Here in Hungary the mouvement against conscription /obligatory army/ is rather strong. In European countries the conscription is abolished or is planned to stop. We should like to accelerate this process. We use the opportunity to illustrate the evil nature of conscription by the case of Lajos Balla /he is a representative in Yugoslavia, and also a member of the Radical Party/: he is threatened by legal procedure because he organized a civil disobedience during the war.
Please, find the proclamation below, and help it to propagate. We should like if the Radical Party e.g. support the issue.
We plan a press conference in several cities in March 19.However, we continue collecting support further.
Best wishes Henrik
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
European Campaign against conscription
Already after the first World War it has been declared by outstanding European thinkers that conscription violates human rights, personal freedom, and threatens peace. The manifests against conscription were signed by Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Thomas Mann, Romain Roland, Bertrand Russel, H.G. Wells, Stefan Zweig, Henry Barbusse, and others.
Now, after the war in former Yugoslavia, the conscience ought not to be silent. As an illustration, we recall that the citizens of a village in Vojvodina (Tresnjevac - Oromhegyes) refused to join the army. Now, in 1997 a legal procedure by a military court in Beograd is in action against Lajos Balla, one of the organizers of the disobedience. This procedure is for a "crime" considered by many people a virtue, a brave deed.
Several European countries have recognized that the conscription is no longer justified even from the military-economic point of view. One after another they declare their intent of transition to a professional army
It is high time to put an end to conscription all over Europe!
Please join the campaign and collect further support!
Europe 1997.
Contact:
- ifj. Korhecz Tamas, Jogegyenloseg Egyesulet, (Subotica,
Yugoslssvia), T/F: 381-2453801,
- Hadkotelezettseget Ellenzok Ligaja (Budapest, Hungary), T/F: 36-1-
3326109
Stop conscription in Europe now!
We demand the abolition of conscription in all European countries!
The campaign is open for any organization or individual to join.
--------------------------------
Dear Colleagues,
Below you find a plan of a new campaign.
Best wishes Henrik
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> The plan is:
>
> 1. We propagate the proclamation in several countries, and seek
> partner organizations, building up a network.
>
> 2. The partner organizations will notify the press of their country
> about the campaign on March 19. The date is common/ however, undecided yet/, but we do not plan a common meeting presently. So the partner organizations decide the style and events at that day in their own city. it maybe a press conference, a demonstration or merely a simple report to the press, what you like.
>
> 3. We continue collecting signatures to the declaration "Stop conscription in Europe now!". The partner organizations can spread the text below, or they can modify, or add something/e.g. more, or other contacts/ . However, the last part /from: Stop conscription....../ should be unchanged in order that the collected signatures can be summed.
>
> 4. As you see, we want a campaign to start without any central administration or expenses. /Like Internet./. I would be happy if some partner organizations may see more further potential possibilities or resources for this issue.
> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> The following organizations joined the campaign in Hungary:
>
> -Alba Kor,
> -BOCS Alapitvany
> -Bokor Kozosseg
>
> Plese forward the message!
