PRESS RELEASE

ANTI-MILITARIST RADICAL ASSOCIATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Moscow, December 8, 1995

Today at 3 PM on its final plenary session before the elections, the State Duma rejected in the second reading the draft law "On Alternative Civilian Service" by means of non-participating in the voting of the essential part of members.

Fully did not take part in the voting members of Communist Party (KPRF) and Liberal Democratic - Zhirinovskij (LDPR) groups; mainly did not participate with some members voting for - Agrarian Party, Democratic Party, New Regional Policy, Russia, Stability; mainly supported the draft law with some members not participating in the voting - "Russia's Choice", Party of Russian Unity & Concordance (PRES); practically fully supported the draft law - "JaBLoko", "Russia's Women". 2/3 of independent MPs also escaped the voting.

Today's voting in the State Duma was preceded by two days of demonstrating in front of parliament's building organized by Transnational Radical Party (RP) and Anti-militarist Radical Association (ARA) with active participation of Anti-fascist Youth Action (AYA) and Russian Committee of Soldiers' Mothers under slogans of immediate passing the conscientious objection bill. At the end of November ARA handed to the Duma's members more than eight and a half thousands of signatures of those citizens from 74 Russian regions who stand for immediate legal adjusting the constitutional right on conscientious objection and alternative civilian service.

"President Yeltsin's appeal to the Duma on November 20 calling upon to examine and pass immediately the law on alternative civilian service, is not an occasional fact, - Mr Valerij Borscev, member of the State Duma (JaBLoko group), member of the Provisional Coordination Council of ARA told during the debate, - If we will not manage to pass this law, the president's decree will follow. By such a way, Duma will demonstrate its impotence and inability to adopt this law, such an important one for the voters. How we will vote now - it will be the face of today's parliamentarians before the elections."

In spite of this appeal, Duma failed the law. It failed by efforts of Communists, Zhirinovsky's adherents, Agrarians and members of pro-governmental groups "Russia" and "Stability". One can only hope, that voters will make the respective derivations on December 17. For what us concerns, we will continue our struggle for passing this law: both inside the Sixth Duma and on the streets of our cities, being armed by principles and methods of political non-violence in the spirit of Gandhi and by strong conviction that the overwhelming majority of citizens in our country are on our side.

For more information:

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

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