1988. október (246-270. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
®™£ Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126) 250/1988 (E) 4th October, 1988 Protest in Pront of Parliament Against the Persecution of Consclentious Ob.iectors Since the advent of compulsory military service there have been people who have taken the fifth commandment seriously - "Do nőt Kill" - and the teaching of Christ which says that those who live by the sword die by the sword. Over the years the number of conscientious objectors has increased throughout the world bút whereas in the majority of Western democracies the possibility of an alternative social service has been introduced, in Hungary the situation fór conscientious objectors has worsened. The number of those imprisoned is estimated at 150-200, there is an ever increasing demand fór their release and fór the introduction of an alternative social service such as nursing, fire-fighting and public building work as a re- placeraent fo military service. The fact that such a system already exists in East Germany and Poland increases the demand. One of the most significant of several protest actions was on June 29th this year when Tamás Perlaki a business adminis- trator from Budapest submitted a petition to Parliament signed by 790 people, at the same time the East-West Dialogue Network Circle filed a detailed legal draft of the proposal. They were received by the Vice-President of Parliament János Péter and there were reports in the Hungárián mass média on the event bút nothing happened and the petitioners received no reply. The East-West Dialogue Network Circle issued an announcement in which they called fór a peaceful protest tomorrow at 12.4.5 in front of the Parliament building. The aim of the protest being to draw Parliament’s attention to the plight of imprisoned conscientious objectors and to the urgent need fór the introduction of an alternative social service. Within a short time the announcement had been signed by twenty independent organisations and movements, including the Hungárián Democratic Fórum’s temporary leadership, the Young Democrats Alliance’s Congress, the Network fór Free Initiatives, the Club Council and the Endre Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Friendship Society. The protesters wish to submit two documents to Parliaments a protest against the persecution of conscientious objectors signed by more than 1500 members of the Catholic Basis Communities and a letter to Karoly Grósz. On September 7th, on the fortieth anniversary of the U.N.’s Universal Declaration of Humán Rights, Karoly Grosz sent a message to the international conference in Milán in which the Hungárián Deputy Foreign Minister László Kovács was taking part. Grosz said that the Hungárián Republic was in complete agreement with the principles of universal humán rights and that it works towards fulfilling them, "the steps taken and planned in the interest of'satisfying international rights such as making an alternative military service possible, complying entirely with the rights of assembly and association and the totál liberalisation of foreign travel all signify the ad- vancement of humán rights". The protesters* letter to Grosz States "We think that these are plans alone. We can state fór certain that an alternative service has nőt been introduced in Hungary and that of those who served sentences fór conscientious objection the majority did nőt récéivé passports. We the undersigned independent groups feel that the fact that there are 160 imprisoned conscientious objectors in Hungary seriously poisons the atmosphere f or democratic organisation. The only sol- ution is to lay down the right to refuse military service in the constitution and to introduce a social service in accordance with the norms of the U.N. Committee." The signatories alsó proposed that these questions be debated by Parliament in its Autumn session and to release C.O.’a till a new law has been passed. Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
