I. New Law on "Freedom of Conscience & Religious Associations" Takes Effect on October 1

On October 1, a full-text version of the new law governing religious associations in the Russian Federation was published in the journal, "Russkaia Gazeta." The law was passed by the Duma on September 19, approved by the Federation Council on September 24, and signed by President Yeltsin on September 26 of this year. On the day the law formally took effect the Committee for the Protection of Religious Freedom, under the leadership of priest Gleb Yakunin, issued the following appeal to the Federation government, the media, and foreign states: "This is the first instance in the 1000-year hsitory of Russian when religious fundamentalism has triumphed over the state. The President of the Russian Federation - the guarantor of the constitution - has gone down on his knees before the powers of feudal clericalism, flouting all generally accepted human rights and freedoms. The new law is literally establishing apartheid in the religious- spiritual sphere."

In the appeal hower, the Committee voiced objections to the illegal actions of human rights groups in connection with the new law's implementation. On September 29, even before the law was officially accepted, a militia detachment burst into an Ukrainian Orthodox church in Noginsk, beat up one of the priests, and put the Archbishop in handcuffs. Representatives of various religious groups opposed to the new law are convinced that such incidents will continue to occur and called on "all civilized countries" to raise their voices in support of religious freedom in Russia.

II. Vice-Chairman of the Moscow Oblast Duma Supports NGOs & the Creation of a Civic Charity Council

A conference on the role of non-profit organizations in resolving social problems in the Moscow oblast was held at the Russian State Library on September 27. The conference was organized by the analytical foundation "Moscow Oblast" and the "Family" regional resource center from Dzerzhinsk. More than 100 members of local NGOs participated in the conference, with representatives from women's groups, veterans' associations, and children's organizations taking part. In addition, experts on charitable funds appeared at the conference, along with representatives from the Eurasia Foundation, TACIS, and the Agency for Social Information.

Valerii Gal'chenko, vice-chairman of the Moscow Oblast Duma, delivered a paper on "The Situation in Moscow Oblast" iat the conference. Gal'chenko stated: "Moscow oblast has been lacking a budget for development for the past seven years. This budget should be filled with resources for the non-profit sector, such as government grants and direct financing for social projects. Already civic organizations are implementing programs that are cheaper and more flexible than those carried out by the government; thus, it's necessary to support them on the basisi of competition." Gal'chenko also stated he supports the creation of a civic charity council, under the auspices of the Oblast Duma. An attempt to form such a council was initiated two years ago, but due to a lack of activity by its originators, nothing has been completed.

Elena Yegorova, from the "Family" regional resource center, spoke about the "Law on Charities" that was debated in the Duma last year. The law called for the creation of a charitable council, but despite the fact that experts supported it, the law didn't pass the Duma. A working group is slated to meet on November 17th to begin work on coordinating the creation of a charitable/non- profit council. It is hoped that the working group will consist of representatives from 15 different NGOs. The gorup will be expected to resolve the question of the council's status - will it be an independent structure or an affiliate of the Duma? Contact Telephone: 6551-3216 (Elena Yegorova, "Family" regional resource center)

III. International Birdwatching Days - October 4 & 5

This year marked the third time that the Russian Federation took part in International Birdwatching Days. The primary goal of the event is to draw the public's attention to the need for the protection of birds and their natural environment. The event is sponsored by Birdlife International, an association that is active in promoting the protection of birds in over 70 countries around the world. In Russia, Birdlife International worked in conjunction with the Union for the Protection of Birds to promote International Birdwatching Days. In 1996, more than 2,500 people in the Russian Federation participated in the days, reporting sightings of more than 200,000 birds. Organizers of this year's observance hope that the even will be more widespread and invite everyone to spend two or three hours outside of the city or in a park, watching birds. Contact Telephone: 283-1202

IV. Consumer Protection Agency in Odintsov Helps War Veterans

O. Ivanova, a war veteran and resident of the Moscow suburb Odintsov, registered a complaint in 1993 with the military section that had done some repairs on her home. She was concerned about the serious defects on her roof that could lead to a dangerous situation. The military agency responded to the elderly woman's complaints with the several years of red tape. But the Ms. Ivanova appealed to the consumer protection agency in Odintsov, who directed a request to the commander of the military section responsible for the repairs. The request had an effect, and the commander personally ordered that the roof repair be completed by October 15.

The Odintsov consumer protection agency was founded in the summer of last year by Vladimir Kalinin, who serves as both the agency's director and its only permanent employee. He is aided by a group of around ten volunteers from the Odintsov area, who gather information on a variety of violations of consumer rights - from schemes and frauds to swindlers and indifferent employees. he agency is open to the public on Mondays, when citizens may come to the office with their complaints and requests. There, they must write out a statement of their case, which is then considered by the agency's committee. By August of this year, 30 different cases had been filed with the agency. The number of plaintiffs is still small, since the agency's activities are publicized mostly by its volunteers and Kalinin's infrequent appearances on local radio programs.

"Everyone has a right to good, safe products and services, as well as a right to complete information about them and defense of their interests in court," states Kalinin. "The goal of our agency is to arouse people's interest, show them that it is both possible and necessary to challenge the laws. United, consumers can become an influential force, on the scale of the country itself. After all, each of us is a consumer." Contact Telephone: 596-1581 (Mondays, from 10 am - 6 pm)

V. Ptchela Magazine Publishes a List of Organizations Concerned with the Plight of Homeless Children

The latest issue of Ptchela magazine, entitled, "Homeless Children of Petersburg & Their Saviours: Can they connect with one another?" deals entirely with the topic of homeless children in St. Petersburg. The issue features a series of articles on problems that exist between the children and adults working in the social services sector. Additionally, the issue contains a list of addresses and telephone numbers for 47 governmental and non- governmental organizations in St. Petersburg working in the sphere of orphans and homeless children. In October, the list of organizations will be available on Ptchela's web site. Material for the issue was mainly taken from research gathered for a project on the plight of orphans sponsored by the MacArthur Fund and Psalm 23.

On-Line Version of Ptchela: http://www.spb.ru/ptchela/
E-Mail: [email protected]
Telephone: (812) 325-8913 or (812) 325-8914

Return to Index for ASI Bulletin English Translation excerpts
Visit the Index for ASI Bulletin Russian-language (Includes complete table of contents for each issue)

Available from the CCSI Home Page at: http://www.friends-partners.org/~ccsi/