1988. 60. szám (1988.03.20.) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_3

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, Apneaíl to the Vienna G3CE Eollow-up Meeting

We, people of democratic and peaceful eonvictions, eligious believers and non-believers«i welcome the January and ; a*ch 1987 resolutions of the European Parliament and the United Nation3 liuman Rights Commiasion, which acknowledged conacien- tiou3 objection to military service as a universel humán right, and called upon governments that heve nőt yet done so to release imprisoned objectors and introduce alternatíva civillan service fór them.

( reasons to support these demands. Hundreds of

ourTcompaíríots are sent to prison because ot^jgelr non-violent conscientious stands: These young mén would íp^aerve the community by caring fór the old and sick instead of performing military service. . ..

Bút as Europeans, we alsó protest againak inhumane practices of our governments. It Í3 disgraceful fór the whole of our continent that even after Hitlerism and Stalinism, and the evils of two world wars, there are still governments that do nőt respect individual’s right to follow the dictates of their own conscience.

War and the 3upression of individuals* rights go hand in hand today as well.

As long as people who refuse to consider other nations as enemies are prosecuted, détente cannot be firraly established in a divided Europe. Governments that demand other governments to renounce violence publicly while they themselvos imprison those who reject it cannot be trusted.

The nations of Eastern Eurpe expect the Helsinki process to link Eurpean security with the extension of humán rights.

Therefore:

— V.e call upon all signatory countries to the Helsinki Accords to undertake a mutual obligation to recognize citizens* right to conscientious objection and alternative service;

— Ae appeal to governments whose aim is to establish reál peaoe and freedom in Europe to initiate the forraulation of such an agreement at the Vienna C8CE follow-up meeting.

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