Information bulletin of antimilitarist actions

No. 9 * 3 February 1999

Edited by the Antimilitarist Radical Association (ARA),

an association of the Transnational Radical Party.

Russian and English editions.

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ARA - ANTIMILITARIST RADICAL ASSOCIATION

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THE SECOND CONGRESS OF THE ANTIMILITARIST RADICAL ASSOCIATION IN MOSCOW HEADS FOR AN ALL-RUSSIAN CIVIL CAMPAIGN FOR THE ABOLITION OF CONSCRIPTION AND A PROFESSIONAL ARMY

On January 16-17, the Second Congress of the Antimilitarist Radical Association (ARA) took place in Sakharov Museum and Public Centre "Peace, progress and human rights", in Moscow. About 50 members and adherents of this organisation participated in its work, as well as many guests. Olivier Dupuis, deputy of the European Parliament and Secretary of the Transnational Radical Party (ARA is its autonomous part) arrived from Brussels to take part in the Congress.

At the beginning of the Congress those present rose in memory of the Member of the ARA General Council Galina Starovoitova, assassinated in St. Petersburg on November 20, 1998. Co-president of the Democratic Russia Father Gleb Yakunin, Duma deputies Anatolii Golov (Yabloko) and Yurii Parshakov (LDPR) greeted the Congress.

In his report the Secretary of the ARA Nikolai Khramov told in details about the campaigns and the initiatives of the ARA in two years and a half after the First Congress of the Association which had established the political priority of the struggle for the soonest adoption of a democratic non-discriminatory alternative civilian service law. Khramov characterised the situation after the voting of October 7 at the Duma - after four years of discussions the deputies had definitely voted down the Alternative Civilian Service draft law - as a battle lost by all radical antimilitarists. The Secretary of the ARA also pointed out that in the present dramatic financial situation of the Association, whose financing depends on the number of members and adherents, the only thing to do is to was to dissolve it.

In her report the Treasurer of the ARA Anna Zaitseva told about the disastrous economic situation of the Association, financed first and foremost by membership fees and contributions. For today the debt of the ARA is 31.000 roubles.

The President of the ARA, Duma deputy Valerii Borshchev (Yabloko) told about the initiatives he had been carrying out for two years and a half at the State Duma together with his colleagues of the same views - the initiatives for the soonest adoption of the Alternative Civilian Service federal law. According to Borshchev, notwithstanding the failure of October 7, the struggle for the adoption of a law that could guarantee the realisation of the constitutional right of citizens to conscientious objection must not stop.

European Parliament Deputy and Secretary of the Radical Party Olivier Dupuis pointed out that the Radical Party would continue to provide political and organisational support to Russian antimilitarists. According to Dupuis, the radicals of Russia should concentrate on launching a large-scale civil campaign for the abolition of conscription and for a professional Army, while their Italian colleagues had to concentrate on participation in European and national parliamentary elections.

About twenty people participated in general debate, in the afternoon on Saturday, January 16, and on Sunday, January 17. Nearly all of them agreed that the dissolution of the ARA was not to be admitted, that it was necessary to do everything possible for the re-creation of the Association and for providing necessary conditions so that its activity might continue. As far as the political programme of the ARA for 1999 was concerned, the majority agreed that it was necessary to concentrate on launching an all-Russian campaign for the abolition of conscription slavery. At the same time the struggle for a liberal alternative civilian service law was to be continued.

On Sunday, after the closing of the debate, the Congress adopted its General Motion (find the text enclosed) that established the political priorities of the ARA for the next few months: "launching a large-scale all-Russian campaign for the abolition of conscription and the transition to a voluntary (professional) principle of remanning the Armed Forces". "A free, democratic, liberal, lawful, prosperous Russia we all are striving for, should have an effective, professional, low-numbered Army, meeting both the real security needs on the threshold of the third millennium and the economic possibilities of the country", - says the General Motion.

The Congress stressed that "the present-day organisational conditions of the Association do not correspond at all to the ambitious political goals the antimilitarists have set" and decided not to elect the governing bodies of the organisation, but to extend their powers till the end of the year. The Congress charged the four leaders of the ARA (Secretary, Treasurer, President and General Council President) to launch within this period an extraordinary membership campaign; to convoke by the end of the year the Third Congress of the ARA or, in case the membership campaign is not a success, to take independently the decision about the dissolution of the ARA.

You may find the materials of the Congress in the next issues of Antimilitarist on-line.

GENERAL MOTION

of the Second Congress of the Antimilitarist Radical Association

Adopted with 29 votes for, 1 against and 4 refrained

The Second Congress of the Antimilitarist Radical Association held in Moscow on January 16 and 17, 1999,

expresses its deep grief for the tragic death of our comrade, member of the General Council of the ARA Galina Starovojtova, assassinated on November 20, 1998 in St. Petersburg.

Having heard the reports of Secretary and Treasurer, the Congress approves them.

After a two-day debate the Congress has to come the conclusion that voting down the Alternative Civilian Service draft law in the State Duma on October 7, thanks to the efforts of the militarist lobby, marks the end of a long and important stage in the struggle for the military reform in Russia. It must be admitted that at this stage we have lost a very important battle, the battle for the soonest adoption of a liberal alternative civilian service law - the priority we established at the First Congress. Today we, radical antimilitarists, find ourselves in a new political situation and we should take it into account, having comprehended the lessons of two and a half years of struggle for this law.

We are certain that the 6-th State Duma is not going to adopt a conscientious objection law, so important for millions of Russian citizens, up to the expiration of the term of its office.

Despite of this lost battle, the struggle for defending the right to conscientiously object and against militarism is far from coming to an end. Under these circumstances the Congress considers that launching a large-scale all-Russian civil campaign for the abolition of conscription and the transition to a voluntary (professional) principle of remanning the Armed Forces should be the political priority of antimilitarists in the next few months. The ARA has to contact and to begin co-operation with all political and civil forces, all citizens of our country who share this goal with us, including the professionals in the field of defence. A free, democratic, liberal, lawful, prosperous Russia we all are striving for, should have an effective, professional, low-numbered Army, meeting both the real security needs on the threshold of the third millennium and the economic possibilities of the country.

At the same time the Congress confirms the necessity to pass a law that allows every citizen to exercise his constitutional right to conscientious objection while the draft slavery exists in our country.

The Congress expresses its decisive support to hundreds and thousands courageous young Russians who have openly declared and continue to declare that they conscientiously object and fight for their constitutional right in court rooms all around the country. Both the destiny of the alternative civilian service draft law and of the military reform, and the future of democratic reforms in the country depend on their fortitude and determination.

At the same time the Congress ascertains that the present-day organisational conditions do not correspond at all to the ambitious political goals the antimilitarists have set. The ARA has no financial resources not only for the realisation of any political projects, but also for the work of its structure, even at a minimum volume. The number of the ARA members does not even allow it to provide for the full functioning of the organisation according to its Statute.

In this situation the Congress decides to not to elect this time the statutory bodies of the Association, but to extend their powers till December 31, 1999. The Congress charges the Four leaders of the ARA to develop and carry out the political initiatives in accordance with the line determined by this Motion; to launch the membership campaign in order to provide the number of members and adherents that would make possible the revival of the ARA as an all-Russian political antimilitarist organisation; to prepare the draft of the new Statute of the Association. When this period is over and if there are conditions necessary for the further activity of the ARA, till December 31, 1999 the Third Congress of the Antimilitarist Radical Association is to be convoked. It will adopt a new Statute and elect new managing bodies of the Association. Otherwise Secretary, Treasurer, President and General Council President Council, consensus omnium, will take a decision about the dissolution of the ARA.

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Mailing lists of the Radical Party and of the Antimilitarist Radical Association

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radical-news - News, press-releases, articles of the Radical Party. In Russian. Read-only.

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transfax - Information bulletin of the Radical Party, be-weekly. In Russian. Read-only.

ara-news - News, press-releases, articles on the antimilitarist initiatives of the Radical Party and of the ARA. In Russian. Read-only.

ara-general - News, press-releases, articles, discussions on the antimilitarist initiatives of the Radical Party and of the ARA. Read-and-write.

am-rus - "Antimilitarist on-line". Informational bulletin of the ARA, be-weekly. In Russian. Read-only.

am-eng - "Antimilitarist OnLine". Informational bulletin of the ARA, be-weekly. In English. Read-only.

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