Newsletter on the campaigns of the Transnational Radical Party
- N·6, September 26, 1996
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* Editor: Sandro Ottoni, Ilica 8 - 10000 Zagreb (Croatia) -
Tel/Fax. +385-1-277.959 - e-mail S.Ottoni@agora.stm.it -
WWW-Url: http//:www.agora.stm.it/pr - Telnet: Agora.stm.it
* Distribution: Alberto Novi - rue Belliard 89 - Rem 508,
1047 Bruxelles (B); Tel.+32-2-2304121, Fax +32-2-2303670.
Published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Croatian.
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Dear friends,
The European Parliament has recently voted unanimously on a resolution promoted by the TRP which invites the Institutions of the Union and the nations who are members to work until the General Assembly of the UN realize the recommendations of the Preparatory Committee and decide before 1998 the date of the Plenipotentiary Diplomatic Conference instituted by the Permanent International Tribunal.
This is a great success which reliances our initiatives to mobilize until the pressure of international public opinion, from now to the end of October, reaches a level that will encourage a positive decision by the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Time, however, is pressing upon us. The General Assembly will make its decision before the end of October. It is now even more urgent to reinforce the concensus surrounding the appeal of the Parliamentarians to the president of the General Assembly of the United Nations in order to arrive at a decision to announce in 1998 the conference instituted by the International Tribunal. To this date, only 450 Parliamentarians have signed in support of such an initiative.
We have to multiply our institutional initiatives in order to obtain
the support of a larger number of countries and overcome the resistance
of those who oppose such measures.
To this end, various projects are planned. At a great financial cost, we are attempting to contact dozens
of parliaments around the world. In Luxembourg, at the ACP-UE Equality
Conference (which unites 65 nations of Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific), a delivery of a proposed resolution was made. At the same time, along with "No Peace Without Justice" and other American organizations, we are collecting the signatures of prestigious international personalities for a text that will be published in numerous major European and American newspapers, depending on the availability of funds.
You can contribute to this initiative directly through personal action, promoting and collecting signatures of Parliamentarians and personalities, and also by joining the Transnational Radical Party of 1996 or by making a contribution to the campaign (for the proper forms, see the last page).
Finally, while there are only few hours remaining before the beginning
of the fasting dialogue for the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of over twenty nations so that they will intervene for the liberation of the Panchen Lama and Wei Jingsheng, we remind you that you may still participate in the fasting by contacting the various addresses included in this newsletter.
Good Work!
----------------------International Tribunal-----------------------
A COMMON POSITION IS NECESSARY FOR THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE ACP/UE FOR THE INSTITUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL BEFORE 1998.
UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THE MOTION OF THE PE.
Strasburg 19.9.96 - The European Parliament unanimously approved an urgent measure, which was promoted by the Transnational Radical Party, which invites the Council and nations who are members of the European
Union "to reach a common position on the institution of a Permanent International Penal Tribune and to act in agreement within the limits
of the 51st General Assembly of the United Nations until the Assembly decides to renew the mandate of the Preparatory Committee and decide to convoke a Plenipotentiary Diplomatic Conference for the institution of a International Penal Tribunal before 1998."
Luxembourg 23.9.96 - During the procedures of the ACP/UE Equality Assembly (including the nations of Africa, Caribbean, Pacific,as well as members of the European Parliament), Bernard Castagnede, in the name of the Radical European Alliance, delivered a proposal of a resolution which invites the 65 nations who are signatories of the Lome' Convention to sustain a renewal of the mandate of the Preparatory Committee of the tribunal and the decision to convoke the instituted conference before 1998.
-------------------Anti-Prohibition for Drugs------------------------
VIII CONGRESS FOR RADICAL ANTI-PROHIBITION COORDINATION
The VIII CORA (Radical Anti-Prohibition Coordination) congress will
be held this coming December 5-7 in the European Parliament. Members
and supporters have the right to participate and vote in the congress
(contact CORA-Belgium or CORA-Italia for the registration forms).
The proceedings will be inaugurated by European Commissioner Emma
Bonino. All citizens are allowed to enter.
For more information on the Anti-Prohibition Fax: Tel: +32-2-2304121
Fax:+32-2-2303670 E-mail: cora.belgique@agora.stm.it -
cora.italia@agora.stm.it (Tel: 39-6-689.791)
DEPENALIZATION AND CONTROLLED DISTRIBUTION: A REVOLUTIONARY MOTION IS APPROVED BY THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF TURIN
Italy, Sept. 5th, 1996 - The Community Council of Turin has approved a motion presented by community council member Carmelo Palma, national coordinator of CORA, in which the Parliament is invited to rapidly adopt laws capable of depenalizing the use of soft drugs and consenting to the
supply of heroin and other hard drugs to addicts. Fifteen European deputies have approved the action in a signed letter of support, while in the major Italian cities the activists of CORA have delivered similar proposals.
SUPPORT FOR THE NON VIOLENT INITIATIVE OF MARCO PANELLA
Florence - The collection of signatures, sponsored by the radical association ARPA, continues its support of the civil disobedience initiatives of Marco Panella. As you may recall, the radical leader
will have to undergo several trials for his distribution of marijuana
and hashish on more than one occasion for the purpose of calling political and media attention to the contradictions of Italian law. The petitions ask that the actual normative laws that penalize users on the same level as dealers be changed. To this date, only in Tuscany, over 25.000 signatures have been collected. The petition is available on request at Tel.: =39-55-230.22.66 or E-mail: Arpa@agora.stm.it in French, German, and English.
--------------------LIBERTY FOR TIBET-------------------------------
FASTING DIALOGUE FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE PANCHEM LAMA AND WEI JINGSHENG
There are now over 500 participants, from 24 countries, who will participate in the fasting dialogue directed at the Ministers of
Foreign Affairs of their countries, requesting the liberation of
the Panchen Lama and Wei Jingsheng. The non-violent action, which
is three days in length, will begin on Sept. 29th and end on
Oct.2nd, with manifestations in front of the ministries of various
nations. In the meantime, the collecting of signatures for the
candidacy of Wei Jingsheng for the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize continues.
There are currently 407 signatures gathered from parliamentarians and university professors.
UNITED NATIONS/TIBET: MANIFESTATION AT RALPH BUNCHE PARK
24-25.9.96 - USA, New York - From nine to twelve in the morning, simultaneous with President Clinton's address and that delivered by
the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, activists of the numerous associations who support Tibet and the Transnational Radical Party
united at Ralph Bunche park to ask that the UN act immediately to halt
the destruction of Tibet.
For more information contact: LIBERTA' PER IL TIBET/DEMOCRAZIA PER LA
CINA FAX - Tel: +36-1-266.34.86 -266.09.3- Fax: 11.87.937-
E-mail:M.Lensi@agora.stm.it - WWW-URl: http://agora.stm.it/pr
------------------ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY--------------------
Luxembourg- The ACP/EU Equality Assembly will pronounce a resolution,
of a radical initiative, that will favor a universal moratorium on
capital punishment. In the document, which affirms the absolute opposition to the death penalty, invites the member nations to abolish the death penalty (38 of the 65 nations still practice capital punishment) and to sustain a proposal on the universal moratorium on capital punishment at
the United Nations.
------- OTHER RADICAL INITIATIVES AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT--------
CONDEMNATION OF THE REPRESSION OF HOMOSEXUALS IN ROMANIA
STRASBURG 20.9.96 - The European Parliament, at the request of the
European Radical Alliance, the Green Party, and the Confederation of
a United Left, has approved a resolution on the rights of homosexuals
in Romania. The resolution condemns the decision by the Romanian
Parliament that would increase the punishment for any homosexual
activity among consenting adults; it invites the Romanian government
to respect the responsibilities assumed by the European Council on the complete elimination of the repression of homosexuality.
THE NIKITIN CASE: RESOLUTION OF THE EP SOLICITING HIS RELEASE
Strasburg, 19.9.96 The European Parliament has solicited a new proposal for the release of Alexander Nikitin, detained since February in Petersburg by Russian authorities. The approved resolution reminds that Nikitin was arrested "for having participated in the editing of a report of the organization of the Norwegian ecologist Bellona on the pollution of the environment caused by the nuclear submarines of the Russian fleet, particularly near the Kola peninsula, and that despite the protests of organizations all over the world, the Russians have refused to supply any information. The document requests that "the Russian authorities submit a complete and detailed explanation of the charges against Nikitin and to clearly indicate the dates of the fair and public trial, and asks, that in addition to this he be liberated immediately in wait of the trial."
The Transnational Radical Party secretary Olivier Dupuis, intervening in the hall, emphasized the relevance of the case not only in regards to the political persecution of Nikitin but also in relation to the attempt to hide the truth about the nuclear pollution that is happening in the Barents sea and near the Scandinavian nations.
----------------ANTI-MILITARISM----------------------------
19.9.96 Russia, Moscow- The secretary of the Radical Anti-Militarism Association (ARA), Nikolaj Khramov, was interrogated by police after an
investigation opened by attorney Loginova, who is in charge of the project. The motive of the investigation: the distribution by ARA of flyers that encourage the rejection of military service. Khramov, who stated that the flyer in question was only providing information on the constitutional rights of conscientious objectors and invited people to use such rights as a form of non-violent protest against the war in Chechnya, affirmed his availability for eventual trial.
----------REGISTRATION AND CONTRIBUTION FORM------------------
Payment of ...................... (equivalent in dollars...)
- for registration in the Transnational Radical Party 1996 (see quote at
bottom)
- as a contribution to the campaign for ..........................
First Name....................... Last Name.......................
Place and date of Birth.............................
Address (street, city, nation).....................................
.....................................
Tel................ Fax................ E-mail..............
Form of payment:
1. With a credit card:
Credit card Account Number..............................
Card Company........................
Signature............................ Date of Exp............
2. Through a bank (transfer):
Have deposit sent to:
Istituto Bancario di Torino - Sede di Roma-
(Banking Institute of Turin - Roma Office)
(Account #) 1000504169-CAB-03200-ABI-01025
3. By mail (International Money Order):
Transnational Radical Party
Via di Torre Argentina 76
00186 Rome
Italy
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QUOTE 1996: The registration rate varies from nation to nation according to the 1% criteria of the PIL. It follows the relative rate of the nations which have the largest distribution of the bulletin.
For the missing months, see the editorship.
Albania 5 USD - Austria 2.400 ATS - Azerbajian 3 USD - Belgium 6.050 BEF- Bulgaria 8 USD - Canada 280 CAD - Czech Republic 27 USD - Croatia 35 DEM - Denmark 1.440 DKK - France 1.100 FRF - Germany 330 DEM - Hungary 27 USD -Ireland 80 IEP - Italy 365.000 LIT - Netherlands 330 NLG - Poland 23 USD - Portugal 11.600 PTE - Rumania 12 USD - Russia 19 USD - Slovenia 85 DEM - Spain 17.600 ESB - Switzerland 500 CHF - Ukraine 13 USD - United Kingdom 120 GBP - United States 260 USD
