FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Moscow - October 1, 1995

ANTI-MILITARIST RADICAL ASSOCIATION

Ul. Trubnaja 25-2-49, 103051 Moscow

Tel./fax +7-095-9239127

E-mail: ara@glas.apc.org

A.R.A@agora.stm.it

In connection with regular Autumn draft to Russian armed forces, which started today, Nikolaj Khramov, secretary of Anti-militarist Radical Association, has made following declaration:

<< The current draft will go under new circumstances: in presence of temporal victory achieved by militarist lobby in May this year, when the State Duma in violation of its own regulations passed just in three readings the amendments to the conscription law, which have removed many conscription respites, increased up to two years duration of military service and called students to the barracks.

The reason is clear enough. The army we have is an army of another country and another historical era: an army of 270-million populated USSR which was in the state of cold war with the rest of the world. Now we are living in new conditions, but still we have the same amount of generals. They don't want even to hear about military reform, about civil control over the army, about reduction of armed forces. The only things they want are new soldiers, whose amount will correspond to their own quantity, even more and more money (although already now each one ruble among two received by the state budget as taxes goes to the military needs), and - an external enemy's image which would justify their own existence. Hence, the tendency to rebirth the yesterday's confrontation with NATO, to present it as a "sours of threat" in the eyes of Russians. Unfortunately, many, too many mass media - even the democratic ones - play this joke...

Well, but what young Russians have to do, those Russians who tomorrow - on Monday - will get conscription orders from recruitment office? The only thing: to know that nobody has right to take them into the army by force. To know, that there is Article 59 Part 3 in Russian Federation Constitution - a document of direct action - which gives to anybody whose convictions prevent him from serving in the army, the possibility to get alternative civilian service. To know, that being refused in their legal right, they can and they must to appeal in court.

Actually, the conscientious objection bill came to standstill in Duma. But nobody can be deprived in his constitutional right only because legislators get their salary for nothing. Let the starting draft to bring the avalanche of court suits! And we - in our turn - do and will continue to do all what depends from us in order to get the conscientious objection bill - a bill necessary for the society, not for generals - passed as soon as possible. We - anti-militarists, radicals, democrats, advocates of military reform - we do direct our strains exactly to this goal. But we can achieve a result only if this campaign becomes his own for every Russian hating slavery and militarism, every Russian wanting well for own country and people there living, but not for the bureaucrats in general's overcoats. >>

For more information:

tel. (095) 9239127.

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