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The virtuous medlar circle
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The Soldiers’ Mothers and Democratic Military Reform
by
Brenda Vallance

 

For those of us who study democratization and military reform, our wait for change in Russia has been both long and hopeless. Despite the lack of reform initiated by government or military leaders, the one bright light in this wait, I would argue, is that organizations within Russia’s civil society have pushed for military reform.
 
The primary organizations leading this effort are the Union of the Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia (Union of CSMR) with its 53 branches across Russia and the independent Soldiers’ Mothers Organization (SMO) of St Petersburg.

These organizations are frequently labeled as human rights and peace organizations. However, I would argue that these labels do not capture the vast activities in which these organizations partake and therefore underestimate the amount of social capital developed by them. One of the most important of these activities is educating Russian civil society on the rule of law in relation to service in the military, as well as informing society about what the armed forces should look like in a democratic society. They provide free legal advice to soldiers and their families about their rights and conscription laws, as well as intervening on behalf of soldiers who are facing abuse and hazing from their superiors and other more senior soldiers (dedovshchina).
 
In addition to lobbying the State Duma for laws protecting citizens’ rights, especially in the areas of conscription, brutal hazing, and alternative service, the organizations have brought considerable pressure on military leaders and politicians to truthfully report violations of soldiers’ rights. Based on their past successes, Russian citizens are comfortable turning to the Soldiers’ Mothers for assistance and generally view them as a reliable method of fighting military bureaucracy.

In addition to the services they provide Russia’s citizens, the Soldiers’ Mothers have been important information conduits for foreign organizations and media examining the human rights environment in Russia. Information provided by these organizations has been used by the U.S. State Department, the U.N. Human Rights Commission, and the European Parliament. These evaluations of Russia’s human rights status, as well as media reports, frequently note that the Soldiers’ Mothers’ collection of data on soldiers killed and missing in Chechnya, and incidences of casualties associated with hazing is more reliable than any official government source.

As a result of these activities, the CSMR was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 and was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, also known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize.’ Not only have they received praise from outside Russia, but also within Russia for their commitment to human rights and the rule of law. A leading figure in Russia’s human rights movement once noted that the Soldiers’ Mothers were the most successful of Russia’s human rights organizations while a leading Russian sociologists said that ‘these tough middle-aged matrons can instill respect in Army men as only mother figures can.’ (see Yelena Zdravomyslova in Russia's Powerhouses of Dissent: Mothers,
Christian Science Monitor, 24 Feb 2000).

In 2004 the CSMR took their movement one step further by announcing the formation of a new political party “the United People’s Party of Soldiers’ Mothers.” It is too early to say how the party will fare in the political realm, but judging by their past successes and resolve, Russia’s mothers will continue their role of leading Russia’s society toward military reform and democracy.
 
 
June, 2005

 

Lieutenant Colonel Brenda Vallance (USAF, Ret) began studying the Soviet Union and Russia as a foreign language student at the University of Texas at Arlington. In 1973 her father insisted she take her first trip to the Soviet Union, despite the fact that she argued she’d rather have a new car! Her father’s insistence resulted in 30+ years of study and travel centered on Russia and the former Soviet Union. Since the first trip, she has visited the area an additional 8 times and completed her PhD in Political Science from UCLA where she focused on Comparative Politics, Democratization, and Russian Studies. While working on her PhD she was a Fellow with the RAND/UCLA Center for Soviet (later Russian) Studies. In 2003 she was a Fulbright Scholar and taught graduate and undergraduate courses at the University of Latvia. Dr Vallance will be the Dean of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, St Edward’s University, in Austin, TX beginning 1 August, 2005.

Brenda Vallance can be contacted at
brendav (at) admin.stedwards.edu






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"The Soldiers' Mothers and Democratic Military Reform" copyright © 2005 by Brenda Vallance
This essay appears here gratis, thanks to Brenda Vallance, whose commitment to democracy and human rights I deeply admire.
This essay is part of a series of invited pieces by people I find deliciously inspiring, always a hoot, and who write like a bletted medlar tastes. A.T.
The Virtuous Medlar Circle © 2005