For immediate distribution

VALERIA NOVODVORSKAYA JOINED THE ANTIMILITARIST RADICAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE YEAR 2000

During the anti-war, antifascist manifestation organized today at Pushkinskaya square in Moscow by the Democratic Union (DU) with the participation of the Radical Party and the ARA, the leader of the DU Valeria Novodvorskaya publicly joined the Antimilitarist Radical Association for the year 2000 as a participant. In her declaration she defined the grounds for this decision:

"Firstly, I think it is one of the most meritorious and necessary directions of the work of the Radical Party. Secondly, I hate the army, I hate barracks, I hate the drill in general and the Soviet army in particular. Thirdly, there are not many organizations in the world - I mean the Radical Party, a part of which the ARA actually is - which are able to stand up consistently for violated human rights: of poor Chinese dissidents, Panchen-lama, Cuban political prisoners...

And then, the people in the ARA is very good, a staff of rare beauty. That is - it's impossible to buy or to break this organization, it doesn't seek after chairs, positions or president's shoes to kiss them. It isn't even a public activity - it is a public service. It is a kind of a knightly order.

And what else organization one could join now? Since all the parties made a rug under Putin's feet of themselves, the democratic opposition in Russia self-liquidated. The ARA is one of those organizations which are able to tell the truth and to stand upright. No parliamentary faction is able to do this, they can tell one word of truth only if it is wrapped up, like cabbage, in five paper-covers of lie".

For further information:

tel. (095) 208-1805, 208-4902

pager (095) 788-0088 ab. 24712

Internet: www.ara.ru

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ARA - Antimilitarist Radical Association

Pechatnikov per. 6

103045 Moscow, Russia

tel./fax (095) 208-1805

mailto:ara@glasnet.ru

http://www.ara.ru