On December 12 , the 10th anniversary of the Russian Constitution, a Civic Congress of political parties and movements opposed to President Putin´s policies have been held in Moscow. Politicians and human rights defenders unite in the fight for democracy. (15-DEC-2004)
More than 1,000 liberal activists, politicians and critics of President Vladimir Putin gathered at a congress in Moscow on Sunday to oppose what they called a rollback of democracy.
“Democratic forces have to unite to stop this pseudo-democracy,” Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the liberal Yabloko party, said at the opening of the Civiñ Congress, called under the slogan, “Russia for Democracy and Against Dictatorship”.
Yavlinsky was echoed by other critics of Putin, including former Union of Right Forces leader Boris Nemtsov, chess champion Garry Kasparov, independent State Duma Deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov, former presidential candidate Irina Khakamada, political analyst Georgy Satarov, and human rights activists Lyudmila Alexeyeva and Sergei Kovalyov.
The main objective of the Congress was to show that there is civil society in the Russian Federation that is capable of self-organization in the face of a common danger- the rolling back of democracy. Curtailment of civic rights and freedoms. The revival of censorship. The omnipotence of bureaucracy. Endemic corruption. The lack of free and fair elections. These are the problems which our society could face soon.
Several speakers expressed concern that the Kremlin, which has this year pushed through a series of controversial bills aimed at increasing the authorities control over elections and the political process, may move to change the Constitution to enable Putin to stay on in power after his second term of office expires in 2008.
“The choice is simple: In a couple of years, we will be left with either this Constitution or these authorities,” Kasparov said. “I choose the Constitution.”
Meanwhile, Putin met with Constitutional Court judges and assured them that he had no intention of changing the Constitution.
“This is not foreseen and there are no such plans,” he said.
Under the bill Putin signed into law Sunday on gubernatorial elections, instead of direct popular elections the president will submit nominations to regional legislatures, and will be able to dismiss governors.
However, while united in their concerns, the liberals differed dramatically in their plans of action. Satarov and several other speakers called for a more active dialogue with the authorities, while Kasparov demanded that the dialogue with the Kremlin be ended.
This mismatch of positions led to the omission of a joint position on relations with the authorities and on civil disobedience from the declaration adopted by the congress.
“No Orange Revolution is likely to break out here, in the Russian Federation,” Nemtsov said, referring to the recent massive campaign of public protests in Ukraine over the country´s presidential elections.
The congress also called on the Kremlin to begin negotiations with Chechen rebels and for Amnesty International to declare jailed Yukos executives political prisoners.
“We demand to change Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev measure of restraint immidiately. We ask Amnesty International to give them status of the political prisoners,”- quoted in the resolution, announced by the president of the Foundation “Social Partnership” – member organization of the Russian Research Center- Valery Borshov.
The congress set up an All-Russia Action Committee – a permanent coordination agency synchronizing joint efforts and elected Kasparov to head it.
The Civiñ Congress “Russia for Democracy and Against Dictatorship” finished by adopting Declaration appealing to consolidate society and to fight for the civil and democratic rights.
