver calling on the women to end the fast. The families are members of the Reformed Doukhobors, a group that broke away from the Sons of Freedom.

Fred Makortoff, a member of the Reformed Doukhobors council, said many Doukhobors see the actions of the women as suicide, which is against Doukhobor beliefs. He said all groups want to avert the tragedy of another death.

Even John Verigin, the leader of the Orthodox Doukhobors, who have often been the subject of intimidation and arson by the Freedomites, took part in the phone call.

A member of the Sons of Freedom group pleaded with Mrs. Zmaeff, saying that more deaths would not help young members of the sect carry on their culture.

Mr. Makortoff said the long sentences imposed on the women, and the death of Mrs. Astaforoff, have polarized both Government and fasters, making compromise difficult.

Mr. D'Aquino said Mrs. Braun is severely dehydrated and very weak.

However, she is alert, mentally competent, and refusing all medical treatment. Correctional Services will not treat Mrs. Braun against her will as long as she is conscious.

The Doukhobor woman is taking water but refusing all nourishment and medical tests that might determine more exactly her condition.

Mr. D'Aquino said doctors must try to diagnose Mrs. Braun and Mrs. Zmaeff by how they look.