December 19, 1998 - Today at the Andrey Sakharov Public CENTER & Museum the open assembly of Moscow radicals was held. In assembly have taken part about 50 activists and members of Radical Party, ARA and Club Khramov. The basic theses of interventions are resulted below.
NIKOLAJ KHRAMOV in half-hour introductory speech has depicted situation, in which there is Radical Party after three and a half years, past from the last congress, has summed up participation of Radicals in the major initiatives of the last year: extraordinary mobilization during the Roman Diplomatic Conference on establishment of the ICC, the mass nonviolent initiative in protection of Radio Radicale, the international campaign for indictment of Slobodan Milosevic. Khramov has emphasized, that the today's assembly in Moscow should be considered as a part of discussion, developed in the Radical Party before the congress, planned for 1999, in line with similar assemblies, past in December in Rome and Naples, and also other similar assemblies planned on January 17 in Moscow and on January 23 in Rome. He also has pointed attention at necessity to ensure real and active participation of the Russian Radicals in planned process of Radical Party's re-launch.
Khramov also has pointed on campaigns and initiatives - both "transnational" and "Russian" - which are already conducted by Radicals in Russia, as well as those challenges yet to be faced.
Speaking, in particular, about antimilitarist initiatives of the party and ARA, Khramov has stated opinion, that the voting of October 7 in the State Duma meant an end of a long and important period of struggle for the adoption in the second reading of the draft bill on the alternative civilian service - a period, lasting since December, 1994. To re-consider the experience of this unsuccessful struggle, to plan new purposes, to develop strategy of antimilitarist struggle in situation, when The State Duma finally and openly has turned against requirements of millions citizens and against the very Russian Constitution - all this should be the task of the Second Congress of ARA which is held in Moscow of January 16 and 17, 1999. Khramov has stated the assumption, that the task of ARA and Radical Party in new Russian conditions should become not doomed attempts to get even a compromise law on alternative civilian service, but the principle course to creation of a nation-wide front for abrogation of conscription
slavery 137 years after the end of the slavery of serfdom. In this context extremely important is the campaign for abrogation of obligatory service - both military and civilian - launched by Radical Party last August in Italy.
In his intervention Khramov also has expressed his conviction that before or later Russian Radicals should enter in another important battle: for electoral reform in uninominal Anglo-Saxon sense. In Khramov's opinion, there is no other way in order not only to ensure the resolute continuation of reforms curtailed six years ago and to stop slipping Russia into economic gap, but also to prevent development of events under scenario of the Weimar catastrophe. Having positively estimated the "moral component" of the initiative on petition for banning the Communist Party, Khramov, nevertheless, has unequivocally characterized this initiative as a political deadlock. The problem, according to Khramov, consists not in forbidding any one or all at once among half-dozen of communist parties operating in Russia (the day after they will be re-registered in Ministry of Justice under another names), but in removing the institutional reason, because of which a party collecting less than one third of votes is capable to dic
tate its will to the government and president. Khramov has called participants of the assembly to pay attention to their party cards, where the word "antipartocratic" is neighboring with a dozen of other definitions of the Radical Party. He has expressed hope, that this struggle - struggle against present partocracy, for classical democracy with the majoritarian electoral legislation, and, as a consequence, two-party system like in USA, England and British dominions - will become a cornerstone for political activity of Radicals in Russia.
KIRILL SHULIKA in his intervention has reminded of the unprecedented initiative of Radicals this summer on the collecting the signatures of 95 State Duma members under inquiry to the Constitutional Court about conformity to the Constitution of the new prohibitionist and antidemocratic law on drugs. The first stage of this initiative has crowned by success: as it is known, the Constitutional Court has accepted inquiry to consideration and the process on the new anti-drug law is held roughly in autumn of the next year. Shulika especially has emphasized, that deputies belonging to all without exception Duma's fractions and groups who signed the inquiry initiated by Radicals, acted in most cases independently or even contrary to the positions of the leaderships of their fractions and parties. Proceeding from this, Shulika has made a conclusion, what even in present Duma the progress of antiprohibitionist initiatives appealing to common sense of concrete single deputies is quite possible.
VASILIJ OCHERET and EGOR NADVIKOV have favoured, that antiprohibitionism on drugs must occupy the top place in the system of Radical Party's political priorities. Thus they have specified difficulties, which inevitably will face any antiprohibitionist activity in Russia, and have emphasized necessity of laborious job on gradual "overcoming" of public opinion in favour of non-prohibitionist approach to the drug problem. Ocheret and Nadvikov have told also about the plans on creation of a public organization, which purpose should become concrete help to the drug consumers prosecuted by the authorities and propagation of refusal from drugs among youth. They have called Radicals to assist in creation of such an organization.
VALENTIN OSKOTSKIJ has said, that for the first time he has joined the Radical Party when the Hands Off Cain campaign, a worldwide movement for the abolishing of the death penalty by the 2000, initiated by the party, yet only arose. Unfortunately, now he has an impression, that the struggle against death penalty has moved on periphery of the system of Radical Party's political priorities, that this struggle has lost its temperature and has weakened. Speaking about the situation in Russia, Oskotskij has paid attention to the duality of present state of things, when the moratorium both exists (president Yeltsin does not consider applications for pardoning), and not exists (State Duma has rejected the draft bill on moratorium). Thus, the courts continue to pass death verdicts, also even to the innocent people. Oskotskij has specified the upcoming date of February 26, 1999 (the term, up to which Russia has obliged to ratify the Sixth protocol to the European convention on human rights and basic freedoms about ab
olition of death penalty) and has called to develop in this context concrete initiatives addressed to the State Duma (petition, demonstration in Okhotny Ryad).
In his intervention Valentin Oskotskij also polemized with Nikolaj Khramov on the question on banning the Communist Party. In his opinion, this initiative not only morally, but also politically is quite justified. He has declared also, that it is necessary to raise the question of passing the "Berufsverbot" law and law on lustrations.
MIHAIL OSADCHEV began his intervention by polemics addressed to Vasilij Ocheret and Egor Nadvikov, having said that it is not the business of a political organization, which the Radical party is, to be engaged in treatment drug addicts and anti-drug propagation among the schoolboys. The party's task is to achieve some concrete changes in the legislation in antiprohibitionist sense.
Additionally, Osadchev has called participants of the assembly to discuss and to vote a resolution with condemnation of the American bombardments in Iraq. In Osadchev's opinion, America, bombing Iraq, and earlier bombing Yugoslavia, inadmissibly assumes the functions of world cope. He has expressed fear, that if Zyganov will get the power in Russia, the following target for American bombs can become Russia. He also has paid attention to the extremely negative influence of the American-British military action on the development of internal political situation in Russia, where the authorities provoke a real chauvinist, antiwestern and militarist hysteria, which as result can turn by curtailing of democratic freedoms.
NIKOLAJ KHRAMOV, who chaired the assembly, has drawn the attention on the fact that this informal meeting of Radicals is called to be a place for discussion and exchange of opinions, but not for acceptance of nay formal resolutions, since it has no authorized fullpower - neither within the party, nor within ARA of Club Khramov.
ALEKSANDR MARKON has concentrated in his intervention on antiprohibitionist part of Radicals' activity, more concretely - on the need for the prompt launch of the initiative for transferring to Moscow (for the beginning) of Swiss experiment on controlled distribution of heroin among drug addicts. Markon considers, it is important to remove beforehand any accusations of the opponents that we ostensibly call "to increase the amount of drug addicts". For this purpose it is necessary to make accent that only registered drug addicts, who have failed any other treatments can apply for reception of medical heroin. Markon also considers important, that "technical" aspects of organization of this distribution of heroin emphasized in conscience of people the fact, that drugs mean absence of freedom (distribution in the same fixed place, in the same fixed time).
ANNA ZAYTSEVA in her intervention has called everybody to look soberly at the financial situation - heavy and dramatic for the Radical Party and just catastrophic for ARA. She has paid attention, that the only source of financing of all organizations composing the "Radical movement" - both for the conducted or planned political initiatives, and for daily maintenance of the minimal organizational structure - are the membership fees and contributions of citizens. Zaytseva has reminded, that few days ago began the 1999 membership campaign for Radical Party and ARA, having called everybody to enroll just today or at least pay the first part of the minimal annual fee, which remains for 1999 of the same size: 16 US dollars for the party and 10 US dollars for ARA.
ALENA ASAEVA has told in her intervention about practical job, coordinated by her, on sticking-up in the Moscow underground the stickers of ARA with the information on the conscientious objection right, as well as on collecting signatures of citizens under two appeals - for indictment Milosevic and for legalization of drugs. Asaeva has stressed that collection of these signatures allows also to ensure informing citizens about Radical initiatives and attract new members, activists and supporters. She has called everybody to be more actively included in this already conducted practical job.
ALEKSANDR ISAEV in his intervention expressed indignation by the shameful decision of the State Duma, rejected on October 7 the draft bill on alternative civilian service and engaged instead of it in political intriguing and kindling of antiwestern hysteria. Isaev has called Radicals to not cease the struggle for passing the law on alternative civilian service. As for a conscientious objector, at the given moment this part of Radical activity is the closest one to him. However it does not mean, that he considers as less important other directions of our activity - antiprohibitionism on drugs (let all will be under the law, instead of outside of the law), the abolition of death penalty (it's necessary to collect the signatures, that in Duma knew: many citizens are for the abolition). Isaev also has supported the initiative for banning the Communist Party and other fascist organizations.
VALENTINA KUMSKAJA spoke in her intervention about the threat of the communo-fascist revenge in Russia, about the danger of development of events under the German scenario of 1933. She has expressed firm conviction that all democratic forces, all people of democratic belief, from the well-known intellectuals to the "common people", should resolutely express for prohibition of CPRF, which more and more turns into a clearly Nazi party. In this context she has called Radicals to sign the appeal for banning the Communist Party and to take part in this petition campaign.
Speaking about the antimilitarist struggle, Kumskaja has agreed that the strategic purpose should become the abrogation of conscription, and a tool for its achievement should be organization of national referendum on this subject. However she has expressed fears, that the regime can go on violation of national will and not settle the referendum even in case of collecting the necessary amount of signatures.
NIKOLAJ KHRAMOV, secondarily having taken the floor at the end of the assembly, has stated in particular his point of view on the American and British military action in Iraq. He has not agreed with the anti-American pathos of several speakers, having called to not yield to pacifist temptation of "easy answers". The problem, in Khramov's opinion, is much more wide, than simply the question "to bomb Iraq or not to bomb". In present conditions there is no system of effective and completely legitimate global order based on the Law. The UN Security Council cannot claim to be a guarantor for security, peace and democracy so long as the right of veto inside of it belongs to the red China and Russia, openly supporting all terrorist and dictatorial regimes, in whose parliament more and more loudly and more and more unpunishedly sound anti-semitic and xenophobic statements, last time before sounding only in the "parliament" of the Third Reich. In these conditions the only remaining super power has enough force and de
termination to assume police functions and to force a dictatorial regime, openly spitting on the international community, to respect what is usual to name "civilized norms of behavior on the international arena". This is the positive fact, according to Khramov.
At the end of the assembly its participants unanimously have decided to hold regularly weekly reunions in the new Moscow office of the party in Pechatnikov lane: on Tuesdays, at 19.00.
During the assembly at the Sakharov center three persons have paid completely their fee to the Radical Party for the 1999, having opened, thus, the membership campaign for the next year.
