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>>> WE ARE THREE YEARS OLD!
Today, on May 13, the Antimilitarist Radical Association celebrates its third birthday. Three years have passed since the day when 18 people - members of the Radical Party, of the Committee of the Mothers of Soldiers, deputies of the State Duma - gathered round the table in the big room of a pre-war five-storied building in Trubnaja street where the Moscow Radical Party office is situated - and founded a new public association whose aim was to make the generals both in uniform and in mufti listen to the millions of voices of all those who had to realize the political ambitions or just mercenary interests of the powerful of this world - either as cannon fodder or as mothers, fathers, sisters and sweethearts who could not sleep at night.
Since that day quite a lot of water has passed under the bridge. There were presidential elections and the Main Candidate for President won them also because he issued a decree that concerned the main objective of our campaign - abolition of the levy by the year 2000. The Chechen massacre is over. However, the main and the nearest aim of the ARA - adoption of the Alternative Civilian Service Law - is as far from realization as it was three years ago.
Now ARA unites several hundreds of members. In Moscow, Yaroslavl', Novosibirsk, Lipetsk, Ryazan'...... Many or few?
Many in comparison with the May 1995.
Few, too few in comparison with the necessary number of members, those who share our aims and ideals who are ready to support our initiatives and actions - with personal participation, with their forces, their time, their passion. And also with their contributions.
Every politics, every social activity costs a lot. There are only three ways to provide the material support of political activity: to steal, to sell oneself, to ask for support those who share your goals. We have chosen the third way. There is neither Gazprom or Unexim or Berezovskij or millions of the CPSU to back us up. There are no generous grants from western beneficent foundations because these foundations cannot do for us what we, the citizens of this country, must do by ourselves - obtain the adoption of the new laws we need that will make our life more free, more secure, more human. It does not matter that each of us is not rich at all and cannot pay a lot. Let it be a little more than 60 roubles a year, 17 kopecks a day. But how can it be that there are so few of us in Russia? Is it possible that in our country there are less then 10 000 citizens ready to stand for liberty and democracy, those who hate violence and militarism?
There are few of us. We are a "party of minority", but a minority that expresses the interests of a huge majority of the citizens of our country - all those who do not like if somebody decides for them how they should live and die, those who do not want to pay the bills of politicians and generals with their own lives and with thousands of roubles of their taxes and delayed salaries.
Let the consciousness of this fact give us new forces in our everyday struggle - often an invisible and far form heroic, sometimes routine and "bureaucratic" struggle, but nonetheless so necessary for the Russian society.
Happy birthday to all of us and good luck!
>>> TRIALS OF RESERVE OFFICERS IN ROSTOV REGION
Rostov-na-Donu, April 14. Reserve officer Roman Sergejchik, was brought to trial, accused of violating Art.1. 328 of the Russian Criminal Code ("evading the conscription"). A long time before the legal action against him he informed in the written form the heads of the Military Department of his Institute and the Military Commissary of the region that the Chechen war had changed his position and that therefore he could not perform the military service. When he received the call-up notice, he applied for the alternative civilian service. Although it was the Enlistment Commission that violated a number of juridical norms when Roman Sergejchik was called up, the Court declared him guilty and sentenced to a year of imprisonment (suspended sentence) with a 6 - month probationary period that he did not perform thanks to amnesty of December 24, 1997. Roman Sergejchik appealed to the Regional Court for Appeal.
At present in Rostov region other eleven reserve officers refused to go to the army and applied for the alternative civilian service as conscientious objectors.
According to Stanislav Velikoredchanin, an activist from Rostov who fights for civil rights and who participated in the trial of Sergejchik as public defence, "if the public opinion keeps silence and does not obtain the abolition of the anti-constitutional sentence of Sergejchik, tomorrow legal actions will be brought against reserve officers not only of Rostov region, but all around Russia". Velikoredchanin asks everybody to send letters and fax messages to the Governor of the Rostov region and to the Chairman of the Regional Court for the abolition of the verdict of Roman Sergejchik.
Head of the Administration (Governor) of Rostov Region
CHUB Vladimir Fjodorovich
fax: (8632) 65-67-73; 66-73-98
344007 Rostov-na-Donu, ul. Sozialisticheskaja 112
Chairman of the Regional Court of Rostov
TKACHEV Viktor Nikolaevich
fax: (8632) 65-01-02
344021 Rostov-na-Donu ul. Sozialisticheskaja 164/35
Please, send a copy of your appeal to Stanislav Velikoredchanin
mailto:hrrostov@glasnet.ru
>>> EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF ARA MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS
Moscow, April 25. Another extraordinary meeting of ARA members and participants took place in the Public Center and Museum "Peace, progress and human rights" named after Andrej Sakharov. During the meeting a plan of actions to support the amendment of Borschev, Vorob'jov, Golova and Gruschak to the Alternative Civilian Service Draft Law was worked out, particularly the collection of signatures for the appeal to the Public Associations and Religious Organizations Committee of the State Duma against modifications of the text of this draft law that would actually abolish the civilian nature of the future alternative civilian service.
>>> "KRASNAJA ZVEZDA" AGAINST THE ARA
Moscow, April 28. The newspaper of the Russian Minister of Defence, "Krasnaja zvezda" ("The Red Star") published a big article about the ARA with the title "To the bench of imputation - at one's own expense". Journalist Sergej Pavlenko values the ARA activity for informing the draftees about their constitutional right to conscientious objection and complains that the "turbid" juridical situation does not allow to bring legal action against the leaders of the ARA. Another charge against the ARA is making business. The journalist comes to this conclusion because one has to pay an entrance fee to become a member of the ARA.
>>> STREET TABLES IN MOSCOW
Moscow, April 29. According to the decision of the meeting at Sakharov Center, ARA activists began collecting signatures in the streets of Moscow for the appeals to the Public Associations and Religious Organizations Committee of the State Duma. The ARA organized street tables from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. till 8 p.m. in Pushkin square near Mcdonald's. 74 signatures were collected. Susanna Tsarutjan coordinates street tables of the ARA in Moscow.
>>> COLLECTING SIGNATURES IN THE INTERNET
You may also find the appeal to the parliamentary Public Associations and Religious Organizations Committee for the constitutional rights of conscientious objectors in the Internet: http://www.glasnet.ru/ara/tempor/36article.html
>>> TV TRIAL: ""YES, BUT..."
Moscow, May 2. NTV has shown a tv-show "The court!", shoot beforehand, dedicated to the action brought against the State Duma by conscientious objector Pavel Zverev for the adoption of the Alternative Civilian Service Law. The Duma was represented by a member of Defence Committee Nikolaj Bezborodov. ARA Chairman and Duma Deputy Valerij Borschev, ARA Secretary Nikolaj Khramov and a member of the ARA Secretariat Sergej Sorokin were questioned as "testimonies of the plaintiff". A "court of jurymen", including TV observer of Izvestija Irina Petrovskaja, sport commentator Vladimir Maslachenko and writer Alla Gerber, consulted and decided: it is necessary to satisfy this legal action, but the future alternative service should guarantee the interests of the Ministry of Defence. Let us hope that this "verdict" that contradicts both the common sense and the Constitution will have nothing in common with the real alternative civilian service!
>>> "ARGUMENTY I FAKTY" HURRIES UP TO HELP THE CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
Argumenty i fakty weekly 18'98 published an article signed by doctor in law Aleksandr Erdelevskij "The spring enlistment campaign and the alternative civilian service". The article gives detailed instructions for those who are going to exercise their constitutional right to conscientious objection. It also includes an example of application form to be presented to the Enlistment Commission. Argumenty i fakty weekly is the biggest Russian newspaper, with circulation up to 1.500.000 copies.
>>> ABOLITION OF ENLISTMENT SLAVERY BY 2000: ARA MANIFESTATION NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE IN KRASNOPRESNENSKAJA NABEREZHNAJA
Moscow, May 7. About 50 ARA activists organized a manifestation of protest at Gorbatyj most near the House of Government against the governmental sabotage of the Presidential decree 722 of May 16, 1997 about the transition to a completely professional army by January 1, 2000. The ground for the manifestation was given by the official answer of the government, signed by the Vice-Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, to the parliamentary inquiry of ARA Chairman Valerij Borschev that asked the government to communicate its official position as far as the Presidential decree 722 was concerned. It follows from the answer of Nemtsov that in fact the government is sabotaging the decree because the governmental plans of defence politics presume that at least till 2005 the Armed Forces will be recruited both by levy and by professional personnel. Although the ARA has sent a telegram in advance to the Prime-Minister Sergej Kireenko asking him to meet a delegation of demonstrators, nobody of the White House officers appeared a
t Gorbatyj most.
Soon you may find photographs of the ARA manifestation at the ARA web site: http://www.glasnet.ru/ara.
>>> KARELIAN PACIFISTS "ON THE WARPATH"
Petrozavodsk, May 8. The regional public association "Pacifist" announced the beginning of campaign "The spring enlistment campaign: the right to the alternative civilian service". In the framework of this campaign the "Pacifist" is going to distribute leaflets and appeals to mass-media. Karelian pacifists appeal to all draftees, both from Petrozavodsk and from other towns and villages of the republic, who do not want to go the army because of their convictions, and invites them stand for their right to conscientious objection. If you are interested to participate this campaign or just want more information, please contact "Pacifist". Weekly meetings are held on Sundays at 1 p.m. in ul. Frunze, 23, "Pul's". Please, call : (8142) 519062, 569759 or send your letters to 185034 Petrozavodsk, box 1377. The information comes form a press-release signed by the leader of the "Pacifist" Maksim Olenichev.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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MAY 14: MEETING OF THE PUBLIC ASSOCIATIONS AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS DUMA COMMITTEE
At 10 a.m. there will be a meeting of the Duma Public Associations and Religious ORGANIZATIONS Committee that will discuss the Alternative Civilian Service Draft Law. For detailed information, please, contact Lev Levinson (095) 292-3281 or the ARA (095) 923-9127, mailto:ara@glasnet.ru.
MAY 15. EUROPEAN DAY OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS - DEMONSTRATION NEAR THE STATE DUMA.
This day (Friday) at 11 a.m. there will be a demonstration near the State Duma building organized by the Transnational Radical Party and by the ARA to defend the rights of conscientious objectors both in Russia and in other countries and for the soonest adoption of a liberal Alternative Civilian Service Law by the Duma. For more information, please, call (0950 923-9127, mailto:ara@glasnet.ru.
MAY 19. MEETING OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE ARA.
On Tuesday, May 19, the General Council of the ARA will unite in Moscow at the palace of the State Duma. The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. For more information, please, call (095) 923-9127, mailto:ara@glasnet.ru. For accreditation of journalists who do not have parliamentary accreditation, please, contact pager (095) 239-1010, user 24712 (give your name, the name of the media you work for, your telephone and fax number).
MAY 21. CONFERMENT OF PERSONAL DOCUMENT "HUMAN RIGHTS" ACTION THE DAY OF ACADEMIC SAKHAROV BIRTHDAY
On Thursday, May 21, the day of academic Sakharov birthday, the Museum and Public Center "Peace, progress and human rights" named after A. D. Sakharov organize the action "Conferment of personal document "human rights"" in the court of the Museum (Zemljanoj val, 57-6). The action will begin at 12 a.m. The Transnational Radical Party and the ARA will organize there their own stand.
ATTENTION: this day there will be no ARA seminar for conscientious objectors in the Museum. You may get all the information at the ARA and RP stand.
For more information, please, contact L.Vasilevskaja at Sakharov museum (095) 923-4401 or the Radical Party (095) 923-9127, mailto:rpmoscow@glasnet.ru.
JUNE 3. THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIAL OF VASILIJ BAZHENOV.
This day the interregional Court Tushinskij (Moscow) begins the trial of the criminal case of Vasilij Bazhenov (Art. 328 of the Criminal Code), accused of "evading the military service". For more information, please, contact the ARA (095) 923-9127, mailto:ara@glasnet.ru.
JUNE 23. THE ACTION OF ROMAN KOMAROV AGAINST THE CONSCRIPTION COMMISSION WILL BE EXAMINED AT THE COURT
At 3:30 p.m. the Interregional Court Butyrskij (Moscow, ul. Obraztsova, 30) will examine the action brought by conscientious objector Roman Komarov against the Conscription Commission. For more information, please, contact Sergej Sorokin (ARA) (095) 351-2082, 923-9127. mailto:sergey@sorokin.mccme.ru.
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