Oggetto: Peace Service also in Eastern Europe!

Scritto da: bocs@c3.hu

Provenienza: bocs@c3.hu Sun Jun 1 17:03:21 1997

Data: 1-Giu-97

Ora: 18:48

From: BOCS Foundation

H-8003 Szfvar, Pf. 7. Hungary. E-mail: bocs@c3.hu

Tel: +36-22-327263, fax: -343823. Web: http://c3.hu/~bocs

The largest religious event in Europe in 1997, the SECOND EUROPEAN

ECUMENICAL ASSEMBLY will take place in Graz, Austria, 23-30 June.

About 2000 bishops, church leaders, delegates from all denominations,

6-8000 participants from basegroups, 30-40 thousand visitors are to

come. The Assembly is going to work on the issues of the Conciliar

Process: justice, peace and ecology (integrity of creation). We invite

you or welcome your support messages to our Hearing:

PEACE SERVICE ALSO IN EASTERN EUROPE!

Dear Friends,

within the Second European Ecumenical Assembly (23-29 of June, Graz),

entitled "Reconciliation - gift of God and source of new life" the

PEACE HOUSE - the cultural centre of the Minorites - will be the place

for peace groups and movements, their programmes and exhibitions.

Among these a HEARING ON CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION, organized by the

Hungarian BOCS Foundation, Pax Christi International and International

Fellowship of Reconciliation takes place here on 26 June (Tuesd) 1997,

20.30 - 22.00 p.m. in the Minorites' Concert Hall.

Our aim is to gain the support of Eastern European church leaders for

conscientious objection. Although in a European level the right to

refuse military service is acknowledged as a human right both by the

Vatican and the United Nations, in Eastern Europe neither governments

nor churches seem to recognize this. The churches, however, could

greatly contribute to the introduction of civil service, or, where it

is already introduced, to its wide acceptance by society. In these

years, after the tragedy of the Balcanic war, the importance of this

theme does not need to be explained, and there seems to be a chance

for accepting civil service in several Eastern European countries

whose governments have refused its introduction up to now. This

possibility is a great chance in Eastern Europe for the reconstruction

of the civil society that is very week in all these countries. Civil

service through its mission - to work for peace not for war - and

through the free human energy it gives would be an enormous source in

the civil movement life in Eastern Europe. Well-educated, engaged

young people to the movement instead of the army - that is what we

want. Please join us!

We would like to invite church leaders, conscientious objectors and

peace groups from all denominations to this hearing. Church leaders

who support, and also those who oppose the refusal of military

service. Conscientious objectors who were therefore punished by state

and discriminated by their church. Peace groups from Eastern Europe to

express the society's need and longing for practicing the freedom of

conscience as a basic human right. And peace groups from Western

Europe, where the practice of conscientious objection has been obvious

for a long time, to stress this aim, to put Eastern European church

leaders under pressure, so that the churches in Eastern European

societies take a stand officially, publicly supporting the right for

conscientious objection and those who are still persecuted or

imprisoned for refusing military service (e. g. in Serbia, Greece,

Turkey).

We hereby invite you to attend the hearing entitled "Conscientious

objectors criminals? Dreamers? Heroes?" Your personal presence and

solidarity would be a great help for us and our request. We appreciate

also if you send a solidarity or supporting message to us, or if you

can provide information about your country on the following matters:

How long military and alternative service do you have? On which areas

do conscientious objectors work? How much wage (and other kinds of

income) do soldiers and COs receive? Since when has civil service been

possible? How was it introduced? Did the churches contribute to its

introduction? How many people choose it? How much is it in percents,

compared with those choosing military service? Do conscientious

objectors have an organization representing their interests? Is any of

these organizations religious, belonging to a church? Do churches have

any official or informal statement on the question of conscientious

objection? Is this issue mentioned in priests' education, in books for

religious education of young people? Do the churches have any

peacemaking/conflict resolving activity? Do they have trainings,

books, experts on peacemaking/conflict resolution? Could they make use

of COs? On which areas?

Thank you in advance for your help. Feel free to forward our letter to

any group which may be interested in this theme.

Wishing all the best for your work,

yours,

Katalin and Cecilia Simonyi, BOCS Foundation

H-8000 Szekesfehervar Pf. 7. Hungary

Tel.: +36-22-327263

Fax: +36-22-343823

E-mail: kaci@jpic.zpok.hu, cilko@btkstud.jpte.hu, bocs@c3.hu

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