ABSTRACT: Members of the Radical Party for 1992, resident in the former Soviet Union: Armenia 53, Azerbaijan 318, Belorussia 164, Estonia 44, Georgia 106, Kazakhstan 206, Kirghizia 329, Latvia 52, Lithuania 44, Moldavia 110, Russia 2862, Tadhzikistan 6, Turkmenistan 45, the Ukraine 1107 and Uzbekistan 133.

(THE NEW PARTY, MARCH 1993)

In 1992 the Radical Party expanded at an exceptional rate throughout the entire area of the ex-Soviet Union, enrolling almost 6,000 members and more than 100 deputies from the parliaments of the various Republics formed after the collapse of the Soviet empire.

The Radical Party's political activities are organized mainly by the Moscow headquarters. Other offices and contact points have been set up at: St. Petersburg and Samara, in Russia; at Kiev, in the Ukraine; at Vilnius for Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia; at Minsk, in Byelorussia; at Tbilissi, in Georgia; at Baku, in Azerbaijan; at Erevan, in Armenia; at Alma Ata, in Kazakhstan, and at Bishtek, in Kirghiz, in Central Asia.

The Radical Party's role in post-communist society is represented by a series of political initiatives: the campaign for the abolition of the death penalty, and those for conscientious objection and civilian service; the antiprohibitionist initiatives against drug-dealing mafias and the drugs black market; the proposals and democratic, nonviolent actions to resolve the conflicts in Nagorny Karabakh, in Transnistria and in Abhazia, in Georgia; the struggles to save the environment and to uphold human rights.

Fifty conferences and debates have been held on these subjects; in particular, we would like to mention the meetings in Moscow and Kiev in which Emma Bonino and Sergio Stanzani participated. Citizens belonging to various ethnic minorities and speaking different languages - a combined total of 50 - have joined the Radical Party. We also have to underline the fact that, amidst this "babel" of tongues and peoples, 20% of the members are Muslims. A rare occurrence - if not unique - in such a democratic and nonviolent Party of the "West".

Will the small seed of democracy growing amongst the debris of Communism survive or will the former Soviet empire follow the road to destruction taken by the Balkans? It will probably depend on things much greater than the Radical Party, but also to a very small degree - and of this we are certain - on whether or not nonviolent, transnational politics are able to survive, and how much of an inroad they can make in worlds that are still a very long way from upholding democracy, dialogue and tolerance.