The Anti-militarist Radical Association (ARA) was founded in Moscow on the 13 of May, 1995. Its main goal is to promote the universal and radical military reform and to decrease the importance of the armed forces in the state and in the Russian society, which is necessary for the successful economic development of the country and for the establishment of the state of law. Among the founding members of the Association there are Russia State Duma deputies Valery Borschev ("Jabloko") and Yuly Rybakov ("Russia's Choice"), leaders of the Russian Soldiers' Mothers' Committee Valentina Melnikova, Lyudmila Zinchenko, Lyudmila Obraztsova, Yuliya Goryacheva, treasurer of the International Committee "THERE IS NO PEACE WITHOUT JUSTICE" and president of the Italian Helsinki Committee Antonio Stango, coordinators of the Radical Party in the CIS Nikolay Khramov and Mamuka Zagareli, Radical Party activists in Moscow and in other Russian towns.

FOR THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION RIGHT

Since December 1993 all the citizens of Russia have the constitutional right to become conscientious objectors. However, there is no law regulating the correspondent juridical procedures.

The main aim of ARA is to promote the adoption by the State Duma as soon as possible of the new the alternative civil service law. Such a law must be democratic and non discriminational. It should guarantee the civil character of the alternative service (i.e. it can not legitimate the servitude of soldiers in the so-called construction battalions passing it for the alternative civil service). Besides, it should guarantee the recognition of the right to renounce the military service and to choose the alternative civil service as a universal civil right, which every Russian citizen can exercise. The enlistment commission should not have the right to verify the sincerity of the draftees and to refuse the possibility of choosing the alternative civil service.

On the initiative of the Radical Party we collect signatures to the appeal to the both Chambers of Parliament and to the Russian President "For the right to renounce the conscription, against militarism". By June 1995 we have already collected about 5.000 signatures of the Russian citizens. Naturally, that's not enough. By September, when the Duma recommences its work, we plan to collect several dozens of thousands of signatures from all Russian regions. If we manage to do it, we'll give our citizens one more chance to get a decent law on the alternative civil service. A law which may become an effective instrument of demilitarization and conversion and not a kind of legislative guarantee which permits to "sent the betrayers of the Motherland to clean the toilets".

The groups of activist who collect signatures to this appeal are now active in more than twenty-five Russian towns. Naturally, that's not enough. You may also organize such a group in Your region, in Your republic, in Your town, in Your village. Contact the ARA headquarter in Moscow (tel. (095) 923 9127) and we'll provide You with subscription lists, with ARA and Radical Party publications. We will also make you know the addresses of our activists operating in Your region so that your may work together. Hurry up, please, we've got no time to loose!

FOR THE MILITARY REFORM

The urgency of the military reform is evident. The outdated structure of the armed forces does not guarantee any more the national security. The overall strength of the army is artificially inflated. As a whole the army is not well-governed and its fighting efficiency is very low besides the enormous military expenses (we pay one half of the taxes, 500 of every 1000 roubles, to maintain the army). Barrack life, military drill, atmosphere of terror of the novices on the part of the older soldiers, miserable condition of the low-rank officers - all these factor negatively influence the Russian economy and all the Russian society.

It's necessary to transform the structure of the armed forces. It's necessary to pass on as quickly as possible to the professional army on a voluntary basis. Certainly, even if take into consideration the actual miserable payment one professional soldier costs four times more than one draftee. However, the army we really need is four times less than the number our generals try to save in order to justify their own posts, calling up even the university students. The number of soldiers should correspond to the real economic potency of the country and to the real demands

of its national security and not to the needs of the generals. In other words: we are not so rich as to maintain a "cheap" army.

Now the main aim of ARA together with the party "Democratic choice of Russia", Russian Soldiers' Mothers' Committee and some other organizations is to mobilize the public opinion for the military reform. Recently there was founded the organizing committee of the military reform movement, next summer we plan to hold its constituent congress.

HOW TO JOIN ARA

Your may join ARA as a regular member or as a supporter. The ARA membership as well as the Radical Party membership is valid one year.

All the members of the Radical Party may join our association (naturally it is possible to join at the same time ARA and the Radical Party). The annual membership fee is 1/5 of the Radical Party membership fee, i.e. an equivalent of 1.60 USD in 1995 (the sum in roubles depends on the current exchange rate - now, in the beginning of June, it's 8.000 roubles). Thus to become a new ARA member in 1995 it is necessary to pay the annual fee of 44.000 roubles which corresponds to 120 roubles a day. Is that really too much?

Those who for some reasons are not Radical Party members may also take part in ARA activity. They should just pay the same fee - 8.000 roubles.

In fact Your membership fees are the only source of financing for the Radical Party and for the ARA. To survive and to carry out our initiatives ARA should number at least 5.000 members. Hurry up, join us today!

WITHOUT YOUR HELP IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT!

Anti-militarist Radical Association.

Trubnaya str. 25-2-49, 103051 Moscow - Russia

Tel/fax (095) 9239127

E-mail: ara@glas.apc.org

A.R.A@agora.stm.it